'It is part of everyday life' - Celebrations as Tyne and Wear Metro marks 40 years in South Tyneside

Nexus, the public body which manages and operates the Tyne and Wear Metro, is celebrating 40 years of having the transport system in South Tyneside.

The South Tyneside line, which runs from Pelaw to South Shields, opened on March 23, 1984, as the transport system marked the completion of its original network.

Since then, Nexus has continued to support the network within the borough, including the refurbishment of lines and stations, as well as constructing the South Shields Interchange, which opened in 2019.

The occasion was marked with a cake cutting ceremony at the South Shields Interchange on Tuesday morning (March 19).

Councillor Audrey Huntley, deputy leader of South Tyneside Council, has praised Nexus for marking its 40th anniversary in the borough.

Cllr Huntley said: "It is a wonderful achievement, the Metro system has revolutionised public transport for South Tyneside.

"With the new trains coming on later this year, it is an amazing achievement and long way it continue.

"Very well done to the Metro for 40 years, it is wonderful."

Huw Lewis, the customer services director at Nexus, reflected on the last 40 years and looked ahead at what is to come.

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He commented: "We're here to celebrate 40 years of Metro and 40 years of the completion of the original network.

"In that time 200 million people have travelled between South Shields and Pelaw alone, with two billion people on the Metro system as a whole.

"All of those journeys of people going to work, or to education, or to the match makes Metro what it is.

"It is part of everyday life and this week's celebrations are a way of remembering that.

"Here in South Tyneside, we will continue to improve the offer that we are currently making.

"Four years ago, we opened the brand new interchange to replace what was quite a tired and dated station.

"It is much more accessible and comfortable for people and then later this year, the big thing will be the arrival of the new train fleet.

"That is going to transform the journey experience, it will be much more reliable so that is the future.

"It is an exciting future for the next 40 years, just as we're marking the last 40 years here in South Shields."