South Shields Metro passengers face up to 10 months of disruption

Phase one of the work will see the Metro line between South Shields and Chichester close for more than a month in both directions from Monday, October 1, to Saturday, November 3.

Replacement bus service 900 will operate with normal rail services between Chichester and Newcastle unaffected.

Chicester Metro station is also affected by the changes.

From Sunday, November 4, however, trains will be unable to use platform 2 at Chichester station until August next year.

Passengers heading towards Newcastle are urged to travel to South Shields on platform 1 and stay on the service when it begins its return journey.

Travellers going from South Shields to Chichester are advised to remain on the train until Tyne Dock before returning to platform 1 at Chichester.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro, has to carry out track and signalling upgrades so that Metro trains can serve the new South Shields interchange when it opens in 2019.

The managing director of Nexus, Tobyn Hughes, said: “The Â£21m new transport interchange is a really exciting development for South Shields.

"We are now at a key stage where we need to get the Metro tracks and signals set up so that our trains can stop at the new interchange when it opens in 2019.

“We have to close the line between South Shields and Chichester for four weeks from October 1 so that the work can be done safely and effectively. We will also have to close platform 2 at Chichester Metro station until August 2019.

“I’m sorry for any inconvenience this will cause to our customers in South Tyneside.

"The long term benefit will be a brighter, better and more modern transport hub in South Shields, which we think will attract more people into the town for shopping and leisure.”

South Tyneside Council is working with partners Muse Developments and Nexus, and construction contractor Bowmer and Kirkland, to deliver the new South Shields interchange in Fowler Street and Keppel Street.

Construction, which forms phase two of the Â£100m South Shields 365 regeneration masterplan, began in April.

It will provide South Shields with a landmark new building housing both the Metro and bus concourses under one roof.

Further information about the timetable changes are available at www.nexus.org.uk/metro/modernisation