South Shields Metro station to permanently close on Monday as new transport interchange prepares for opening

South Shields Metro station will be permanently closed from Monday, July 8.

Opening on August 4, the new multi-million pound terminus will be less than 100 metres away from the current station site on King Street.

Located on Keppel Street, the interchange will bring together the town’s bus and Metro services under one roof.

It is the first time in Metro’s 39-year history that a station will be permanently closed.

South Shields Metro station opened in 1984.

South Shields station, which opened in 1984, has been used by more than 50 million passengers, including tens of thousands of Great North Run athletes and spectators each September.

Huw Lewis, Customer Services Director at Nexus, which owns and manages Metro, said: “We’re looking forward to seeing Metro move into South Shields Interchange, which gives the town the best new railway and bus station in Britain.

“We’ve never closed a station before, and I am sure many people have memories of the old South Shields – it’s been part of everyday life for so long for the daily commute, trips to the seaside or during the Great North Run.

“I used to go through it almost every day myself so in some ways it is sad to say goodbye, but the difference in quality will be obvious as Metro moves across the road. We’re really looking forward to welcoming our first passengers there next month.”

South Shields town centre will have an entirely new Metro terminus.

South Tyneside Council is working with partners Muse Developments and Nexus, and construction contractor Bowmer and Kirkland, to deliver the new South Shields Interchange.

Construction of the interchange, which forms Phase Two of the £100million South Shields 365 regeneration masterplan, began in April 2018.

Metro services will terminate at Chichester station for four weeks fromMonday, July 8 to allow completion of the Interchange, with frequent buses linking to the town centre until it opens.

The old station featured in the 2014 Franz Ferdinand song, Stand on the Horizon, inspired by singer Alex Kapranos’ childhood in North East England.

It will be demolished this autumn to create a new walkway into King Street.