Extra £900k to overhaul ageing Tyne and Wear Metro fleet

The public body that owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro is investing an extra £900k to overhaul and maintain the network’s ageing train fleet.

Nexus’ investment will aim to reduce train failures and delays by focusing on works to prevent power faults. It will also be used to refurbish train cabs and recruit extra staff at the depot.

The cash, additional to the organisation’s existing fleet maintenance budget, will be spent between now and March 2020.

The Metro fleet is over 40 years old and Nexus says the trains are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

The organisation has already secured £337m of government funding for a new Metro fleet. The first new trains are due to be in service by late 2021.

Nexus MD Tobyn Hughes said: “This extra funding, £900k over the next two years, will be used to give an extra boost to the maintenance of our current Metro fleet.

“We aim to get the reliability of the Metro fleet as high as we possibly can, although it will continue to be a challenge because of its age.”

The existing Metro fleet has been in operation for more than 40 years

He continued: “The longer term solution is to buy new trains. We are in the process of finding a supplier to design and build our new rolling stock. We aim to see the first new trains in service by late 2021.”

Five companies are on the shortlist for the design, build and maintenance contract. Detailed discussions are underway and a single preferred bidder will be named at the end of next year.

Nexus is tasking the bidders with creating trains that will enhance passenger flow and dwell times at stations.

The new cabs are likely to have improved seating layouts, wider doors and stand-back areas, wide aisles and better accessibility.