Mayor announces more Metro services

A North East transport network is set for increased weekday services from December as part of plans to improve journeys for passengers.

North East mayor Kim McGuinness has confirmed Metro services will be increased later this year, with trains running every ten minutes on each line during the weekday daytime.

Under the new timetable, which will be phased in by operator Nexus from December 2026, passengers will benefit from six trains every hour on each line and 12 trains an hour in each direction through central Newcastle and Gateshead.

The announcement comes as Nexus marks the final days of its original Metro fleet, with the last guaranteed runs taking place this week.

Alongside the additional services, passengers are set to benefit from a wider package of improvements, including the £2.50 Mayor’s Fare for single journeys made with Pop Pay As You Go and a £1 price cap for those aged up to 21 using Pop Blue.

Further plans include the roll-out of Pop to all smartphones, new fare caps across Metro and local buses, a £7 million refurbishment of Regent Centre Metro station and improved customer reporting to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Longer-term investment includes the planned £1.8 billion Metro extension through Washington to Sunderland and Government-backed replacement of the network’s ageing signalling system.

Mayor McGuinness said: “I promised passengers a more reliable, safer and more affordable Metro which local people can be proud of once again.  

“Now we are delivering on that promise – we’ve made sure the last of the old trains are gone by summer and so now I can confirm that from December there will be more frequent trains too.

“From this week passengers can expect to travel on a new train every time they travel by Metro, and that means a reliable journey and a safer one thanks to the brighter open-plan layout and the 44 cameras the driver can view on every train. 

“But that’s just the start.

“A train every ten minutes throughout the daytime means Metro will be more convenient, with more space for passengers and shorter waits at stations. 

“We’re transforming Metro with more trains on time, more passengers on board, and more affordable travel thanks to the Mayor’s Fares capped at £2.50 however far you go.

“At the same time Nexus is taking action to continue make Metro safer, improve stations, replace outdated signals and build the first new Metro line for 30 years, extending the system to Washington.  

“We are spending millions to deliver world class public transport for local people.”

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