A busy section of Metro line between the Airport and South Gosforth is to close for seven days from this weekend to allow for a major programme of track and overhead line renewal works to be carried out.
Nexus, the public body which operates Metro, is replacing a 1.5km stretch of track and 1,400 metres of overhead wire alongside a range of other lineside estate works.
Buses will replace trains Airport-South Gosforth from Saturday 17 February to Friday 23 February. The Metro line will re-open to services on Saturday 24 February.
This frequent replacement bus service, 901, will run in the affected area, calling at or near all Metro stations on the route.
Stuart Clarke, Metro Infrastructure Director, said: “This major line closure is part of our ongoing multi-million pound investment in Metro modernisation to ensure that the network is here for many decades to come.
“These works will involve the renewal of 1,400 metres of overhead lines and a 1.5 kilometre section of track. We are also carrying out a range of other secondary works which includes lineside estate management.
“While there is no good time to close a large section of the Metro system, the works will improve Metro’s resilience in the future. We will do all we can to keep any disturbance to an absolute minimum, and I apologise in advance for the inconvenience this will cause.
“Customers will be provided with frequent replacement bus services throughout this work.”
Investment in new Metro infrastructure will reach £38m in the current year to the end of March 2024.
Metro’s modernisation programme is funded by the Government. By March a total of £446m will have been invested on the renewal of Metro infrastructure since work began in 2010, Nexus said.
Fawdon level crossing will be closed to both vehicles and pedestrians during the major line closure. Diversionary routes will be in place via Wansbeck Road and Kingston Park Road. This will be well signposted.
A taxi shuttle service will operate each day of the closure between 05:30am and 00:15am to transfer customers to either side of the level crossing at Fawdon.
The timetable for both the 901 and taxi shuttle are available on the Nexus website, www.nexus.org.uk
