A section of the Tyne and Wear Metro will be closed for four days next week to allow emergency replacement of overhead wires that were damaged by the recent heatwaves.

The line between South Gosforth and Shiremoor will be closed between Tuesday, 30th August and Friday, 2nd September, and re-open on Saturday, 3rd September.

The works are vital and need to be done as soon as possible as 1.3km of overhead lines that were damaged by the hot weather in late July and early August need to be replaced.

Whilst the line is closed, a limited replacement bus service will operate between the affected stations. Metro tickets can also be used on local buses and routes direct to Newcastle city centre or to connect with Metro at other stations. Information about which bus services will accept Metro tickets can be found at www.nexus.org.uk

Trains will continue to run between South Shields and Regent Centre, South Hylton and Airport, and Shiremoor and St James, but they may not be operating to the usual timetable.

Metro tickets and passes will be valid on the following services direct to Newcastle city centre or to connect at other Metro stations:

• Arriva Service 52 – between South Gosforth and Four Lane Ends.
• Arriva Service 54 – between South Gosforth and Shiremoor, also offering links to Longbenton.
• Arriva Service 55 – between South Gosforth and Palmersville, also offering links to Longbenton, Four Lane Ends and Benton.
• Stagecoach service 18 – between South Gosforth and Four Lane Ends.
• Stagecoach services 62/63 – between Newcastle City Centre and Four Lane Ends, and to Longbenton for service 62 and Benton for service 63.
• Metro Infrastructure Director, Stuart Clarke, said:

“We have to replace a significant stretch of overhead line that was damaged by the recent severely high temperatures. The works are vital and need to happen as soon as possible.

“This means the line between South Gosforth and Shiremoor will have to close for four full days next week, August 30 to September 2.

“I would like to apologise in advance to anyone who is disrupted by this emergency closure on the Metro network through North Tyneside.

“This is the type of engineering task which can only be carried out safely when trains are not running.

“When the line is closed customers will be able to use their Metro tickets and passes on all local bus services that operate in the affected area. We advise anyone travelling in the affected area to allow plenty of time to complete their journeys.

“Planned closures on the Metro system are something that we always try to carry out at weekends. In this instance, with the resources we need to for these works, we have had to diary in the works during the week just after the August bank holiday weekend.”