The closure of the Tyne and Wear Metro between Pelaw and South Shields as part of the Metro Flow project is to be extended by up to one week to allow time for contractors to complete installation of the final stretch of overhead power lines and to test safety signals.

Metro Flow is a £104m project to convert a freight line to make it suitable for Metro trains and to improve reliability across the system. It is the longest and biggest single project that Nexus has undertaken on the original Metro network since it opened in 1984.

During the project, three sections of single-track between Pelaw and Bede Metro stations have been replaced by double track with the installation of 4.6km of new track, and the installation of new overhead lines and signalling.

The line closure between Pelaw and South Shields was scheduled to last 12 weeks and re-open on 4th December. During the extended closure and until the work is complete, a frequent replacement bus service will continue to operate to all stations.

By removing the single track ‘pinch points’ that delay trains, Metro Flow will improve the reliability of the whole network and allow the frequency of Metro services to be increased in the future.

To deliver Metro Flow, Nexus secured £95m from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund, and the work was carried out by railway engineering specialists Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd.

Major Projects Director at Nexus, Cathy Massarella, said: “We are very close to re-opening the Metro line between Pelaw and South Shields but our contractors need up to one more week to complete this complex project.

“I want to apologise to Metro customers who were looking forward to being back on trains at the start of next week and assure you we have a revised programme to make this happen as soon as possible. We’ll keep customers updated on what day next week the line will re-open.

“Metro Flow involves converting a freight line for Metro trains with both sharing the track in future. It is essential we do not rush the re-opening, so we must complete and test new signal systems fully before passenger services operate.

“Our frequent replacement bus service will remain in place for customers. This includes a bus that calls at all Metro stations on the route and a rapid express bus that runs from Heworth straight to Jarrow and South Shields.”