MORE FREQUENT METRO SERVICES AS MAYOR UNVEILS NETWORK TRANSFORMATION PLANS

Metro passengers across the North East are set to benefit from more frequent services from December as part of a major programme to improve the region’s public transport network.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has confirmed that Metro services will run every 10 minutes on each line throughout weekday daytime hours from December 2026, increasing capacity and reducing waiting times for passengers.

The new timetable, which will be introduced by Metro operator Nexus, will see six trains per hour on each line, while passengers travelling through the centres of Newcastle and Gateshead will benefit from 12 trains per hour in each direction.

The announcement comes as Nexus prepares to retire the last of Metro’s original train fleet, with the final guaranteed passenger services operating this week.

Mayor McGuinness said the increased frequency forms part of her pledge to deliver a more reliable, safer and affordable Metro network.

She 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.

“From this week passengers can expect to travel on a new train every time they travel by Metro, and from December there will be more frequent trains too.”

The Mayor said the introduction of a train every 10 minutes would make Metro journeys more convenient, provide additional space for passengers and cut waiting times at stations.

The service improvements are part of a wider package of investment and upgrades being delivered by Nexus and the North East Combined Authority.

Among the measures already introduced is the £2.50 Mayor’s Fare for single journeys made using Pop Pay As You Go, alongside a £1 fare cap for passengers aged under 21 using Pop Blue.

Passengers are also expected to benefit from the expansion of Pop ticketing to smartphones later this year and the introduction of a new fare cap that will work across both Metro and local bus services.

Further improvements planned for the network include a £7 million refurbishment of Regent Centre Metro station, enhanced reporting tools to tackle anti-social behaviour, and the replacement of Metro’s ageing signalling system following a commitment of government funding.

Longer-term plans include the £1.8 billion extension of the Metro network through Washington to Sunderland, which would represent the first new Metro line built in the region for 30 years.

Mayor McGuinness said the investment programme would help create a “world-class public transport system” for the North East, with more reliable services, modern trains and improved infrastructure for passengers.