Pupils at 18 schools near Metro are getting special lessons on safety ahead of the Major Line Closure between Byker and Tynemouth.
Nexus, which owns and manages Metro, is targeting the schools in Newcastle and North Tyneside with the message: ‘stay off the tracks to stay safe’.
Rebecca Ditchburn, Youth Liaison Officer at Nexus, said: “We have a very clear message – just because normal Metro trains are not running, it does not make the line a playground.
“The Metro line between Byker and Tynemouth will be a more dangerous place than ever for trespassers. There will be heavy machinery and trains moving about at all times, uneven surfaces and deep holes.
“We have put together a special lesson which takes pupils through the risks in an interactive way, designed to think about the consequences of taking risks on the line”
Nexus runs a regular programme of visits to schools and community events to talk to young people about responsible behaviour on and around public transport, reaching more than 7,000 children every year.
It has worked with Newcastle City Council and North Tyneside Council to plan an intensive ‘safety tour’ in the two weeks before the Major Line Closure.
