Nexus is to hold a series of drop-in sessions in North Tyneside for the public to find out more about the 23-day Major Line Closure between Wallsend and Tynemouth this August.
This will give people the chance to discuss the impact of the line closure, August 11 to September 3, and the modernisation work that is taking place with members of Nexus staff.
The drop-in events are at the following locations next week:
• Tuesday 3 July: Sure Start Children’s Centre, Howdon Lane, 11am-2pm.
• Wednesday 4 July: Burnside College, 4pm-6.30pm.
• Thursday 5 July: New Exchange, Howard Street, North Shields, 2pm-5pm.
Nexus, which owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro, is closing the line to allow work on the £385m Metro: all change modernisation programme to continue.
This huge programme of work will mean a Major Line Closure of 23 days between Wallsend and Tynemouth from Saturday August 11, re-opening on Monday September 3, plus a series of weekend line closures in July.
A high frequency replacement bus service will ensure passengers see as little inconvenience as possible when the Metro line is closed.
The closure has been planned while schools are on holiday, commuter numbers are lower than the rest of the year, and after the Olympics, which will see part of the football tournament held at St James Park in Newcastle.
Nexus has also planned weekend closures to avoid major summer events including the Mouth of the Tyne Festival at Tynemouth, in order to reduce the impact on local residents and business.
This Major Line Closure will allow Nexus to modernise Metro infrastructure, including the replacement of tracks and renewal of embankments, bridges, signals and communications technology.