West Jesmond and South Gosforth are to be upgraded to staffed Metro stations, with refurbishment work starting this summer.
The two stations, used by around three million people a year between them, are the latest to benefit through the £385m Metro: all change modernisation programme.
You can find out more about plans for West Jesmond at the Jesmond Festival this weekend - we’ll be at the station itself for a drop-in session at the Platform 1 ticket concourse from 10am to 2pm on Friday, 27 April, and at the Grand Festival Fair at West Jesmond Primary School from noon to 3.30pm on Saturday, 28 April.
A video about the plans, made by community news website Jesmond Local, can be viewed here.
Once refurbishment is complete and new ticket gates are switched on (in spring 2013) both stations will be staffed on both platforms from 7am to 7pm, improving security and passenger confidence.
Approach routes will be improved with a new wider and tree-lined pathway at West Jesmond, plus new cycling and recycling facilities leading to a new larger entrance hall and gateline.
Throughout the station interiors, exteriors and floors will be refurbished creating a brighter, cleaner and safer feel, while new canopies will be built centred on the current train stopping points.
South Gosforth will also get improved pathways with better step-free access and cycle storage. There will be new larger and brighter concourse buildings and refurbished platforms.
New ‘smart’ ticket machines will be installed at both stations accepting notes and credit/debit cards along with coins, and opening the way for future smartcard transactions.
We plan to start work in June with work completed by the end of the year. The stations will remain open throughout, though at times we may need to close one or other platform – look out for details when work starts.
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