As thousands of new students arrive in the North East to attend Newcastle, Northumbria and Sunderland Universities, Metro is helping to raise awarness and encourage students to visit the vast attractions that our region has to offer.
Sharon Kelly, Customer Services Director at Metro, said: “New students to Newcastle and Sunderland rarely know the many things they are able to do in Tyne and Wear. The North East is unique in the fact that the transport infrastructure allows students, both existing and new; to travel relatively long distances in a short period of time for their leisure activities. Living in a city and being able to reach a beach, a concert or the airport in around 20 minutes is often something which surprises those students who have just moved to the region.”
On Tuesday 4 October, a student discount night will be held at Eldon Square in Newcastle upon Tyne. Metro will have a dedicated stand within the shopping centre to inform students about the service it provides and how it’s an easy and convenient way to travel around the region, especially when new to the area.
Metro has also developed ‘My Metro Map’ which plots many of the points of interest across the network specifically targeted at students. Sharon Kelly explains: “The map will demonstrate to students the wide variety of activities, interests and things to do across Tyne and Wear and pinpoint the nearest Metro station to each. As students typically live in the city centre in their first year, they fail to notice the many things to do further afield, such as visiting Tynemouth Market and some of the area’s key attractions like Jesmond Dene, Leazes Park and Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens.”
Metro will also be providing information to students about the Metro Student Card, which offers a discount on the normal Metro fare, and offering them the opportunity to enter a competition on Facebook to win a year’s free travel.