A replacement bus service is to start running on a section of the Metro network in Sunderland which has been closed due to flood damage in an electrical substation.
Network Rail, which manages the railway through Sunderland, is continuing repairs to an electrical substation damaged by flood water – an event which has led to Metro services being suspended between Park Lane and South Hylton into the new year.
Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, is introducing a replacement bus service (X901) between the affected stations from Monday, 19 December, operating every 20 minutes.
John Alexander, Metro Operations Director, said: “I know how frustrating the disruption through Sunderland is and while this is beyond our control we want to do all we can for Metro customers in the city.
“There will be two buses calling at stations between Park Lane and South Hylton from Monday, providing customers with a 20-minute frequency in that area at times when Metro would normally operate.”
Nexus is still able to run Metro trains on the Sunderland line between Pelaw and Park Lane, but with a 24-minute service frequency instead of the usual timetable of a train every 12 minutes. There is a 30-minute frequency on Sundays.
The line between Pelaw and South Hylton is owned and managed by Network Rail, which says this is the maximum frequency possible while the power supply is lower than normal.
Network Rail have said that the flood damage is such that they do not expect to offer us a service between Park Lane and South Hylton before the new year.
When the replacement buses start running on Monday the Metro ticket acceptance on Stagecoach bus services 8,10,11 and 20 between Sunderland and South Hylton will be removed.