Metro services have resumed between Monkseaton and North Shields, on Wednesday 22 February 2023, following storm damage that has closed Whitley Bay Metro Station at the end of last week.
Whitley Bay Metro station will remain closed until further notice, until the glass canopy has been made safe following damage caused by Storm Otto.
Nexus, Metro’s operator, said that the closure of Whitley Bay station is in the interests of customer safety after two panes a glass fell from the station’s Grade II Listed canopy during Friday’s storm.
Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “Our engineers have worked hard to get the Metro line reopened between Monkseaton and North Shields, following the suspension of Metro services last week.
"Storm Otto damaged the canopy at Whitley Bay Metro station, which means the station will remain shut until all safety measures necessary have been completed to allow our customers to access the station.
“The closure is in the interests of public safety, which is our top priority. Our thanks go to customers for their patience during this period of disruption. We don’t want to keep a major gateway into Whitley Bay closed for any longer than it has to.”
Nexus is in the process of appointing a contractor to completely renew the canopy, costing up to £4.5 million in the coming months.
The canopy was thoroughly surveyed by external engineers working at height at the end of 2021, and this informed the design of the renewal project. Since then, Nexus engineers have carried out monthly inspections to assess the condition of the glass, as well as close-range surveys using drones with the most recent of these being in November 2022.