More early morning Metro trains from February

Nexus says it is responding to passenger demand Credit: ITV

Metro users will be able to enjoy more early morning trains when the timetable changes on 5 February.

There will be new early morning weekday services from Sunderland, South Shields and North Tyneside stations. Tyne and Wear Metro says this changes have been made to reflect demand.

Changes at peak times will provide a better evening peak service on one of Metro’s busiest routes, between Pelaw and Monkseaton.

The new timetable is introduced from Sunday, 5 February, and will mean:

  • An earlier first train from Park Lane in Sunderland, departing for the Airport at 5:48am and five trains an hour from 6.09am onwards. Plus an extra train from South Hylton at 6:13am

  • Two new early morning trains from South Shields, with a first departure at 5:42am and a train every 12 minutes from 6:06am onwards.

  • First trains from Benton and Four Lane Ends towards Newcastle 30 minutes earlier than now, with a train every 12 minutes from 5:19am.

  • A new early trains from Tynemouth at 5:50am via Whitley Bay to Newcastle filling a gap in the morning timetable.

  • Evening peak trains from Pelaw to Monkseaton re-timed to run ahead of standard services, giving commuters more room by spreading passengers more evenly.

  • A new early Saturday morning services from South Shields, plus a new Sunday morning train through Wallsend to improve mid-morning frequency.

The least-used peak trains between Monkseaton, Regent Centre and Pelaw, in particular those running between 9am and 9:30am in the morning and after 6pm in the evening, will be withdrawn to allow this to happen.

But there will still be a train every six to 12 minutes at these times, throughout the Metro system.