Metro passengers travelling for Newcastle United home match warned to leave extra journey time due to industrial action

Ahead of Newcastle United’s 2pm kick-off against Southampton on Sunday, supporters are urged to leave plenty of time to get to the Premier League match at St James’s Park.

Due to industrial action on the Tyne and Wear Metro network, none of the usual extra match-day services will be in operation. This is a result of an ongoing overtime ban by the RMT Union.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, recommends that anyone who plans to use the service to get into the city centre for kick-off should leave earlier than usual.

Some trains are being cancelled at short notice due to a lack staff cover, leading to busier and less frequent services.

Passengers are advised to allow for extra journey time and check for information before they travel via the Nexus website and on Twitter @My_Metro, where full details of the Metro’s services are available and will be updated daily.

Metro Services Director, Chris Carson, said: “The message to Newcastle United fans is to travel earlier on Sunday so that they get into the city centre in plenty of time for the Southampton game at 2pm.

“Due to the ongoing industrial action we expect trains to be much busier and frequencies of services will be affected. Unfortunately we are not able to provide the extra match day trains on Sunday as we usually do and Nexus apologies for any inconvenience caused.”