Tyne and Wear Metro control room to get £8.8m upgrade with planned closures
The Tyne and Wear Metro Control Room is set for an £8.8m upgrade to key systems essential to the day-to-day operation of the system.
Technology which manages key assets, including Metro power supply, fire and intruder alarms, lighting, lifts, escalators, and tunnel drainage pumps, will be renewed to an upgraded digital standard.
The current Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) was installed in the mid-1990s and is reaching the end of its lifespan.
The upgrade will allow for faster and more effective fault finding for facilities across the system, helping to reduce disruptions for Metro customers.
During the upgrade, the current system will remain switched on until the new system is fully up and running. Regular day-to-day operations will not be disrupted, other than on the dates listed.
Metro operator Nexus said that to complete the work safely and efficiently, some early morning and late evening system-wide closures are needed for a short period.
To reduce the impact on customers and avoid busy travel times, this work is being planned around upcoming bank holidays.
This means there will be no trains system-wide, on the dates and times below.
Easter Monday, Monday 6 April: 5am until 10am
Sunday 3 May: From 8.30pm (No trains running between Pelaw – South Hylton all day).
Early May Bank holiday, Monday 4 May: Until 10.30am (No trains running between Pelaw – South Hylton all day).
Replacement buses will run on these dates and customers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys. Bus information will be available on the Pop App and also on the Nexus website.
Stuart Clarke, Infrastructure Director at Nexus, said: “This project is a major investment in new technology for our Metro control room at South Gosforth and is vital for Metro’s long-term future.
“It is a project which has been meticulously planned over the last two years to ensure the least possible amount of disruption to our customers. However, some late and early closures will be required so that we can switch across to the new digital equipment.
“Where services are impacted, customers will be provided with replacement buses and I apologise in advance for the disruption. Customers are advised to be aware of the closure dates and allow plenty of extra time for their journeys.”