Almost 200 Metro ticket machines have been updated ready to accept the new £20 note.
All 184 ticket machines on the Metro system which accept notes have been given a software upgrade so that they will accept the new-look polymer £20 banknotes, which entered circulation on Thursday.
Nexus, the public body which owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro, carried out the work to get the Metro ticket machines ready for the note in advance of its launch date.
Huw Lewis, customer services director, said: “I’m pleased to say that our ticket machines are ready to accept the new £20 note from today.
“We ensured that the ticket machines were ready for this change in advance of the Bank of England putting the new notes into circulation.
“It was two weeks of work applying software upgrades to 184 ticket machines across out network of 60 stations to ensure they recognised the new polymer note.
“We followed the same process when the new £5 note was launched in 2016, and the new £10 note in 2017.”
The Bank of England said the new polymer £20 is its most secure ever banknote.
It includes two see-through windows and a blue and gold foil to help beat forgers.
The Bank reckons half of all ATMs across the UK to be dispensing the new notes, which feature artist JMW Turner, in just two weeks' time.
Polymer notes are expected to last longer than paper notes and remain in better condition.
