Fewer Metro trains will be running from Wednesday because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Nexus bosses have confirmed that they are cancelling all of their ‘short’ services which run at peak hours Pelaw and Monkseaton or South Gosforth.
The Tyne and Wear network will otherwise run a normal timetable on services between Airport and South Hylton, and South Shields and St James, throughout the day and evening.
Metro bosses say that there should still be a train at least every 12 minutes to all stations on Metro during the day, and every six minutes through the centre of Newcastle and Gateshead.
The number of people using Metro has fallen 4.5% since the start of March and is expected to fall further as more people work from home, while the number of Metro drivers and other staff off work due to the spread of the disease is also expected to rise.
In total, just over 50 of around 450 Metro services each day will cease to run until further notice.
Huw Lewis, customer service director at Nexus, said: “We are withdrawing Metro’s additional peak services so that passengers can be sure when trains will run, rather than face sudden cancellations should we see a reduction in available staff.
“Fewer people are using Metro now following public health advice, and the move by universities in the region to online teaching. There will be enough Metro trains to meet demand, although passengers may have to wait a few minutes longer.
“Metro has an essential role to play getting people to work, not least in the health sector, so this action is about making sure we provide a sustainable, convenient service people can plan around.
“Passengers can remain confident about travelling by Metro when they need to make a journey. We have taken on extra people and increased cleaning of trains and stations.”
Metro introduced new cleaning regimes at the beginning of March, focused on points touched more frequently by passengers – such as handrails, grab poles and ticket machine screens.
