Damaged Metro platform closed until mid-January
LDRSA damaged Tyne and Wear Metro platform is set to remain closed until the middle of January.
Platform Two at Jesmond station in Newcastle was shut on Monday after a sliding step on a malfunctioning train scraped it as it travelled past.
Metro operator Nexus said repairs to the northbound platform were still being carried out and estimated it would need to be shut until mid-January.
Bosses claimed the problem, which caused a step to not retract properly and resulted in the damage at Jesmond on 29 December, was an "isolated issue" on an empty train which was on its way back to the Gosforth Metro depot, having been pulled from service at Pelaw.
Jesmond is a busy station used by many pupils at the nearby Royal Grammar School and the ongoing platform closure means it will not be operational when schools reopen next week after the Christmas holidays.
Getting to Jesmond
Passengers travelling north who need to get off at Jesmond are being advised to continue to West Jesmond before travelling back on a southbound service.
Those who want to board at Jesmond and head towards Gosforth are advised to travel to Haymarket station and get on a northbound train there.
Nexus said there will be additional staff at West Jesmond during the start of the first school week to assist with travel.
Ben Brooks, head of engineering at Nexus, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the temporary closure "is a precautionary step to keep everyone safe".
"We are working closely with Stadler to investigate this isolated issue further.
"The roll out of the new Metro fleet will continue."
