The first of 46 new Metro trains have finally arrived in North East England, offering passengers a more modern and comfortable journey.
The new Metro train left South Shields and picked up passengers between Pelaw and Monkseaton for its first journey. Passengers had been told the 46 Swiss-built trains would be introduced at the end of 2023, before the launch was pushed back to the start of 2024 and delayed further to the end of the year. Metro operator Nexus had blamed rollout delays on testing the trains, driver training and rising inflation.
Margaret Raistrick and Margaret Davis were among the first passengers to board the Metro when it stopped at Pelaw. Among the first passengers getting on board at Pelaw were Margaret Raistrick from Wardley and Margaret Davis from Bill Quay, who were both unaware of its arrival. \\'What a surprise, I didn\\'t know it was coming today, I was just waiting at the station,\\' said Mrs Davis.\\'They are absolutely lovely, I\\'ve been so looking forward to it and it\\'s well worth it.\\'The new £362m fleet will eventually replace the current ageing models and will be rolled out in phases, Nexus said. in a single morning back in November.As well as being an estimated 15 times more reliable, the new trains boast air conditioning, USB charging points, and a sliding step at every door, theThey also have London Tube-style liner seating, designed to make them more spacious, and are decorated with colourful local artwork.Friday\\'s closure of A167 Gateshead Highway flyover has also caused trains to run at a reduced speed in the area,Cathy Massarella, managing director of Nexus, said the carriages would \\'transform the customer experience, delivering more comfort, more quality and more reliability.\\' She added: \\'We\\'re already looking forward to getting more new trains into service over the coming months. \\'A vast amount of work has gone into this project, which is our biggest since Metro was first buil
METRO TRAINS NORTH EAST NEW FLEET RELIABILITY
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