Commuters on the Tyne and Wear Metro face significant delays today after an issue was discovered during routine maintenance on the new Class 555 fleet. The reduced service will see gaps between trains of up to 24 minutes, with some intervals approaching half an hour.
Reduced Service and Advice
Tyne and Wear Metro has apologised for the disruption and advised passengers to check the Pop App or visit travelnortheast.uk for updates. A statement from the operator confirmed: "We will be operating a reduced service today after an issue was identified with some of our Class 555 fleet during routine maintenance. The first trains will run as timetabled. After this, some services will be affected, with gaps between trains of up to 24 minutes."
Ongoing Issues with New Fleet
This incident follows previous problems with the Stadler-built trains. In May, soaring temperatures caused water leaks from the air conditioning and ventilation systems, prompting another investigation by transport bosses. The new fleet was intended to provide cool, comfortable journeys with climate control, replacing older trains that lacked air conditioning.
Nexus, the operator, is working closely with Stadler to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Commuters are urged to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.
