Metro nominated for five top transport awards

Snowdogs and the Great North Run have helped the company reach the shortlists in five categories at this year’s North of England Transport Awards.

The awards attract dozens of entries from across the air, sea, rail and bus industries in the North of England, including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and Sunderland.

The winners will be announced at a special ceremony in Leeds in November.

Metro, which carries about 40 million passengers a year, is shortlisted in these categories:

• Public Transport Operator of the Year.

• Customer Service Team of the Year for the Great North Run.

• Excellence in Travel Information and Marketing for the Great North Snowdogs charity art trail.

• Frontline Employee of the Year for Metro train driver Janet Morrison.

• Transport Project of the Year for Metro’s Central Station refurbishment.

Nexus, the public body which owns and operates the rail system, and contractor Tolent, are also honoured for excellence in project delivery for the £6million refurbishment of Metro’s Central Station in Newcastle.

Coun Nick Forbes, lead member for transport on the North East Combined Authority, said: “The Tyne and Wear Metro is a vital public transport service used by tens of thousands of people every day.

"It plays a vital role in our economy, getting people to work and school, bringing shoppers into our cities and towns and supporting major cultural and sporting events, such as the Great North Run.

“Passengers quite rightly expect high standards and Metro staff work hard to deliver the high quality services that people expect to see. These award nominations reflect that hard work and the commitment of staff and we wish them every success when the winners are announced.”

Raymond Johnstone, Director of Rail and Infrastructure at Nexus, said: “To be shortlisted for five separate awards is a fitting tribute to the efforts of Metro staff to give people in the North East the best possible travel experience.

“We have set out to put the passenger at the heart of everything we do on Metro and that is being recognised, not just for big events like the Great North Run and Great North Snowdogs, but in the improvements we are seeing every day.”