Sunderland station to get revamped and new trains Nexus confirm

As the new South Shields transport interchange was getting ready to open its doors to the public on Sunday, August 4, some of the top bosses from Nexus were on hand to discuss their plans for the future.

Huw Lewis, the customer service Director for Nexus, was asked by the Sunderland Echo about the continued improvements made to the Metro service. He said: “We’ve modernised every station from Pelaw, through South Tyneside, apart from Chichester, we would like to do that one as well, and we are looking for government funding to keep that going.

“We’ve also got plans with Sunderland City Council, to rebuild Sunderland Station, as part of the regions transforming cities bid to government. So we have plans ahead, and it doesn’t stop there. We are investing in new trains, that will be coming on at the end of 2021, so people get a more reliable service, and again, a step change in quality.

“When that happens, we plan to run services earlier and later than now. So the first train will leave South Shields earlier in the morning, and the last train home will be later at night, so a better service all round.

“We are never satisfied with the quality of Metro, we always want to give passengers better stations, better trains, and more reliable services.”

Currently, trains leaving Sunderland Metro station, on the Airport line, finish around mid-night. The new plans would see this service extended and services start earlier than the 5.50am first train.

The Sunderland Echo reported on the bid by Sunderland City Council, in June, to bid for funding of an improved Sunderland train station. This also included a new multi-storey car park, proposed for land near Holmeside, and also new housing developments at the Vaux site.

The £17million-plus bid is still in the early stages and is expected to be discussed at the next North East Joint Transport Committee meeting. If successful, the final funding announcement is not expected until next year, with any approved schemes being delivered between 2020 and 2023.