Metro closure between South Hylton and Park Lane: How long will the line be closed and why is it off limits?

Any regular users of the Tyne and Wear Metro between Park Lane and South Hylton will be aware that services have stopped between the two stations along the system’s branch, but what has happened to the line and when can travellers expect regular service to be back in place?

What has happened to the Metro between Park Lane and South Hylton?

The line between the two stations is currently out of service following heavy rainfall which hit the North East in the middle of November. According to Nexus, an electrical substation in the Pallion area was impacted by severe flooding and has been damaged. Major repairs are needed to ensure the line can run again.

After an initial inspection engineers discovered the damage to be worse than originally feared.

How long will the Park Lane to South Hylton Metro line be closed?

Services between the two stations on the line are expected to remain unavailable throughout the remainder of the year. Network Rail, who run the line, have claimed work should be completed in the new year once the substation has been rebuilt.

Are replacement services in place between Park Lane and South Hylton?

Stagecoach bus services 8, 10, 11 and 20 are accepting Metro tickets between Sunderland and South Hylton although no specific replacement service is currently in place to stop at all impacted stations.

Metro’s operations director John Alexander has claimed that Nexus is hoping to arrange a replacement bus service if deals with operators and drivers can be found.

Until the work is completed and the regular timetable is back in place, a 24 minute service from Park Lane is in place, replacing the regular 12 minute service.

Is the Park Lane to South Hylton closure related to the current South Shields line closure?

No, while the current Metro issues in Sunderland are due to damage from irregular weather patterns, the work in place between Hebburn and South Shields was planned as part of the Metro Flow project which is set to see improvements along the South Tyneside branch of the system. The Metro Flow work is set to be completed by the start of December.

Metro Flow will allow for additional capacity across the branch as well as an increased frequency of trains while looking to improve reliability and allow the system to run smoother during big events such as the Great North Run.

What has been said about the metro disruption between South Hylton and Park Lane?

The lengthy closure has been met with frustration from many who use the route on a regular basis with Sunderland City Councillor Martin Haswell, who represents the city’s Pallion ward for the Liberal Democrats, claiming Wearsiders have been left with no support in the shape of replacement bus services.

The Councillor said: “Let's be honest, if this was a section of the track to and from Newcastle city centre this just wouldn’t be happening – once again it feels to passengers like Sunderland is being treated as little more than an afterthought by Nexus’s Tyneside bosses.”

A Nexus spokesperson has said the claims are: “completely unfair and untrue.”