11 Jul 2013 08:23

London Underground-style gates are being installed at 13 of the busiest stations on the Tyne and Wear Metro
Share on print Share on email
Dan Richardson from Nexus checks the new equipment Dan Richardson from Nexus checks the new equipment

It'll soon be all change for passengers on the Metro as testing begins on new barriers to deter fare dodgers.

The London Underground-style gates are being installed at 13 of the busiest stations.

One aim is to reduce fare dodging which costs about £1m a year in lost income.

Inspectors will still travel around the Metro checking tickets, but will focus on suburban stations which don’t have gates.

The switch-on is scheduled to start in September and all the gates should be working by the end of the year.

Acceptance tester Dan Richardson has spent 16 months on the project and he has now begun testing the equipment to make certain everything is working properly.

“I’m very impressed by the system,’’ he said. “It is a necessity for any transport undertaking to have barriers.

“It will help eradicate a lot of fares evasion and anti-social behaviour.’’

The automatic electronic gates will operate at central area stations in Newcastle, Gateshead, North Shields and South Shields.

The move will mean big changes for passengers, and Tyne & Wear transport executive Nexus says the switch-on will be phased to get them used to the new system.

Extra staff will be on hand at stations with gates to assist passengers after the switch-on.

The cost of the gates is around £7.5m which is part of a £24m contract to install 225 new ticket machines in all the Metro’s 60 stations.

The equipment is being supplied by a German company, Scheidt & Bachmann, as part of the 11-year, £389m modernisation of the Metro.

Passengers will ‘touch’ their Pop smartcard on a card reader or insert their paper ticket into the front of the gate to get through to station platforms.

Elderly and disabled passengers are having their gold cards switched to the new system as they come up for renewal.

Those who still have paper gold cards when the gates are switched on, will show them to a member of staff who will let them through.

Metro stations without gates have yellow smartcard validators which passengers with a Pop card must use at the start of the journey so they can get through the barrier if they are leaving at one of the gated stations.

Deputy director general of Nexus, Tobyn Hughes, said: “We are moving closer to the big switch on of Metro’s new automatic ticket gates. This will transform the way people access the Metro system and allow us to reduce fare evasion.

“At the moment we are in the process of testing the gates and training staff on how to operate them. All Metro stations with gates have to be staffed when the gates are operational.

“We will publicise a start date well in advance of the whole system going live.”

Stations where electronic gates will operate are Airport, Jesmond, Haymarket, Monument, Central, St James, Manors and Byker all in Newcastle, along with Gateshead, Heworth, North Shields, South Shields and Chichester.

Source: Evening Chronicle

(11 Jul 2013, 8:26 pm)Andreos1 wrote Does anyone know the official reason the old barriers were removed?
The terminals were kept, but the barriers never seemed operational.

(11 Jul 2013, 9:44 pm)aureolin wrote I really can't see the new gates being in operation a lot if I'm honest. The reason being that the gates would need to be manned whenever in operation, and to do that, you're going to need to pay someone a wage. Maybe during rush hour or match days at the most...

Looking for a job or a new role? Come and join our Customer Services team, we're recruiting ten Customer Service Advisors. If you’re interested in applying take a look at all the details on our website http://www.nexus.org.uk/recruitment/customer-service-advisors-0

(11 Jul 2013, 9:51 pm)AdamY wrote

(11 Jul 2013, 9:44 pm)aureolin wrote I really can't see the new gates being in operation a lot if I'm honest. The reason being that the gates would need to be manned whenever in operation, and to do that, you're going to need to pay someone a wage. Maybe during rush hour or match days at the most...

Over the last six months or so, more 'customer service' staff have been taken on for that very reason. Not sure of the actual number, but I'm sure it was between 10 and 15.

---

Just found the Tyne and Wear Metro's Facebook post in reference to the vacancies.

Looking for a job or a new role? Come and join our Customer Services team, we're recruiting ten Customer Service Advisors. If you’re interested in applying take a look at all the details on our website http://www.nexus.org.uk/recruitment/customer-service-advisors-0

Link: https://www.facebook.com/273400136012565/posts/499231150135316

They were also recruiting last October too.

https://www.facebook.com/273400136012565/posts/512813712062569

(12 Jul 2013, 1:36 pm)Andreos1 wrote All kicking off on the @my_metro twitter page.

Electrical supply problems and the Fire Brigade 'allegedly' helping passengers off stranded trains

(12 Jul 2013, 5:57 pm)Daniel wrote

(12 Jul 2013, 1:36 pm)Andreos1 wrote All kicking off on the @my_metro twitter page.

Electrical supply problems and the Fire Brigade 'allegedly' helping passengers off stranded trains

Go North East provided two vehicles for the Metro replacement service, Arriva North East provided one, and Kingsleys provided two.
Can't say I saw any fire brigades helping passengers off trains mind...

(12 Jul 2013, 9:37 pm)aureolin wrote Metro performance is fast becoming a joke. The latest performance report is here. Last 4 (including current) periods: 85.68%, 86.20%, 86.26% and 86.98%.

(12 Jul 2013, 9:45 pm)Daniel wrote

(12 Jul 2013, 9:37 pm)aureolin wrote Metro performance is fast becoming a joke. The latest performance report is here. Last 4 (including current) periods: 85.68%, 86.20%, 86.26% and 86.98%.

I'm shocked it's still so high. There is at least one disruption every other day, and it usually causes rolling delays to the full network.

(12 Jul 2013, 2:12 pm)aureolin wrote Was it Metro recruiting or Nexus? I remember seeing some vacancies a couple of months ago, but they were for Nexus directly. I'd assume it would be Metro staff manning the gates.

(13 Jul 2013, 3:44 pm)aureolin wrote 5th July - "Sunderland is closed and no trains will be stopping at the station until further notice. This is due to a station defect. A bus replacement service, the number 901 is in operation calling at or near to all stations between Park Lane and St. Peters. We will update you once we have more information"

(15 Jul 2013, 2:41 pm)idiot wrote

(13 Jul 2013, 3:44 pm)aureolin wrote 5th July - "Sunderland is closed and no trains will be stopping at the station until further notice. This is due to a station defect. A bus replacement service, the number 901 is in operation calling at or near to all stations between Park Lane and St. Peters. We will update you once we have more information"

What was the point in this bus replacement?!

(15 Jul 2013, 2:41 pm)idiot wrote

(13 Jul 2013, 3:44 pm)aureolin wrote 5th July - "Sunderland is closed and no trains will be stopping at the station until further notice. This is due to a station defect. A bus replacement service, the number 901 is in operation calling at or near to all stations between Park Lane and St. Peters. We will update you once we have more information"

What was the point in this bus replacement?!

(15 Jul 2013, 8:08 pm)Daniel wrote No mention of it on their Twitter, but a Metro's brakes failed (or something along those lines) near Northumberland Park today. The train was subsequently taken away - presumably by one of those crafty little van things.
My mum was on the train at the time and told me some 'minor delays' were reported afterwards

(17 Jul 2013, 8:59 am)Michael wrote Once again, im glad i don't use the metro daily..


Tyne and Wear Metro
45 minutes ago
Trains are running to all destinations but with delays between South Shields and The Coast and between Airport and South Hylton, this is due to a failed train.

This was posted at around 10:15 am this morning

(17 Jul 2013, 9:23 am)aureolin wrote

(17 Jul 2013, 8:59 am)Michael wrote Once again, im glad i don't use the metro daily..


Tyne and Wear Metro
45 minutes ago
Trains are running to all destinations but with delays between South Shields and The Coast and between Airport and South Hylton, this is due to a failed train.

This was posted at around 10:15 am this morning

Why don't they just say system wide delays?

"There are no trains running between Monument and South Shields and Monument and Brockley Whins in both directions until further notice . This is due to problem with the overhead line. Go North East, bus service number 27 are accepting Metro tickets in the affected area. We will update you as soon as we have more information.".

"UPDATE: Trains are running between: Pelaw-South Hylton, Monument-Airport, Monument-St James at about a 15 minute frequency and Heworth and South Shields at about a 10 minute frequency.
There are no trains running between Monument and Heworth in both directions until further notice. This is due to a problem with the overhead line.

We do not anticipate that the line between Monument and Heworth will re-open tonight. We suggest customers make alternative travel arrangements if they can.

A replacement bus service 900 is running, calling at or close to all stations between Monument and Heworth. Go North East, bus service number 27 are accepting Metro tickets in the affected area."