The fire adjacent to the Metro line occurred in a skip on Glen Street close to Hebburn Metro station at 7.50pm last night, July 8, and the Metro service was suspended on the advice of the Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade.

This advice remains in place until the fire brigade gives the Metro Control Room the all-clear to start running trains again between Pelaw and Jarrow. This is because gas cylinders were found close to the location of the fire.

Metro services between Pelaw and Jarrow are expected to resume at the start of the Metro timetable tomorrow morning.

A replacement bus service, 900, is in operation between Heworth interchange and Jarrow Metro station for the rest of the day. Additional buses will be in operation between Pelaw and Jarrow to accommodate peak time services.

Metro services are still operating between Jarrow and the South Shields terminus. Metro services from Pelaw to South Hylton are not affected.

Passengers travelling towards South Shields are advised to allow extra time to make their journey.

A Nexus spokesman said: "Metro services will be suspended for rest of the day between Pelaw and Jarrow.

"This is on the strict advice of the fire brigade following a fire in a in a skip next to a private garage close to the Metro line in the Hebburn area at 7.50pm last night.

"The closure of the line in this area remains in effect as a precaution because gas cylinders were found near to the seat of fire.

"A replacement bus service is in operation and is running from Heworth through to Jarrow. Metro services are able to shuttle between Jarrow and South Shields.

"Metro apologises for any disruption."

For further information call Traveline on 0871 200 2233.


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MOTORISTS are being reminded of the closure of the Tyne Tunnel will this weekend to enable milestone developments at the south junction of the New Tyne Crossing.

From 5am on Saturday, July 11, to 11pm on Sunday, July 12, the Tyne Tunnel will be closed as construction of the new south junction road bridges takes place.

The construction of these new road bridges requires numerous large and very heavy concrete beams to be lowered into place onto pillars.

It is not safe for traffic to pass beneath these beams while the positioning operations take place.

Work on the new road bridges has been accelerated in order to ensure that the Tyne Tunnel does not have to be closed at the same time as the A1 (M), which will undergo major road works from July 25 at Allerdene Bridge.

The closure also coincides with the demolition of Castle Park bridge over the A19 north of the tunnel, during the same weekend. The closure has been carefully planned in order to minimise disruption to the region's motorists.

Trevor Jackson, managing director of Tyne Tunnel Concessionaire TT2, said: "We hope this weekend's work will not have too great an impact on the region's motorists.

"I do appreciate that the tunnel closure may be inconvenient to some drivers, but I can assure you that TT2 and the main design and build contractor for the New Tyne Crossing, Bouygues Travaux Publics, are doing everything possible to carry out this work as quickly as possible and in such a way that creates the least possible disruption.

"This is an exciting project milestone for us, and drivers approaching the south junction on Monday will start to be able to really visualise how the development will look once it's complete.

"I hope people will share our sense of pride in the project as they start to see if take shape."

Drivers unable to use the Tyne Tunnel during the weekend of July 11–12 are advised to use the Tyne Bridge or A1 Western Bypass during the closure.

The pedestrian and cycle tunnels will remain open throughout.

Motorists can obtain further information from the 24 hour helpline on (0191) 262 4451.