Work Begins on £2.1M Tyne and Wear Metro Ticket Gate Upgrade

A £2.1 million investment led by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness is underway to install new automatic ticket gates at the Tyne and Wear Metro network, starting with Regent Centre station in Gosforth. This is the first installation of new gates on the network in over a decade and aims to improve security, reduce fare evasion, and enhance passenger safety, with particular attention to women and girls. Regent Centre, which serves more than 1.3 million passengers annually, will have its new gates operational by the end of 2025 and will be staffed by Metro's customer service team. Nexus, the Metro operator, is conducting surveys to determine additional stations for future gate installations, though it is acknowledged that gates cannot be installed across all 60 stations. The project is part of a broader £208 million transport investment package and includes upgrades like better lighting, new bus shelters, and updated CCTV to improve public transport safety across the North East. Transport officials emphasize that the gates will help manage passenger flow and reduce ticketless travel while making the Metro a safer environment.