Newcastle Central Metro station refurbishment is now complete

The £6 million revamp of the Metro ticket halls and concourse at Newcastle Central Metro station has been completed, transforming a key regional gateway.

The redevelopment of the station (which is used by 5.3 million people a year) has taken 18 months to complete and now offers passengers a brighter, cleaner, and more modern Metro station. Improvements have also been made to disabled access, information displays and waiting facilities and the station has also undergone a makeover, getting a new-look colour scheme on new vitreous enamel panels.

“People in Newcastle now have a regional gateway to be truly proud of,” said Counsellor Nick Forbes, lead member for Transport on the North East Combined Authority and leader of Newcastle City Council. “Newcastle Central Metro station now has a vibrant new look that is going to give a great first impression to the millions of visitors we see flocking into the city.”

Joint funding for the Newcastle Central Metro station

The project has been jointly funded with a £3.5 million contribution from the Metro All Change Modernisation programme, and a £2.5 million grant from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Local Growth Fund that helps to support economic asset and infrastructure projects across the North East LEP area.

“As part of our £350 million modernisation programme we are updating Metro stations right across Tyne and Wear, and Newcastle Central station is the latest to see the benefits of that investment,” Director of Rail and Infrastructure at Nexus, Raymond Johnstone, added. “The concourse and the platforms have been totally transformed and we have improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities.”

Improvements to the passenger waiting areas and platforms include new way-finding signage on new vitreous enamel panels and new seating and brighter lighting have been installed along with tactile paving to assist passengers with visual impairments. Furthermore, a new escalator has been installed linking the Metro concourse with the mainline railway station.