News

Metro Prices Set For 10% Rise

Published

1 year ago

January 11, 2022

Some Metro ticket prices are due to go up by more than 9% in April, but travellers are being urged to swap paper tickets for a smartcard to avoid such a steep rise in fare.

Crisis-hit Metro operator Nexus has announced plans to up its prices from April, as it tries to tackle a forecast £20m deficit. This is mainly due to lockdown and most of its commuters working from home the last two years.

The cost of single and day paper tickets purchased at Metro stations could jump by as much as 9.5% under proposals which will be put before councillors next week, while frequent travellers using weekly, monthly, and annual season tickets will see their costs rise by around 3%.

Single and day ticket prices are also set to increase on the Shields Ferry by 10%.

However, there is some relief for travellers with a Pop Pay As You Go (PAYG) smartcard, as its prices will be frozen for all single and daysaver passes. The cost of corporate season tickets is also being kept at its current level, as are prices on the 19-21 Pop card for young people.

Nexus chiefs have urged people to switch to the PAYG card, which can be topped up online and at stations, hoping that freezing its prices can help bring Metro patronage closer to pre-Covid levels and cut costs associated with printing tickets.

There will also be a rare Metro zone boundary change, with the zone B/C boundary moving from Seaburn to East Boldon – meaning it will cost more to travel towards Newcastle from Seaburn, though there would be a reduction in costs for people going towards Sunderland from East Boldon.

Chief operating officer at Nexus, Martin Kearney, said that overall fare prices needed to go up “in order to help us to meet our running costs at a time when Nexus faces enormous financial challenges”, but hopes that the smartcard offer will come as some comfort.

He added: “We hope this will encourage people to make more frequent journeys, for a combination of leisure travel and commuting.

“There’s a great price incentive to make the switch to smart travel, and it’ll be even easier to use PAYG when it becomes available as an app on android phones. By making travel easy we hope to encourage customers to travel more often with Metro.”

Will the dramatic price increase put you off from using the Metro? Let us know!

Related Topics:gateshead Metro newcastle nexus metro north east north east england north shields south shields sunderland tyne and wear metro

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Featured

Karen’s Diner on Tour is BACK IN NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE!!

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2023

Chris Tubman

Karens Diner on Tour Newcastle upon Tyne

Karen’s Diner on Tour coming to town on tour and ‘well if y’all show up in force we’ll either come as a longer term pop up or simply just stay put for a while until we’ve insulted everyone in the North East!’

Get your tickets here: Karens Diner Newcastle tickets

We have spoken to the top Karen who assures everyone who went last time that Bottomless means BOTTOMLESS!

At our pop-up Karen’s you will be greeted and waited upon by rude waiters who in return are expecting you to give it full Karen. A place where you can complain until the cows come home because we literally don’t care. You can expect good food, good fun and a dining experience like you’ve never had before. Let us know if it’s your birthday, if your name is Karen and for the love of Karen don’t ask to speak to the manager….

Your ticket includes a delicious BOTTOMLESS pizza and BOTTOMLESS prossecco or select spirits and mixers as well as select soft drinks drinks for a full 90mins

*We cater for all allergens

You will get full and authentic Karen experience – our games, our waitstaff and the full works. Decent food provided by the venue (we hope) and BOTTOMLESS booze for those who love a drink. This is a dining experience like no other – literally. Come enjoy the OG Karen’s from OG Karen’s.

Don’t accept imitations – book now to avoid missing out!

See our two below YouTube videos from the last time they were in the toon to see what to expect…

Follow our channel for more local videos…

*affiliate link – we may receive payment for sales for this event.

Entertainment

Raoul Moat Drama Coming Soon To ITV

Published

2 weeks ago

March 16, 2023

rebeccarosecook

It looks set to be one of ITV’s biggest dramas this year and The Hunt for Raoul Moat is being brought to screen by the same people responsible for smash hit shows Line of Duty, Bodyguard and Vigil.

It was confirmed last April that production on the series had commenced, nearly 12 years after Moat gunman shot ex girlfriend Samantha Stobbart and her new boyfriend Christopher Brown, with Brown dying from his injuries. After fleeing Samantha’s home in Birtley, Moat, who had been released from prison just days earlier, went on the run, shooting on duty policeman PC David Rathband in the face as he sat in a patrol car on the outskirts of Newcastle and leaving him blind.

From there, Moat headed for Northumberland, forcing the quiet village of Rothbury into a lockdown as police launched a frantic search for him. The hunt for Moat reached its conclusion with a tense stand-off between the killer and the police on a riverbank, with Moat eventually shooting himself and dying from his injuries as he was rushed to Newcastle General Hospital.

ITV announced three parter The Hunt for Raoul Moat almost a year ago, as filming got underway in Yorkshire, with a cast including ex Bodyguard star Matt Stokoe as Moat and Inspector George Gently actor Lee Ingeleby as police chief Neil Adamson.

ITV have yet to officially announce an release date for The Hunt for Raoul Moat, but is expected to be form part of the channel’s spring programming.

News

Jason Miller’s Story with Stage 4 Cancer – How positivity is key in every cancer journey

Published

2 weeks ago

March 15, 2023

olineofferscouk

Jason Miller’s story on staying positive

Although thinking and acting positively might help you cope with cancer, it’s normal and sometimes unavoidable to feel angry and scared.

Positive thinking is frequently urged on those battling with cancer. But, it is not always simple. It might be terrifying to deal with cancer and its treatment. All effected can experience low moods and worry about the future especially how your loved ones will cope.

Being upset and scared can be a sign of courage and can show that you are ready to face an uncertain future. Nonetheless, there are occasions when it can be beneficial to make an effort to replace negative thoughts with more uplifting ones.

We sat down with Jason Miller who takes us through his journey after discovering he had an aggressive stage 4 tumor. We learn how not only the diagnosis was a sign for him to put affairs in order for his family but also how he ended up surviving through his positive outlook!