The initial approval of funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) means Nexus will be able to replace existing coin-only machines with new models capable of accepting credit cards and bank notes. It will also fund electronic passenger barriers at key stations to protect Metro’s revenue.

The 249 ticket machines currently on Metro will be replaced and barriers will be fitted at 13 key stations - Airport, Central, Gateshead, Haymarket, Heworth, Jesmond, Manors, Monument, North Shields, South Gosforth, South Shields, St James and West Jesmond.

Director General of Nexus, Bernard Garner, said: "I am extremely pleased we are now in a position to invest in technology which makes it easier for people on Tyneside and Wearside to use Metro.

(The image shows Rosie Winterton MP trying her hand at a ticket machine under the direction of Nexus Director General, Bernard Garner.)

"This is just the first phase of our £600m bid to modernise the system and secure its long term future, but it is a significant step in the right direction.

"This funding from Government will be used to install machines that can take bank notes and accept credit and debit card payments, which will make it much quicker and simpler to buy a ticket. It is giving modern passengers the modern facilities they expect.

"The barriers will be linked into the new ticket machines so that access to and from main stations can be controlled more tightly than at present. This will allow us to further control fare evasion on the system and save on lost revenue."

Chairman of the Tyne and Wear PTA, Cllr David Wood, said: "This is tremendous news in our bid to renew the Metro system. The Government has accepted our case for a significant part of phase one of our Metro Re-invigoration business case.

"We will continue to stress our case to Government ministers for investment to renew and modernise Metro over the next 20 years. I am confident we are going in the right direction."

Metro ticket machines are used to issue 11 million tickets every year and date back to the opening of the system in 1980.

Nexus will have the new technology installed at 60 stations across the system within two years in a scheme costing a total of £14.3m.

This will help to significantly reduce fare evasion and make travel much easier for the 38.7 million passengers who use Metro every year.

The ticket machines and barriers represent part of phase one of the £600m bid to Government to reinvigorate the 27 year-old Metro network. Nexus is still pressing the Government for further investment in phases one, two and three to upgrade stations, infrastructure and structures, to refurbish existing trains and then invest in new ones.

The decision by the DfT to release the funding has come after months of talks with Government ministers by members of the Tyne and Wear PTA and Nexus bosses.

Control barriers were originally installed at all stations on Metro as the original network was opened between 1980 and 1984. They were removed from suburban stations in 1988 - 89.

This was because the hip-high barriers designed when the system was built were proving ineffective in combating fraud, and were costly to maintain.

At the same time Metro appointed a much larger team of roving inspectors than had previously existed to check tickets. Some 18 years on inspectors provide some 1,500 person-hours per week of checks, and provide a static evening presence at some main suburban stations.

The original barriers with turnstiles were kept at busier central area stations where they are still used today for crowd control purposes.

Background.

The £600m bid for Metro reinvigoration is broken into three phases.