More than a dozen Tyne and Wear Metro carriages have been deemed too hot, after passengers complained of baking temperatures that left them close to passing out.
Some Metro users have been forced to endure deeply uncomfortable journeys in recent weeks, thanks to heaters running at full blast on jam-packed trains. The problem has led to passengers complaining on social media about the “stifling” heat and warning that people are “are going to pass out” if it is not fixed.
Metro operator Nexus has confirmed that 15 of its carriages have been identified as overheating, four of which have now been rectified. The source of the issue was explained earlier this year, when similar concerns emerged.
- Read More: Gateshead newlyweds ditch wedding car for Tyne and Wear Metro to travel to wedding reception
- Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from the North East with our free newsletter
The 43-year-old Metro fleet’s obsolete technology means that train drivers cannot simply turn the heating up or down with the flick of a switch. Instead, engineers must bring each carriage into an inspection pit at the Metro's Gosforth depot and make mechanical adjustments by hand to change the heating system’s settings.
Stadler, which is building the Metro’s long-awaited new fleet of trains and is also responsible for maintaining the existing stock, apologised for the discomfort being felt by customers. One customer questioned Nexus on X, formerly Twitter, earlier this month, writing: “Why is the heating on your trains seemingly cranked up to max? Because of the delays one woman has just nearly passed out and some of the poles are too hot to touch.”
Another person complaining about the heat said: “Why are the metros raging hot? People are going to pass out in here it’s so bad.”
The new Metro fleet will boast a modern air conditioning system that should make journeys far more comfortable, once those trains come into service. Bosses hope that the first of the new trains will be put into use early next year.
A Stadler spokesperson said: “We’re aware some of our Metro trains are warmer than they should be at the moment and we apologise for any discomfort this is causing customers. We have identified the issue and are working to resolve it as quickly we possibly can.
“Because the existing fleet is old and parts cannot always be easily replaced, the heating system sometimes does not adjust automatically and needs to be altered manually. This is done by engineers in inspection pits at our Gosforth depot. It's one of the challenges of working with a 43 year-old fleet coming to the end of its life.
“The Metro trains are checked one by one in the autumn and adjustments are made to the heating ahead of the winter months. We continue to do everything we can to set the trains to a temperature that's comfortable for customers.
“Stadler is in the process of delivering 46 new Metro trains for Nexus which will be more reliable, comfortable and technologically advanced. They have an advanced climate control system making it easier to regulate the on-board temperature throughout the year, which will vastly improve the customer experience on the Tyne and Wear Metro.”
Join our WhatsApp communities
ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities.
We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone. You could even join them all!
To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice.
Join the ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community
Join our Christmas and New Year in the North East community
Join our I'm A Celebrity community for all the latest updates from the jungle
Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community
Join our Northumberland community
