Nexus MD Cathy Massarella tells us how a fresh vision for the Tyne and Wear Metro is taking shape

 
Cathy Massarella, managing director of Nexus

 

It’s almost 45 years since the Tyne and Wear Metro first opened, heralding a public transport revolution in North East England. It was a light rail system that was built against all the odds. Local leaders in the early 1970s had a vision and they managed to pull it off, beating a host of larger UK cities to the prize.

Metro put our region on the map, gaining it entry into that exclusive club of world cities which have such a system.

Now, in 2025, a fresh vision for Metro’s future is taking shape. It’s being driven by Nexus, the public body which runs the service, under the leadership of its ambitious managing director Cathy Massarella.

A new fleet of trains has started to enter customer service, which is described as transformational in terms of comfort, accessibility and reliability. This long overdue investment in new rolling stock is the biggest project since the system opened back in August 1980.

“I’m excited to lead the organisation into what I see is a very bright future,” explained Massarella, who is originally from Doncaster, but now calls North East England her home.

She said: “Nexus has a vital role to play in the transformation of public transport networks. I’m working closely with the North East Combined Authority, our key stakeholders, local authority partners and the wider transport industry to deliver more for the people who rely on our services.

“Good public transport is key to our region’s success, helping to deliver prosperity and providing vital links across communities.

Good public transport is key to our region’s success

“We are pressing ahead with the introduction of the new Metro trains. They are transformative for customers in terms of comfort, accessibility and reliability. Bringing this major project to fruition is a key aim.”

Nexus is getting 46 new Metro trains. They are being built by the Swiss train manufacturer, Stadler, at a cost of £362m. “I’m pleased to say the introduction of the fleet started on 18 December last year and is going well. We expect to get all the new trains in service over the next two years,” said Massarella.

“These new trains are amazing. The difference in the technology is night and day compared to our current fleet, which has served us well but has come to the end of its shelf life.

“The Stadler trains come with a linear seating layout offering more space for wheelchairs, luggage, bikes and pushchairs. A sliding step at each set of doors allows for seamless boarding, which is vital for the 50,000 wheelchair journeys we see on Metro every year. The trains have improved security, with each one fitted with 44 different CCTV cameras. There is now an intercom system for customers to contact the driver. The climate control will make journeys more comfortable, especially in the summer and winter.

Our vast public consultation exercise saw us gather over 23,000 pieces of feedback

“These trains are for our customers and have been designed by them too. Our vast public consultation exercise saw us gather over 23,000 pieces of feedback and this has culminated in the train features and layout you see today.”

The bright future of Metro includes an extensive wish list of other big tickets projects. These are aimed at securing the system for future generations and paving the way for route expansion.

“It’s absolutely vital that we replace the signalling system on Metro,” explained Massarella. “We have submitted our business case the government to demonstrate the need for this.

“Signalling is the safety-critical system which underpins the operation of our system. Without signals we can’t run our trains. We’ve had the same signalling technology since the late 1970s and it needs to be replaced. We are working with analogue technology in a digital era.

“This investment is critical for Metro and critical for the whole region. A new signalling system is what we need to ensure the long-term future and sustainability of the Metro and is the key to any further network expansion, which is vital for local growth, jobs, and connectivity. Extending Metro to Washington, one the UK’s largest towns without a railway, remains strategic goal. I look forward to seeing that business case taken forward as any scheme is going to require substantial government’s funding.”

 
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

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