Tyne and Wear Metro door fault 'cannot happen again', Nexus says

Nexus says Metro door fault 'cannot happen again'
6 minutes ago
Share
Save
Daniel Holland
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Share
Save
BBC
Nexus began reintroducing the new trains back into service on 30 April
A problem with the doors on the Tyne and Wear Metro's new trains "cannot happen again", the network's operator has said.
The fleet of five new trains were taken out of service for more than a week after an issue was discovered which caused the doors to open onto the tracks.
Train operator Nexus said the fault was caused by a complex issue involving the door pre-select button but changes to the vehicle's software had fixed the problem.
Nexus's major projects director Paul Welford said the likelihood of a similar event happening again was "extremely low" but the new precautions would prevent it from happening again.
"The issue relates to the interface between operation of the doors by the Metro driver and the door request button on each set of doors," he said.
"These allow customers to pre-select a door opening prior to the driver actuating the doors."
Ethan Forster
The Metro train door opened on to the tracks at Simonside station on 21 April
The pre-select button allows a customer to select a door to open before the train enters the station.
Using the pre-select button did not cause the wrong door to open every time, but its use combined with "a series of unlikely events", including driver error, led to both sets of doors opening at the same time.
The problem only occurred once on 21 April at Simonside station.
"The incorrect operation of the train's doors highlighted some functionality we wanted to tweak, which is why we took the decision to temporarily pause the rollout of the new fleet while we worked with Stadler on a solution," Mr Welford said.
He said the software changes involved amending the trains' pre-select function and its "interface with the door operation by the driver".
Nexus's new fleet of trains began to be gradually reintroduced back into service on 30 April, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The company said the door issue was not expected to delay the rollout of 23 new trains before the end of this year.
Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Sun

an hour ago

• The Sun

Legendary BBC and ITV commentator retires after glittering 48-year career as sporting icons say goodbye

ICONIC broadcaster Steve Ryder is hanging up his mic after 48 years. The 75-year-old worked at both ITV and the BBC during his nearly five-decade career. 3 3 3 Ryder signed off for the final time on Sunday at the British Touring Car Championship from Oulton Park. He bid farewell to broadcasting after the race weekend, which was shown live on ITV4. A host of drivers from the past and present recorded messages for Ryder. The two-minute montage featured a host of famous names from the world of F1. Lando Norris, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Jenson Button and David Coulthard all contributed to the emotional goodbye. Ryder is best known for hosting the BBC sports show Grandstand. He also fronted coverage of rugby, golf, motorsports and rowing for the Beeb, as well as Sports Personality of the Year. Ryder left the BBC in 2005 to join ITV, where he has since taken charge of their F1 coverage and World Cup broadcasts. Speaking about his decision to retire, he told The Mail: "The biggest emotion as you get into the last two minutes of something like that is, 'For God's sake, don't c**k it up!' "Because you'd be thinking about that for the next 20 years. Lando Norris punished by F1 bosses with five-second penalty after being snitched on by rival Max Verstappen "I've probably outstayed my welcome. I've been hugely lucky with the places that the career has taken me. "But it's close to 50 years now, so the cracks are showing." Ryder was diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2023. He underwent emergency surgery, which successfully prevented the tumour from spreading. He told BBC Breakfast: "They took one look and said, 'We're going to operate in two weeks'. "No messing around. We did Brands Hatch for ITV on the Sunday and I had the operation on the Thursday. "So it slotted into the schedule quite nicely!"

Daily Mail​

2 hours ago

• Daily Mail​

Cheapskate holidaymakers jetting from Stansted Airport are parking on our road and clogging it up for WEEKS... the council won't do a thing

Villagers are fed up with holidaymakers jetting off from Stansted Airport and dumping their cars on a residential street for weeks at a time. Residents on North Road in Takeley, Essex, just eight minutes from the airport are calling for a ban on non-residential vehicles after 10 years of parking turf wars. One couple has resorted to putting cones out to save their space - while another woman said she'd been spat at when asking someone to move their car. Ana and Luis Dos Santos who have lived on North Road for eight years said the parking situation is 'chaotic'. Ana, 34, said: 'It is horrible to come back and not have a space for your car. 'It is chaotic especially if you have kids - walking to the end of the road for the bus stop. 'They just don't care.' Luis, 55, added: 'I borrowed cones from work so we can save our parking spot from airport parkers. Villagers are fed up with holidaymakers jetting off from Stansted Airport and dumping their cars on a residential streets for weeks at a time 'It has been a nightmare, especially in the summer months. 'If there is an emergency, there is no way a fire truck or ambulance could get through. 'You have to look left and right for your car not to be scratched.' Residents have said there are parking restrictions on the road but they are ignored and there is no enforcement. Meanwhile, parking at Stansted Airport on the day costs a whopping £268. Bill Collinson, 77, said cars had been parking along North Road - and the adjoining Parsonage Road, for 10 years. Parsonage Road is the main stretch leading up to Stansted Airport, cutting out the M11, making it popular with motorists coming from further south in Essex. Retiree Bill said one German man had stopped him and offered £700 to park on his drive while he went away. Bill said: 'He pulled up to me and said he'd give me £700 to park outside my house. I said no, more like £7,000. 'This has been going on for 10 years - people parking in front of driveways, blocking people in. It's disgraceful. 'Someone should come along with a flatbed, pick them up and get rid of them.. It's dangerous.' Local councils are exploring traffic measures such as controlled parking zones, clearways and red routes on main roads, and resident parking permits. Vicky Pearson, 60, who has lived on North Road for 25 years has set up a petition calling for urgent action to stop her street being used as a 'parking lot for airport commuters'. She said: 'People are frightened to pull out of these streets now. When we are going on holiday, we are paying for a cab so why can't other people? 'If you can afford to go on holiday, then you can afford to pay parking.' Working as a security officer for FedEx, Vicky is unable to see when pulling out of her junction to go to work - as her view is blocked by parked cars. Vicky Pearson, 60, who has lived on North Road for 25 years has set up a petition calling for urgent action to stop her street being used as a 'parking lot for airport commuters' Vicky added: 'All we need is yellow lines and a sign that doesn't allow for people to park here that are going to the airport. 'It would be a lot safer for Takeley and the surrounding areas.' With the road being near a local primary school, the petition is dedicated to make the roads safe and is asking for the council to help. Dan Saull, 48, has lived in his North Road home for 40 years and said he believed it was the airport's responsibility to sort things out. Dan, a scaffolder, said: 'I totally understand why people park on the main road, times are hard and airport parking is expensive. 'But for the last three or four years it has been a real problem. 'I walk my dog at early times of the morning and you see them try and park prestige cars here. 'I tell them not to park around here because some people will damage the cars. 'I nearly hit someone the other day, you cannot see, especially when cars are parked on the kerb.' A North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) spokesperson said: 'NEPP continues to work with partners, including Uttlesford District Council (UDC) and the Fly Parking Task Group, to look at long-term, joined-up solutions to airport-related parking issues, rather than piecemeal fixes. 'While past proposals have faced challenges and not moved forward, we remain committed to supporting effective and enforceable restrictions where appropriate. 'A UDC-commissioned parking review covering the wider area is currently being prepared for publication, though North Road has not been flagged directly in it. 'In addition, a Cabinet report on 19 June, presented findings from the Takeley consultation and broader parking work in the district. 'We will consider any outcomes relevant to North Road once that report is published. 'We encourage residents experiencing parking issues to use this route to formally raise concerns and help us identify workable, supported solutions.' Uttlesford District Council said dangerous or obstructive parking, such as blocking access to a highway and parking on a bend, was a police matter. A council spokesperson added: 'We are aware of the issues raised and as an issue of public safety the responsibility lies with Essex County Council, via the North Essex Parking Partnership, as the highways authority.' It is understood Stansted Airport works closely with Essex County Council, the Uttlesford District Council Enforcement Team and Trading Standards when any issue of potential fly parking is identified.

BBC News

3 hours ago

• BBC News

Pizza restaurant shut as car driven into window in Bristol

Staff and diners have escaped injury after a car crashed into the side of a pizza services were called to Pizza Is Lovely on Stokes Croft, close to the Cheltenham Road junction in Bristol, on Sunday evening after a black BMW was driven into a window in the business was open at the time of the incident, but staff confirmed that nobody was added that they will have to close while repair work is carried out. Images from the scene show Stokes Croft closed with a large emergency services response at the scene.