Metro suspension: Mayor needs to get a grip & get this sorted in days, not weeks

Commenting on the closure of Metro services due to the unsafe Gateshead flyover, spokesperson for Sunderland's opposition Liberal Democrats Councillor Malcolm Bond said:

"The Mayor and Labour council bosses need to get a grip and get this sorted within days - not weeks or months. 

"We cannot have no Metro route between Sunderland and Newcastle city centres indefinitely - and no replacement buses as they can't run under the flyover either. This would be a disaster for local people over Christmas, for local economies at the busiest time of year and for commuters in the longer term.

"A temporary repair to, or demolition of, the unsafe section of the flyover is clearly urgently needed to get the Metro open and operating again until longer term solutions for the road network can be found.

"All this chaos points to the fact that the Mayor's fanfare around future transport projects in the region is complete pie in the sky as she clearly doesn't have any funding she is able or willing to use to get the flyover fiasco sorted - never mind the likes of extending the Metro to Washington!"