Regent Centre Metro Introduces New Staffed Ticket Gates to Boost Safety

New automatic ticket gates have started operating at Regent Centre Metro station, marking the first stage of a £2.1 million plan to expand fare control across the Tyne and Wear Metro network by 2027. The move forms part of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ wider effort to improve passenger safety and cut fare evasion.

The gates, installed at the busy Gosforth interchange near Newcastle, are now staffed by Metro customer service teams, providing a visible presence for passengers for the first time. Around 1.3 million people pass through Regent Centre each year, and the new setup is expected to both enhance security and deter ticketless travel.

Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

“Too often people don’t feel safe when using public transport, especially women and girls. That’s why I promised to put ticket gates and staff at more Metro stations before the end of the year. Now, with the gates live at Regent Centre and staff on the ground there, people can see the investments we’re making in deterring anti-social behaviour on our transport network. But this is just the start of our multi-million pound investment to make public transport safer by replacing unwanted old bus shelters right across the North East, putting in better lighting and updating CCTV.”

Ticket gates have long been part of the Metro system, with earlier installations at major stations including Airport, Central, Gateshead, Haymarket, Heworth, Jesmond, Manors, Monument, North Shields, South Shields, Chichester, St James, and Byker, fitted between 2010 and 2012 under the Metro Asset Renewal Programme. Nexus, the public body managing the network, is currently conducting a feasibility study to identify other stations suitable for new gates under the Mayor’s funding package.

Paul Welford, Major Projects Director at Nexus, said:

“I’m pleased to say that our first new ticket gates for more than ten years are up and running on Metro, supporting North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ pledge to make public transport safer. The new gates have gone in at Regent Centre Metro station near Newcastle. They will help to make this busy suburban interchange more secure and help us to lower Metro fare evasion. We continue to work on a feasibility study to identify which other stations on the Metro system would be suitable for the installation of new automatic ticket gates. It will determine how many stations will be incorporated into the programme, with considerations including safety, security, revenue protection and optimum value for money. We now have 14 out of our 60 stations with ticket gates. These include the busiest stations on Metro and it means that, in normal circumstances, 75% of customers must pass through a gate either at the start or end of their journey. Ticket gates help us to safely control customer flow and access to stations. This increases security and safety allowing only those travelling on Metro to access the platform.”

The new gates at Regent Centre were supplied by Scheidt & Bachmann, a German firm specialising in fare collection systems worldwide.

Ken Cameron, the company’s UK managing director, said:

“Together with Nexus, we are proud to support Tyne and Wear Metro in improving safety at their stations and reducing fare evasion attempts. Regent Centre will be the first station on the Metro network to receive Scheidt & Bachmann’s advanced gate solution, the FareGo PG|50, which supports a wide range of ticket formats, including magnetic stripe tickets, paper and mobile barcode tickets, contactless smart cards, and ITSO-compliant media. Additionally, our new gates will complement the existing, proven system and will be fully integrated into the current fare collection infrastructure.”

Image: Nexus