THE newly-unveiled Tyne and Wear Metro fleet will provide a “quantum leap” for passengers who are fed up with delayed and cancelled trains.

Designs for the 42 new Metro trains were revealed on Tuesday morning, as Swiss firm Stadler was confirmed as the winner of a £700m contract to build and maintain the fleet as well as a new depot in Gosforth.

The new trains, which will be gradually introduced from 2022 to 2024, will be 15 times more reliable than the existing carriages and boast features such as wifi, USB plug sockets, air conditioning, and heated floors.

Coun. Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council and chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said it was a “magical time” for the Metro. 

He added that Nexus engineers would work “flat out” to keep the existing fleet running until the new trains arrive and that the service’s reputation had been “badly damaged” by regular failures.

The new fleet will carry 600 passengers each and include retractable steps at every door, as well as information screens throughout.

There will be four wheelchair spaces per train, plus areas for bikes, buggies, and luggage.

The trains are also expected to provide a major environmental boost, consuming 30 per cent less energy than current Metro trains.