Simonside is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving South Shields in South Tyneside. The station joined the network in March 2008, and is currently the newest station on the network. The station was constructed at a cost of £3.2 million, with original plans to open in January 2007. However, delays in planning and construction meant that the station opened later than planned, in March 2008, replacingNorthumberland Park as the newest station on the network. The decision to construct a station here was controversial, with the decision not universally welcomed by all local residents. There were concerns that the station's opening would lead to an increase in both crime and local road traffic. Simonside was used by 169,688 passengers in 2017–18, making it the seventh-least-used station on the network.
Facilities
Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and WearMetro network, with ramps providing step-free access to both platforms at Simonside. The station is equipped with ticket machines, waiting shelter, seating, next train information displays, timetable posters, and an emergency help point on both platforms. Ticket machines are able to accept payment with credit and debit card, notes and coins. The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network. There is no dedicated car parking available at the station. There is the provision for cycle parking, with 2 cycle pods available for use.
Simonside is served by the, which operates between South Shields and St. James with an end-to-end journey time of 83 minutes. Services from platform 1 operate towards South Shields, with the first train departing at 05:31. Services from platform 2 operate towards St. James via Whitley Bay, with the first train departing at 05:50. Trains run frequently across the network, at intervals of up to every 12 minutes, and every 15 minutes, with the last trains departing at around midnight. Journey times from Simonside are:
