Iconic: The illuminated QEII Metro bridge should become a North East landmark.
The QEII Metro bridge over the River Tyne has become the biggest light artwork in Britain as the system's operator Nexus celebrates expanding its network.
Nocturne, a 360 metre artwork of low energy light bulbs that will illuminate the bridge for the next 15 years was unveiled the week after building work started on the Tyne and Wear Metro's 60th station, at Simonside.
Construction there began as the network launched plans for a £600 million re-invigoration of the system and celebrated the highest number of passenger journeys since 1994.
The artwork, which will constantly change colour, is the result of a £300,000 project to create a new landmark for the North East to rival the Tyne Bridge and the Angel of the North.
Nexus had the idea of commissioning it when they started one of the regular repaints of the bridge. Money for the artwork came from local councils and arts bodies but Nexus spent £1.7 million repainting the bridge. It will next need painting in 15 years, when Nocturne is due to be decommissioned.
Nexus director general Bernard Garner said he hoped the work would become a world famous image alongside the quaysides and other bridge over the Tyne.
The new Simonside station is being built to serve a large £3.2 million residential area on the branch to South Shields in south Tyneside. The station is due to open in the autumn.
Built by Balfour Beatty and part-funded by the European Union Regional Development Fund, Simonside has been designed as a wayside halt station. It will feature security measures, including a digital CCTV camera network and help points linked to the Metro control room at South Gosforth. Five trains an hour in each direction will run direct to South Shields town centre, Gateshead and Newcastle.
The station complements plans for the future of the Metro being discussed with the Department for Transport.
The proposal sets out a 20-year £600 million modernisation plan, from track, signals and communications through to stations and trains.
It was put together by Nexus and local authorities. They submitted a detailed business case to DfT earlier this year.
The case has been boosted by a continuing rise in passenger numbers. Between April 2006 and March 2007, 37.9 million passengers travelled by Metro, the highest figure since 1993/1994, and a rise of almost six per cent on the previous year. More than 130,000 people use the system every weekday and 170,000 at weekends.