Benton Metro station

Benton is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving Benton and Forest Hall in North Tyneside. The station joined the network in August 1980, following the opening of the line between Haymarket and Tynemouth – the first stage of the network to open.

Benton
Tyne and Wear Metro station
LocationBenton, North Tyneside
England
Coordinates55°00′50″N 1°34′03″W
Grid referenceNZ277688
Transit authorityTyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive
Platforms2
Tracks2
Construction
Parking10 spaces
Bicycle facilities5 cycle pods
Disabled accessStep-free access to platform level
Other information
Station codeBTN
Fare zoneB
History
Original companyNorth Eastern Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-grouping
Key dates
1 March 1871Opened
23 January 1978Closed for conversion
11 August 1980Reopened
Passengers
2017/180.35 million[1]
Services
Preceding station Metro Following station
Four Lane Ends
towards South Shields
 Yellow Line Palmersville
towards St. James via Whitley Bay
Location

The station originally opened in March 1871, under the North Eastern Railway. Following closure for conversion in the late 1970s, the original station building on the westbound platform (trains towards South Shields) was retained – now serving a residential use.[2]

Prior to the network's extension to Wearside in March 2002, Benton was a terminus station of the former  Red Line , which operated between Pelaw and Benton. The station still serves as a terminus for  Yellow Line  trains from Pelaw during peak hours. However, following the opening of Northumberland Park in December 2005, many of these trains now continue to Monkseaton.

The station was used by 348,120 passengers in 2017–18.

Facilities

Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with ramped access to platforms. Two lifts, which were installed in 2011, provide step-free access over the footbridge between platforms.[3][4] 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 (including contactless payment), notes and coins.[5][6] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[7][8]

A small free car park is available, with 10 spaces, plus 2 accessible spaces. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with 5 cycle pods available for use.[9]

Service and frequency

Benton is served by the  Yellow Line , 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 05:18 (05:26 on Saturday and 06:48 on Sunday). Services from platform 2 operate towards St. James via Whitley Bay, with the first train departing at 05:11 (05:30 on Saturday and 06:15 on Sunday). Trains run frequently across the network, at intervals of up to every 12 minutes (Monday to Saturday daytime), and every 15 minutes (evening and Sunday), with the last trains departing at around midnight.

Additional trains run during morning and evening peak hours (Monday to Friday) between Pelaw and Monkseaton. This provides up to 10 trains per hour through the station at peak times.[9]

Journey times from Benton are:

References
  1. "Tyne & Wear Metro usage figures". 2017–2018. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  2. "Disused Stations: Benton Station (2nd site)". Disused Stations. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  3. "Upgrade to Benton station will provide lift". ChronicleLive. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  4. Butcher, Joanne (10 June 2011). "Anger over Benton Metro Station bridge delay". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  5. "Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment". Nexus. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  6. "Revamp for Metro ticket machines". BBC News. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  7. "City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates". Nexus. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  8. "Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces". Nexus. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  9. "Timetables and stations: Benton". Nexus. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
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