Metro vapers face up to £1,000 fine
Getty ImagesMetro passengers face being fined up to £1,000 for vaping, under proposed new rules.
Operator Nexus wants to change its byelaws to ban the use of vapes and electronic cigarettes on all of its trains and in its stations.
If the rules are changed, the publicly owned body would be able to prosecute anyone caught vaping on the network, which covers Tyne and Wear.
John Souter, head of customer service operations, said it planned to "ban the use of all vapes and electronic cigarettes on Metro services and Metro stations, in the same way that cigarettes already are."
Currently, anyone caught smoking on the Metro network can be issued a prosecution notice and given the option to pay a £120 out-of-court settlement.
If the settlement is not paid, the case will be dealt with by the courts and "costs and fines would be imposed", a Nexus spokesperson said.
The transport operator's byelaws state it can fine people up to £1,000, which is the equivalent of level 3 of the standard rate found in the Criminal Justice Act 1982.
Before a new byelaw can be introduced, Nexus has to carry out a 28-day consultation, which is already under way.
People can give their opinion on its website.