Five key bus routes in Newcastle and North Tyneside are to be saved

Nexus has confirmed that five key bus routes in Newcastle and North Tyneside have been saved from the axe.

The routes, which were due to be cut by Arriva, have been retained thanks to Go North East and Stagecoach stepping in.

The two operators are to run new services which replace most of the planned Arriva cuts from 3 September.

Nexus has led the efforts to protect these key services by encouraging other commercial bus operators to take on as many of the routes as possible.

Nexus will be funding some additional bus services where the commercial operators are not stepping in, using financial support from the Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.

Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “We have worked closely with our colleagues at Go North East and Stagecoach to ensure these five essential bus routes will continue after 3 September.

“This move is vital as these buses provide links to places of employment, education and health care.

“We have taken this action after Arriva decided that those five routes were no longer financially sustainable for them.

“Nexus is spending more than ever before to support local bus routes right across Tyne and Wear - more than £15 million a year - thanks to the support of local authorities and funding from the Bus Service Improvement Plan.

“The whole bus industry is still under enormous financial pressure, and we have to fit our services around the commercial network to put as many people as possible in reach of a local service.”

The list of Arriva routes which have been spared from being cut from 3 September:

51: Newcastle – Coast Road – Hadrian Lodge – ASDA – Holystone – West Allotment – Shiremoor – Earsdon – Beaumont Park - Whitley Lodge – Whitley Bay Arriva

Alternative arrangements: Nexus will replace the cancelled 51 with a new service 351. This new service will mainly follow the same route as the current 51, but with some minor route changes in the Holystone Park area (buses will serve the full length of Francis Way instead of Edmund Road). The new 351 service will operate hourly each day but with a revised timetable. The new 351 will be operated by Go North East.

Daily evening trips on service 51 currently operated on behalf of Nexus by Go North East will continue to operate hourly between Newcastle – Holystone Park only (and will also be renumbered to service 351). Daily evening trips will also be amended in Holystone Park to serve the full length of Francis Way instead of Edmund Road

52: Newcastle – Freeman Hospital – Four Lane Ends – Quorum Park – Killingworth – Burradon – Weetslade – Dudley – Cramlington – (Ashington peak only)

Alternative arrangements: Stagecoach will introduce a new service 37 and Go North East will introduce a new service 352, to replace the cancelled Arriva 52.

Stagecoach’s new service 37 will follow the route of the current 38 between Whickham View and Freeman Hospital via City Centre and then extend to/from Cramlington via Four Lane Ends, Quorum Park, Killingworth, Burradon, Weetslade & Dudley. Between Weetslade and Dudley this route will serve Weetslade Road, B1321, March Road, Fern Drive and Dudley Lane. The 37 will operate half-hourly Monday – Saturday daytime and hourly Sunday daytime. A daily, hourly evening service will also be operated on behalf of Nexus by Stagecoach. Stagecoach services 37/38 will combine to maintain a 10-minute Monday - Saturday daytime frequency between Whickham View – Freeman Hospital.

Go North East’s new service 352 will follow the route of the cancelled 52 but will serve Annitsford and Fern Drive (Dudley) instead of Weetslade. The 352 will operate hourly Monday – Saturday daytime. Go North East services 352/353 will provide a co-ordinated half-hourly Monday – Saturday daytime service between Killingworth – Cramlington via Burradon, Annitsford and Dudley.

Monday – Friday AM/PM peak trips from/to Ashington which form part of the current Arriva timetable will not be replaced. Alternative services are available for onward connections.

53: North Shields – Billy Mill – New York – Cobalt – Shiremoor – West Allotment – Palmserville – Forest Hall – Killingworth – Burradon – Annitsford – Dudley - Cramlington

Alternative arrangements: Go North East will be introducing a new 353 service. This will follow the route of the cancelled 53, but with a slightly revised route in North Shields town centre to serve the new North Shields Transport Hub. The 353 will operate hourly Monday – Saturday daytime. An hourly daily evening and Sunday daytime service will also be operated on behalf of Nexus by Go North East. Go North East services 352/353 will provide a co-ordinated half-hourly Monday – Saturday daytime service between Killingworth – Cramlington and their services 353/354 will also provide a co-ordinated half-hourly Monday – Saturday daytime service between Shiremoor – North Shields.

54: Newcastle – Gosforth – Longbenton – Quorum Park – Killingworth – Backworth – Shiremoor – North Tyneside General Hospital – Whitley Bay

Alternative arrangements: Go North East will be introducing a new service 354. This will follow the same route of the cancelled 54, except between South Gosforth – Quorum Park (serving Benton Park Road and Four Lane Ends instead of Longbenton Estate) and then east of New York (where the 354 will serve Billy Mill and North Shields instead of the General Hospital and Whitley Bay). In North Shields town centre, the 354 will operate to/from the new Transport Hub. The 354 will operate hourly Monday – Saturday daytime. Go North East’s 353/354 will provide a co-ordinated half-hourly Monday – Saturday daytime service between Shiremoor – North Shields.

To maintain daytime direct links to North Tyneside Hospital/Whitley Bay from Killingworth/Backworth/Shiremoor/Murton Village, Nexus will replace the cancelled 54 (and part of the 335) with a new 359 service. This new route will operate hourly Monday – Saturday daytime only. The operator will be Go North East.

Daily late evening and Sunday daytime trips on service 54 which are currently operated on behalf of Nexus by Stagecoach will continue to follow their existing route/timetable.

55: Newcastle – South Gosforth – Four Lane Ends – Forest Hall – Meadway Estate

Alternative arrangements: Stagecoach will be extending their existing service 38 to additionally serve Forest Hall and Go North East will be introducing a new service 355, to replace the cancelled Arriva 55.

Stagecoach’s existing service 38 (Whickham View – City Centre – Freeman Hospital) will be extended to additionally serve Four Lane Ends, Forest Hall and Meadway Estate. Extended trips will operate half-hourly Monday – Saturday daytime and hourly during evening and Sunday daytime hours when there will also be an additional short trip each hour between Four Lane Ends Interchange – Meadway Estate only. Daily evening and Sunday daytime trips will be operated on behalf of Nexus by Stagecoach. Stagecoach services 37/38 will combine to maintain the current 10-minute Monday - Saturday daytime frequency between Whickham View – Freeman Hospital.

Go North East’s new service 355 will follow the route of the cancelled 55, except between South Gosforth – Benton (where it will operate via West Farm Avenue instead of Benton Park Road/Four Lane Ends Interchange). The new 355 will operate half-hourly Monday – Saturday daytime.

335: Killingworth – Quorum – Longbenton – Four Lane Ends – Forest Hall – ASDA – Battle Hill – Hadrian Park – Silverlink – Cobalt – New York – NT Hospital – North Shields

Nexus Change: To avoid duplication of services in the area, Nexus need to make some changes to service 335 to help us respond to the Arriva cuts. The existing route between Hadrian Park – North Shields will be cancelled and we will introduce a revised route between Four Lane Ends Interchange – Benton ASDA (with buses now operating direct via Whitley Road instead of the current route via Forest Hall and Palmersville). Service 335 will continue to operate hourly Monday – Saturday daytime, but with a revised timetable.

Alternative arrangements:

Cancelling the 335 between Hadrian Park – North Shields will remove some duplication with other routes. For example, Go North East’s 309 now provides frequent links between High Farm/Battle Hill – Silverlink/Cobalt/New York/NT Hospital and Go North East’s 307 now provides frequent links between High Farm/Battle Hill/Hadrian Park – Silverlink/Cobalt South/North Shields. Go North East’s new 353/354 will also now provide a co-ordinated Monday – Saturday half-hourly daytime service between New York – North Shields via Billy Mill. This will mean that some bus stops will no longer be served, but alternative stops/services are available within just a few minutes’ walk in all cases.

Roads with bus stops no longer served Nearest alternative stops

Lansdowne Terrace West Hawkeys Lane (317) or

Billy Mill Avenue (1, 353/354)

Morwick Road /Alwinton Avenue/ Whitehouse Lane Lynn Road/Billy Mill Lane (308, 353/354) or

Malvern Road (317)

Westminster Avenue Brookland Terrace (309, 353/354)

Norham Road North (307)

New York Way Middle Engine Lane (307) or

Silver Fox Way (353/354)

The new 335 route will no longer serve Palmersville (Great Lime Road) or Forest Hall (Station Road North). There are frequent alternative services available along this section of route including services 38, 63, 342, 353, 355. A small number of customers may now be required to transfer between services to complete their journey. Further details are provided below on who to contact for assistance planning your travel. Following Nexus contract changes, service 335 will now be operated by Go North East.

553: Regent Centre – South Gosforth – Freeman Hospital – Cochrane Park – Walkergate – Wallsend – High Farm – Battle Hill

Alternative arrangements: Nexus will provide a limited number of AM/PM peak trips between Wallsend – Freeman Hospital only. Timetable details will be confirmed soon. These trips will be operated on behalf of Nexus by Stagecoach and Go North East.

Due to low passenger numbers, Nexus is not planning to replace any inter-peak trips Wallsend – Freeman Hospital, nor any trips between Wallsend – Battle Hill.

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