Bus routes face axe as funding runs out
BUS routes in Newcastle, Gateshead, and North Tyneside face being slashed as transport bosses grapple with major budget cuts.
More details of plans to axe a series of morning, evening and weekend services in some areas have been confirmed.
Tyne and Wear Metro operator Nexus confirmed last month that it would have to make significant cuts to the region’s public transport services, due to an £20.8m black hole expected in 2022/23 once Government bailout funding that has propped up the network comes to an end.
While the Metro itself is thought to be unlikely to suffer service reductions, on the basis that any cuts would push it into a catastrophic spiral of decline, bus users will not be so lucky.
While bus services here are operated by private companies like Stagecoach or Go North East, Nexus pays to protect routes that would otherwise be commercially inviable – including some to outlying areas and outside of peak hours.
The publicly owned body says it would axe some “very lightly used services” under proposals put out to public consultation this week.
However, there could yet be more to come depending on whether local councils agree to up their funding to Nexus by
more than £4m, or if the Government can be talked into a U-turn. The following services will be affected under the current plans:
K1/K2 in North Tyneside
■ K1 cancelled
■ K2 route revised to additionally serve Forest Hall Shops
553 in Newcastle/North
Tyneside
Cancellation of the following Monday to Friday trips:
■ 0653 from Wallsend Metro to Freeman Hospital (0710) via Walkergate (0659)
■ 1646 from Freeman Hospital
to Battle Hill (1711) via Wallsend Forum (1702)
552 in Newcastle/North
Tyneside
■ Monday to Friday trip from Brunswick Village (0643) to Tyneview Park (0730) would instead start from Regent Centre at 0720 and then operate to Tyneview Park arriving at 0740
333/335 in North Tyneside
■ 333 cancelled
■ 335 extended to additionally serve Ferry Landing and Fish Quay
44 in Newcastle
■ Saturday 0603 trip from Dinnington to Newcastle via Hazlerigg (0608) and Regent Centre (0619) will be cancelled due to low demand
32a in Newcastle
■ Daily evening trips on 32a cancelled due to low demand
■ Sunday daytime trips on 32a reduced to hourly, but extended to/from Walker
11 and 19 in North Tyneside
■ Amending evening/Sunday 11 route to additionally serve Ferry Landing/Fish Quay.
■ Cancelling all evening/Sunday 19 trips due to low demand
359/W3 in North Tyneside
■ 359 replaced by new 351 service which would operate between Backworth Shrewsbury Drive and Whitley Bay Metro via West Monkseaton, Beaumont Park and Whitley Lodge.
■ W3 route revised in New York to additionally serve Murton Village
91 in Gateshead, Newcastle, and
North Tyneside
■ Reduce the number of trips between Newcastle and Team Valley
33/33a in Newcastle
■ Route of services 33/33a between Jesmond and City Centre revised to serve Shieldfield and University of Northumbria City Campus
643 in Gateshead
■ Nexus is proposing allocating new funding to Go North East to ensure the service continues to operate
Full details of the changes can be found at nexus.org.uk/consultation.