(19 Apr 2025, 1:44 pm)LVK 404L wrote Ive said similar about the 3 moving forwards.  If they keep E200s on, its gping to have manu issues.  They need to look at E300s as dedicated vehicles perhaps

Is it even that busy? The core of the route is still 8 BPH seems more than enough to me from an outsider.

I can see them ditching the 12 next, they'd probably mess with the 3/4 again to cover it or maybe even the 516 if they intend to keep that

(19 Apr 2025, 2:33 pm)Storx wrote Is it even that busy? The core of the route is still 8 BPH seems more than enough to me from an outsider.

From Whiteleas and Biidck Hall it will be yes.  As an outsider you arent seeing this on a daily basis all day everyday.   But as a local, beleive me,  this will be getting tough.  

People from Whiteleas will not walk to get the 4 from far end of Whiteleas especially those at the back of Whiteleas, ie Landseer Gardens and co.

From Biddick Hall its like teaching your granny to suck eggs,  for decades passengers have always got the 3, or the old 5 after deregulation or the 501 prior to deregulation down Standhope Road into Shields, no one ever opted for 4 or its previous (502) as they 'go the long way' around the nook and westoe.  Albeit its only a few extra minutes, amd now the 3 will be adding time going via Whiteleas, its going to take a while to get people to change habit of a lifetime.

I do agree that the numbers should have been revised,  3, 4 should have become 9,19, i think it was you mentioned that a while back. By doing so, that would have forced passengers to change pattern, but not at present.

(19 Apr 2025, 2:41 pm)LVK 404L wrote From Whiteleas and Biidck Hall it will be yes.  As an outsider you arent seeing this on a daily basis all day everyday.   But as a local, beleive me,  this will be getting tough.  

People from Whiteleas will not walk to get the 4 from far end of Whiteleas especially those at the back of Whiteleas, ie Landseer Gardens and co.

From Biddick Hall its like teaching your granny to suck eggs,  for decades passengers have always got the 3, or the old 5 after deregulation or the 501 prior to deregulation down Standhope Road into Shields, no one ever opted for 4 or its previous (502) as they 'go the long way' around the nook and westoe.  Albeit its only a few extra minutes, amd now the 3 will be adding time going via Whiteleas, its going to take a while to get people to change habit of a lifetime.

I do agree that the numbers should have been revised,  3, 4 should have become 9,19, i think it was you mentioned that a while back. By doing so, that would have forced passengers to change pattern, but not at present.

Aye some fair points was genuinely curious. Btw I was thinking more the 18 more so than the 4 there actually forgot they were both serving Biddick tbh. Wasn't too sure how many used it that point of the route tbh. 

I think they've got the timetable so the 3/18 are every 7.5 minutes apart from West Harton to Chichester.

I know right now checking timetables that the 3/18 shadow each other so guessing that's their real reason for it. Yeah it was me who mentioned the numbers though to confuse people (intentionally) so they notice the changes. Confusing having the same number but doing totally different things imo.

what is the obsession of changing bus service number as it goes a different route and merging services.

all this does is confuse the public especially the ones who dont use buses often and they do not know what bus to get.

I heard someone one day asking if the 311 still ran or the 310

If we look at services say in South Shields
look at the GNE service from Sunderland to South Shields it has been numbered 35 20 now its 24

(20 Apr 2025, 6:21 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote what is the obsession of changing bus service number as it goes a different route  and merging services.

all this does is confuse the public especially the ones who dont use buses often and they do  not know what bus to get.

I heard someone one day asking if the 311 still ran or the 310

If we look at services say in South Shields
look at the GNE service from Sunderland to South Shields it has been numbered 35 20 now 

For these because they're completely different services. It's more confusing for someone by not changing them as you'll now have incidents like someone jumping on the 4 in Biddick to go to Lidl and ending up in the Nook etc since they're effectively renumbering the 3 to the 4 and the 4 to the 3. 

imo for these it's not a bad thing to let's say intentionally confuse people as it makes people aware that they're actually changing and quite substantially aswell so the same person who never uses the bus isn't totally oblivious to it.

Not to mention having the 18/19 combined advertised the 7.5 minute service on the common section rather than 3/18 which are irrelevant to each other.

It's different to GNE renumbering services for the sake of remembering services like the 35 to 32 or 25 to 22 which has no benefit for anyone.

Just thought I'd post some Shields Ideas given the recent changes.

13: Horsley Hill - Harton Nook - District Hospital - Boldon Lane - Tyne Dock - Jarrow.
14: Shields - Laygate - Tyne Dock - Low Simonside - Edinburgh Road - Inverness Road.
16: Shields - Chichester - District Hospital - Whiteleas - Boldon ASDA.

I was going to post these on the GNE suggestions page as the old 522, 526 & 533 but i think there better here.

(27 Apr 2025, 10:40 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Just thought I'd post some Shields Ideas given the recent changes.

13: Horsley Hill - Harton Nook - District Hospital - Boldon Lane - Tyne Dock - Jarrow.
14: Shields - Laygate - Tyne Dock - Low Simonside - Edinburgh Road - Inverness Road.
16: Shields - Chichester - District Hospital - Whiteleas - Boldon ASDA.

I was going to post these on the GNE suggestions page as the old 522, 526 & 533 but i think there better here.

Maybe the 14 should be 19 then 18/19 to serve Inverness Rd and maybe change to 18 to Shields and vice versa

(27 Apr 2025, 10:40 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Just thought I'd post some Shields Ideas given the recent changes.

13: Horsley Hill - Harton Nook - District Hospital - Boldon Lane - Tyne Dock - Jarrow.
14: Shields - Laygate - Tyne Dock - Low Simonside - Edinburgh Road - Inverness Road.
16: Shields - Chichester - District Hospital - Whiteleas - Boldon ASDA.

I was going to post these on the GNE suggestions page as the old 522, 526 & 533 but i think there better here.

More route info for your suggestions needed, they're a bit vague at present
I'd also extend the 13 to Lukes Lane and the 14 to Heworth

Quite a drastic suggestion, although if Hartlepool Depot was ever to close, this would be an ideal way to retain a good level of service for Hartlepool, even though it would more or less double the amount of buses going to & from Stockton and Middlesbrough, it would however try and ensure it is operated in the most cost effective way.

1: Service will continue to operate to it's current form, although short journeys to Seaton Carew will be slightly altered, in order to allow buses to cover a short run to & from Seaton Carew, before running back to Middlesbrough from Throston Grange. In effect the pattern would be:

(Middlesbrough - Throston Grange)
(Throston Grange - Seaton Carew)
(Seaton Carew - Throston Grange)
(Throston Grange - Middlesbrough)

3/3A: Service withdrawn & replaced by service 40. The peak journeys to Clavering are withdrawn.

6: Service will be completely withdrawn, with most sections of route replaced by service 36.

7: Service will be completely withdrawn, with most sections of route replaced by services 34/35.

34: Service extended to Hartlepool & The Headland with an increase in daytime frequency to every 20 minutes & improved evening frequency of every 60 minutes & Sunday daytime frequency of every 30 minutes, although during the day will combine with service 35 to offer five buses per hour to the Headland.

(Middlesbrough | Portrack Bridge | Billingham Grange Avenue | Billingham Shops | Low Grange | The Merlin | A689 | Wynyard Amazon (Peak Times only) | Newton Bewley | The Fens | Owton Manor | Social Club | Rossmere Way | Foggy Furze | York Road | Marina | The Headland)

This service will no longer serve High Grange, with links available to Middlesbrough from the main road on service 36, or indeed the provision of service 35, which will be revised to serve High Grange.

35: Service extended to Hartlepool, although will retain current frequency, combining with service 34 to offer five daytime buses per hour to the Headland.

Journeys towards Hartlepool will serve Wolviston Court before Billingham & journeys towards Stockton will serve Wolviston Court after Billingham. Journeys will no longer serve Kingsway, and will instead service High Grange after Billingham for journeys towards Hartlepool & before Billingham for journeys towards Stockton.

(Stockton High Street | Norton Kennedy Grove | Wolviston Court | Billingham Shops | High Grange | The Merlin | A689 | Newton Bewley | The Fens | Owton Manor | Social Club | Rossmere Way | Foggy Furze | York Road | Marina | The Headland)

36: This service will be returned flagship service it had been with a daytime frequency of every 15 minutes, and will no longer serve Teesside Park.

The service will extend to Clavering after York Road via West View & Hart Station, acting as a replacement for service 6 on this section of route, in addition to the Owton Manor to Hartlepool corridor. The service will continue to stick to the main roads in Owton Manor, with buses into the estates available on service 34/35 & 40.

36A: Service withdrawn & replaced by peak time journeys on service 34 operating into Wynyard Amazon.

37/38: Services revised to no longer serve Teesside Park, and will revert to original route.

39: Service extended to North Tees Hospital, combining & replacing the 59 in full, with journeys revised to operate via Teesside Park.

40: New service that will replace service 3/3A/X40/X41. This service will operate to a Mon - Sat daytime frequency of every 60 minutes.

(Stockton | Norton | Billingham Green | Billingham | Wynyard Village | Wynyard Business Park | Wynyard Amazon | Newton Bewley | A689 | The Fens | Owton Manor | Rifthouse | Catcote Road | York Road | Dyke House | Throston Grange)

59: This service will be renumbered 39 & revised to serve Teesside Park, in order to improve reliability, punctuality & efficiency, aswell as extending onto Park End.

(21 May 2025, 9:07 pm)S830OFT wrote Quite a drastic suggestion, although if Hartlepool Depot was ever to close, this would be an ideal way to retain a good level of service for Hartlepool, even though it would more or less double the amount of buses going to & from Stockton and Middlesbrough, it would however try and ensure it is operated in the most cost effective way.

1: Service will continue to operate to it's current form, although short journeys to Seaton Carew will be slightly altered, in order to allow buses to cover a short run to & from Seaton Carew, before running back to Middlesbrough from Throston Grange. In effect the pattern would be:

(Middlesbrough - Throston Grange)
(Throston Grange - Seaton Carew)
(Seaton Carew - Throston Grange)
(Throston Grange - Middlesbrough)

3/3A: Service withdrawn & replaced by service 40. The peak journeys to Clavering are withdrawn.

6: Service will be completely withdrawn, with most sections of route replaced by service 36.

7: Service will be completely withdrawn, with most sections of route replaced by services 34/35.

34: Service extended to Hartlepool & The Headland with an increase in daytime frequency to every 20 minutes & improved evening frequency of every 60 minutes & Sunday daytime frequency of every 30 minutes, although during the day will combine with service 35 to offer five buses per hour to the Headland.

(Middlesbrough | Portrack Bridge | Billingham Grange Avenue | Billingham Shops | Low Grange | The Merlin | A689 | Wynyard Amazon (Peak Times only) | Newton Bewley | The Fens | Owton Manor | Social Club | Rossmere Way | Foggy Furze | York Road | Marina | The Headland)

This service will no longer serve High Grange, with links available to Middlesbrough from the main road on service 36, or indeed the provision of service 35, which will be revised to serve High Grange.

35: Service extended to Hartlepool, although will retain current frequency, combining with service 34 to offer five daytime buses per hour to the Headland.

Journeys towards Hartlepool will serve Wolviston Court before Billingham & journeys towards Stockton will serve Wolviston Court after Billingham. Journeys will no longer serve Kingsway, and will instead service High Grange after Billingham for journeys towards Hartlepool & before Billingham for journeys towards Stockton.

(Stockton High Street | Norton Kennedy Grove | Wolviston Court | Billingham Shops | High Grange | The Merlin | A689 | Newton Bewley | The Fens | Owton Manor | Social Club | Rossmere Way | Foggy Furze | York Road | Marina | The Headland)

36: This service will be returned flagship service it had been with a daytime frequency of every 15 minutes, and will no longer serve Teesside Park.

The service will extend to Clavering after York Road via West View & Hart Station, acting as a replacement for service 6 on this section of route, in addition to the Owton Manor to Hartlepool corridor. The service will continue to stick to the main roads in Owton Manor, with buses into the estates available on service 34/35 & 40.

36A: Service withdrawn & replaced by peak time journeys on service 34 operating into Wynyard Amazon.

37/38: Services revised to no longer serve Teesside Park, and will revert to original route.

39: Service extended to North Tees Hospital, combining & replacing the 59 in full, with journeys revised to operate via Teesside Park.

40: New service that will replace service 3/3A/X40/X41. This service will operate to a Mon - Sat daytime frequency of every 60 minutes.

(Stockton | Norton | Billingham Green | Billingham | Wynyard Village | Wynyard Business Park | Wynyard Amazon | Newton Bewley | A689 | The Fens | Owton Manor | Rifthouse | Catcote Road | York Road | Dyke House | Throston Grange)

59: This service will be renumbered 39 & revised to serve Teesside Park, in order to improve reliability, punctuality & efficiency, aswell as extending onto Park End.

Personally, I can't see Hartlepool ever being closed outright as it would cause all sorts of problems.

If they were every going to do changes, I could see it becoming an outstation only though with electric chargers fitted and the whole fleet also upgraded to electric and a small depot space for immediate fixes, ie replacing a tyre. For major maintenance you'd just swap buses out on the 1 and 36 during the day and let it be done at Stockton.

Wouldn't be surprised if long term, something similar didn't happen with Arriva Stockton / Redcar / Whitby but that would need a rebuild since Stockton can't take deckers.

Thinking out loud here, but perhaps something to rival the No.7 in Newcastle maybe?

For context:-
Red - existing 7 route.
Blue - brand new route (lets call in the 7X).
Yellow - option to extend and create a looped (clockwise/anti-clockwise) service.

• A more streamlined service through the west of the city.
  
• New connections from Heaton/Byker/Ouseburn through to Quayside/Teams/Metrocentre.
  

Feel free to pick away 

(28 May 2025, 11:29 am)thw1008 wrote Thinking out loud here, but perhaps something to rival the No.7 in Newcastle maybe?

For context:-
Red - existing 7 route.
Blue - brand new route (lets call in the 7X).
Yellow - option to extend and create a looped (clockwise/anti-clockwise) service.

• A more streamlined service through the west of the city.
  
• New connections from Heaton/Byker/Ouseburn through to Quayside/Teams/Metrocentre.
  

Feel free to pick away 

Interesting, would there be a way to have the 6/7 as circles and also axe other routes in the process?
There's all sorts of holes in the network that could be fixed
1 to FLE even the Quorum
12 possibly split into 12/12A to form circles from Byker 
18 adapt it or kill it off also shadows the 12 and Q3
22 to Northumberland Park (probably not every 10 minutes though as thats just overkill)
32/32A wtf is that all about, from Byker a possible replacement for the 18
39/40 39 diverted to cover the 32/32A from Byker
62/63 need sorting out reliability wise
71/72/87 cant really comment only thing I'd do there is renumber it 70 or 73, probably 73 as older residents in the area will resinate with it being a nod towards the X73 from many moons ago

ADL Enviro 80000 out in stockton today.

(28 May 2025, 5:57 pm)Bus Lad Roy wrote ADL Enviro 80000 out in stockton today.

Whats that got to do with service suggestions?

Service 2/2a -

Service 2 - "short' number 1 would be extended to serve Port Clarence, Billingham Mill Lane, Norton and terminate at Stockton High Street - every hour

Service 2a - the other short number 1 would extend to serve Port Clarence, Billingham Tesco and centre and eventually the Wynyard Retail Park - every hour

(28 May 2025, 12:26 pm)V514DFT wrote Interesting, would there be a way to have the 6/7 as circles and also axe other routes in the process?
There's all sorts of holes in the network that could be fixed
1 to FLE even the Quorum
12 possibly split into 12/12A to form circles from Byker 
18 adapt it or kill it off also shadows the 12 and Q3
22 to Northumberland Park (probably not every 10 minutes though as thats just overkill)
32/32A wtf is that all about, from Byker a possible replacement for the 18
39/40 39 diverted to cover the 32/32A from Byker
62/63 need sorting out reliability wise
71/72/87 cant really comment only thing I'd do there is renumber it 70 or 73, probably 73 as older residents in the area will resinate with it being a nod towards the X73 from many moons ago

To be fair that would be only 1 vehicle and would offer a turn up and go between the Metro and Cobalt. Be a massive coup if advertised well as it's pretty much unusable currently as it's too infrequent. 

imo the 18 should stay but extended to Wallsend. It's the Q3 which should be curtailed at St Peter's instead as it's overkill subsidising 5 BPH along Walker Road which is happening right now and the 18 has unique destinations unlike the Q3(12).

Btw talking of loops, I'd love to see something like the below:



It would open loads of new little connections and at the same time withdraw the 49, 354 and X46 as the main links are covered within it. Arguably all the pink spots are locations where people might want to go and all the sections with the red line through (looks pink) are currently unserved by any buses, at all, or only infrequent subsidised services so at the same time is opening access to public transport.

Can't finda NExus suggestions thread, so I'll put it here as Stagecoach are incumbent.

99s - extended from Grangetown to Seaburn via Ocean Road - Commercial Road - Borough Road - Holmeside/Burden Road - Interchange/Stockton Road - Green Terrace/St Michael's Way - St Mary's Way - Wearmouth Bridge - 18 route. Two hour round trip, PVR 2 keeping the current hourly service, with expanded hours.

(21 May 2025, 9:07 pm)S830OFT wrote Quite a drastic suggestion, although if Hartlepool Depot was ever to close, this would be an ideal way to retain a good level of service for Hartlepool, even though it would more or less double the amount of buses going to & from Stockton and Middlesbrough, it would however try and ensure it is operated in the most cost effective way.

1: Service will continue to operate to it's current form, although short journeys to Seaton Carew will be slightly altered, in order to allow buses to cover a short run to & from Seaton Carew, before running back to Middlesbrough from Throston Grange. In effect the pattern would be:

(Middlesbrough - Throston Grange)
(Throston Grange - Seaton Carew)
(Seaton Carew - Throston Grange)
(Throston Grange - Middlesbrough)

3/3A: Service withdrawn & replaced by service 40. The peak journeys to Clavering are withdrawn.

6: Service will be completely withdrawn, with most sections of route replaced by service 36.

7: Service will be completely withdrawn, with most sections of route replaced by services 34/35.

34: Service extended to Hartlepool & The Headland with an increase in daytime frequency to every 20 minutes & improved evening frequency of every 60 minutes & Sunday daytime frequency of every 30 minutes, although during the day will combine with service 35 to offer five buses per hour to the Headland.

(Middlesbrough | Portrack Bridge | Billingham Grange Avenue | Billingham Shops | Low Grange | The Merlin | A689 | Wynyard Amazon (Peak Times only) | Newton Bewley | The Fens | Owton Manor | Social Club | Rossmere Way | Foggy Furze | York Road | Marina | The Headland)

This service will no longer serve High Grange, with links available to Middlesbrough from the main road on service 36, or indeed the provision of service 35, which will be revised to serve High Grange.

35: Service extended to Hartlepool, although will retain current frequency, combining with service 34 to offer five daytime buses per hour to the Headland.

Journeys towards Hartlepool will serve Wolviston Court before Billingham & journeys towards Stockton will serve Wolviston Court after Billingham. Journeys will no longer serve Kingsway, and will instead service High Grange after Billingham for journeys towards Hartlepool & before Billingham for journeys towards Stockton.

(Stockton High Street | Norton Kennedy Grove | Wolviston Court | Billingham Shops | High Grange | The Merlin | A689 | Newton Bewley | The Fens | Owton Manor | Social Club | Rossmere Way | Foggy Furze | York Road | Marina | The Headland)

36: This service will be returned flagship service it had been with a daytime frequency of every 15 minutes, and will no longer serve Teesside Park.

The service will extend to Clavering after York Road via West View & Hart Station, acting as a replacement for service 6 on this section of route, in addition to the Owton Manor to Hartlepool corridor. The service will continue to stick to the main roads in Owton Manor, with buses into the estates available on service 34/35 & 40.

36A: Service withdrawn & replaced by peak time journeys on service 34 operating into Wynyard Amazon.

37/38: Services revised to no longer serve Teesside Park, and will revert to original route.

39: Service extended to North Tees Hospital, combining & replacing the 59 in full, with journeys revised to operate via Teesside Park.

40: New service that will replace service 3/3A/X40/X41. This service will operate to a Mon - Sat daytime frequency of every 60 minutes.

(Stockton | Norton | Billingham Green | Billingham | Wynyard Village | Wynyard Business Park | Wynyard Amazon | Newton Bewley | A689 | The Fens | Owton Manor | Rifthouse | Catcote Road | York Road | Dyke House | Throston Grange)

59: This service will be renumbered 39 & revised to serve Teesside Park, in order to improve reliability, punctuality & efficiency, aswell as extending onto Park End.

Well it’s clear you don’t live in Hartlepool or else you wouldn’t be determined to kill the towns bus network which is already struggling as it is.  

Why do you think replacing the 6 and 7 which can already struggle and leave people stuck sometimes for 20 - 30 minutes if there is  bad traffic  with a service coming from  Middlesbrough which will make things even worse. What happens if the A689 gets closed because of a bad accident the 36 as it is often runs 45 minutes late when that does happen especially having to go along Seal Sands and then along the service 1 route towards Seaton ( the additional traffic also messes up the 1).  It then has to do a tour of the Fens and Owton Manor if your lucky it might get the Headland 1 hour and 20 minutes late by which point the driver is stressed out, the passengers are either late or missed appointments and are angry and it serves no one well. 

Not only that but Bishop Cuthbert and High Tunstall seem to completely lose a service altogether, they is still connecting the Headland to West View, in fact overnight bus services in Hartlepool go from Half decent to Pathetic they is no other way to describe it.  

They is a reason Stagecoach have kept a depot in Hartlepool it’s because completely merging with Stockton wouldn’t work.   They tried the 36 to Hart Station when it started within 5 years they give up and changed it to the Marina because it works better doing that.

Here are my suggestions anyway for Hartlepool.

1 1A 1B
1 High Tunstall - Middlesbrough. High Tunstall section to revert to the loop it did before the 2022 changes. In Seaton Carew will no longer serve Warrior Park and operate direct to the Front via Seaton Carew Community Hub. Service will change slightly and will operate via the Marina and Transport interchange. Some journeys will continue to Riverside Stadium and Riverside Park replacing RP1. Service will continue to run every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes and every 60 minutes on Sundays. New evening service introduced on trial basis up to 21:00 to serve Port Clarence.

1A and 1B will combine with service 1 to continue 15 minute frequency between High Tunstall and Seaton Carew.
1A and 1B will run every 60 minutes each ( every 30 combined) via Wiltshire Way and University Hospital.
1A will then operate via Raby Road and York Road to Hartlepool Town Centre. before joining service 1 route to Seaton Carew
1B will operate via Powlett Road and Millbank road before joining service 1 route at Marina. In Seaton Carew 1A and 1B will interwork with a loop with 1A operating via the Front and Elizabeth Way and 1B vic versa.
All sunday Journeys will continue as current service 1.

2/ 3/ 3A Bishop Cuthbert - Owton Manor / South Fens . New service 2 will operate via current service 3 route from Bishop Cuthbert to Jesmond Road then via Chatham Road and Raby to Town Centre. Will then operate via Elwick Road and Masefield Road to Rift House, will then operate via Kilmarnock Road to Saint Patrick’s Shops. Service 3/3A will continue as current routes but increased to every 30 minutes. This ensures a bus every 10 minutes on key sections of the route.

Service 4/6 Service 6 will continue as now but will interwork with service 4 and 5. Service 4 will be a new service operation from Clavering via Davison Drive and Westbrook Avenue to Wynyard Road then operation via Owton Manor to Saint Patrick’s church and Fens Estate.

Service 5 will operate between Headland and Clavering with some journeys extending to High Tunstall. via West View, Hart Station, Clavering and Bishop Cuthbert. Most journeys will interwork with services 4 and 6 with some interworked with service 8.

service 7 No change but majority of journeys interworking with service 8.

Service 8 High Tunstall - Owton Manor will operate via Owton Manor Lane Stockton Road to Town Centre then via Park Road and Huckleoven Way to Maritime Avenue and Marina Way and then service 1 route to Throston Grange before terminating at High Tunstall School and Tarnston Road.

---

(21 May 2025, 9:07 pm)S830OFT wrote Quite a drastic suggestion, although if Hartlepool Depot was ever to close, this would be an ideal way to retain a good level of service for Hartlepool, even though it would more or less double the amount of buses going to & from Stockton and Middlesbrough, it would however try and ensure it is operated in the most cost effective way.

1: Service will continue to operate to it's current form, although short journeys to Seaton Carew will be slightly altered, in order to allow buses to cover a short run to & from Seaton Carew, before running back to Middlesbrough from Throston Grange. In effect the pattern would be:

(Middlesbrough - Throston Grange)
(Throston Grange - Seaton Carew)
(Seaton Carew - Throston Grange)
(Throston Grange - Middlesbrough)

3/3A: Service withdrawn & replaced by service 40. The peak journeys to Clavering are withdrawn.

6: Service will be completely withdrawn, with most sections of route replaced by service 36.

7: Service will be completely withdrawn, with most sections of route replaced by services 34/35.

34: Service extended to Hartlepool & The Headland with an increase in daytime frequency to every 20 minutes & improved evening frequency of every 60 minutes & Sunday daytime frequency of every 30 minutes, although during the day will combine with service 35 to offer five buses per hour to the Headland.

(Middlesbrough | Portrack Bridge | Billingham Grange Avenue | Billingham Shops | Low Grange | The Merlin | A689 | Wynyard Amazon (Peak Times only) | Newton Bewley | The Fens | Owton Manor | Social Club | Rossmere Way | Foggy Furze | York Road | Marina | The Headland)

This service will no longer serve High Grange, with links available to Middlesbrough from the main road on service 36, or indeed the provision of service 35, which will be revised to serve High Grange.

35: Service extended to Hartlepool, although will retain current frequency, combining with service 34 to offer five daytime buses per hour to the Headland.

Journeys towards Hartlepool will serve Wolviston Court before Billingham & journeys towards Stockton will serve Wolviston Court after Billingham. Journeys will no longer serve Kingsway, and will instead service High Grange after Billingham for journeys towards Hartlepool & before Billingham for journeys towards Stockton.

(Stockton High Street | Norton Kennedy Grove | Wolviston Court | Billingham Shops | High Grange | The Merlin | A689 | Newton Bewley | The Fens | Owton Manor | Social Club | Rossmere Way | Foggy Furze | York Road | Marina | The Headland)

36: This service will be returned flagship service it had been with a daytime frequency of every 15 minutes, and will no longer serve Teesside Park.

The service will extend to Clavering after York Road via West View & Hart Station, acting as a replacement for service 6 on this section of route, in addition to the Owton Manor to Hartlepool corridor. The service will continue to stick to the main roads in Owton Manor, with buses into the estates available on service 34/35 & 40.

36A: Service withdrawn & replaced by peak time journeys on service 34 operating into Wynyard Amazon.

37/38: Services revised to no longer serve Teesside Park, and will revert to original route.

39: Service extended to North Tees Hospital, combining & replacing the 59 in full, with journeys revised to operate via Teesside Park.

40: New service that will replace service 3/3A/X40/X41. This service will operate to a Mon - Sat daytime frequency of every 60 minutes.

(Stockton | Norton | Billingham Green | Billingham | Wynyard Village | Wynyard Business Park | Wynyard Amazon | Newton Bewley | A689 | The Fens | Owton Manor | Rifthouse | Catcote Road | York Road | Dyke House | Throston Grange)

59: This service will be renumbered 39 & revised to serve Teesside Park, in order to improve reliability, punctuality & efficiency, aswell as extending onto Park End.

Well it’s clear you don’t live in Hartlepool or else you wouldn’t be determined to kill the towns bus network which is already struggling as it is.  

Why do you think replacing the 6 and 7 which can already struggle and leave people stuck sometimes for 20 - 30 minutes if there is  bad traffic  with a service coming from  Middlesbrough which will make things even worse. What happens if the A689 gets closed because of a bad accident the 36 as it is often runs 45 minutes late when that does happen especially having to go along Seal Sands and then along the service 1 route towards Seaton ( the additional traffic also messes up the 1).  It then has to do a tour of the Fens and Owton Manor if your lucky it might get the Headland 1 hour and 20 minutes late by which point the driver is stressed out, the passengers are either late or missed appointments and are angry and it serves no one well. 

Not only that but Bishop Cuthbert and High Tunstall seem to completely lose a service altogether, they is still connecting the Headland to West View, in fact overnight bus services in Hartlepool go from Half decent to Pathetic they is no other way to describe it.  

They is a reason Stagecoach have kept a depot in Hartlepool it’s because completely merging with Stockton wouldn’t work.   They tried the 36 to Hart Station when it started within 5 years they give up and changed it to the Marina because it works better doing that.

(29 May 2025, 7:54 am)Storx wrote To be fair that would be only 1 vehicle and would offer a turn up and go between the Metro and Cobalt. Be a massive coup if advertised well as it's pretty much unusable currently as it's too infrequent. 

imo the 18 should stay but extended to Wallsend. It's the Q3 which should be curtailed at St Peter's instead as it's overkill subsidising 5 BPH along Walker Road which is happening right now and the 18 has unique destinations unlike the Q3(12).

Btw talking of loops, I'd love to see something like the below:



It would open loads of new little connections and at the same time withdraw the 49, 354 and X46 as the main links are covered within it. Arguably all the pink spots are locations where people might want to go and all the sections with the red line through (looks pink) are currently unserved by any buses, at all, or only infrequent subsidised services so at the same time is opening access to public transport.

Another idea i had in regards to the 18 was this
Northern section, reintroduced to Forest Hall and operate an anti-clockwise loop via Glebe Road, Great Lime Road, Feetham Avenue, Meadway, Forest Hall Road (Ritz), Station Road North
Southern section, reintroduced to Wallsend and extended to Willington Quay and Howdon and operate as follows Maurice Road, Buddle Street, Wallsend Interchange, High Street East, Tynemouth Road, Howdon Lane (Howdon Metro), Bewick Road (return trip to Forest Hall starts here), Hadrian Road, Wallsend Interchange, High Street West, Stotts Road
Gives the 18 more of a purpose then
I still stand by the rest of the comments in my previous post, back in the days of PTE, the were the inner circle and outer circle (no idea what the service numbers were, I think the 41 was one of them), the older guys will know for certain

(29 May 2025, 11:50 pm)V514DFT wrote Another idea i had in regards to the 18 was this
Northern section, reintroduced to Forest Hall and operate an anti-clockwise loop via Glebe Road, Great Lime Road, Feetham Avenue, Meadway, Forest Hall Road (Ritz), Station Road North
Southern section, reintroduced to Wallsend and extended to Willington Quay and Howdon and operate as follows Maurice Road, Buddle Street, Wallsend Interchange, High Street East, Tynemouth Road, Howdon Lane (Howdon Metro), Bewick Road (return trip to Forest Hall starts here), Hadrian Road, Wallsend Interchange, High Street West, Stotts Road
Gives the 18 more of a purpose then
I still stand by the rest of the comments in my previous post, back in the days of PTE, the were the inner circle and outer circle (no idea what the service numbers were, I think the 41 was one of them), the older guys will know for certain

Not a bad shout, not going to lie if I was extending to Willington Quay I'd be tempted to try and sort out the 19/335 out in the process which ends in the middle of nowhere.



I know the route is slightly different in the Forest Hall area but you've got the same links albeit you have to go via Killingworth instead. It means you could potentially speed the 317 up aswell by running direct from Howdon to Percy Main and actually running through it.

Whether there's much demand for a bus service to Silverlink direct, I'm unsure, but there has to be more than Willington Quay and Hadrian Park where your 18 and the 335 both respectively end.

You have a Point in regards to to the 19/335, one could argue is the 19 even needed to Shields now, bit of clever planning,possibly even involving the 335

(Yesterday, 12:11 pm)V514DFT wrote You have a Point in regards to to the 19/335, one could argue is the 19 even needed to Shields now, bit of clever planning,possibly even involving the 335

Think it's still quite well used at peaks isn't it for people heading to South Shields via the Ferry?

Haven't been down there for awhile but I know there used to be quite a few doing it. 

Tbf though the long 19's are quite busy really, the short ones are dead mind!

Tbh I've always said the 19 should head through the tunnel instead and head down Sunderland way. The Cobalt links South of the water are horrid as an understatement and driving wise it's 10 minutes, probably looking at an hour plus easily using public transport.

Obviously this isn't really stagecoach anymore but I'd love to see a triangle service doing something like.

Sunderland to North Shields 
North Shields to Cramlington
Cramlington to Sunderland 

With them meeting at Percy Main to give 2 BPH on each spoke giving 2 buses combined from Cramlington to Percy Main, Percy Main to North Shields and Sunderland to Percy Main.

It's better than now imo where there's 1 bus from Cramlington to Percy Main, 4 buses from Percy Main to North Shields and 2 buses from Percy Main to Sunderland and gives new vital across Tyne links with the loss of a bus from North Shields to Sunderland (the short 19's are dead so no loss there).