It's the sort of service where there should be a DRT imo. Oh wait, it doesn't serve Billingham or the Clarences...

I really don't understand why you can't use Teesflex in the urban areas personally, as long as there's no competing service. There's loads of missing links which they'd cover and who knows - they might actually have some passengers...

(24 May 2025, 10:45 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Who would have thought it.  A service that runs 1 journey each direction, four days a week, was a failure.  Intrigued how it costs £80 a day in labour costs alone to run a service which is 32 mins long, so just £80 for 1hr04 mins a day, not bad.

Doomed to fail from the beginning. 
It was never going to work.

(25 May 2025, 9:22 am)Storx wrote It's the sort of service where there should be a DRT imo. Oh wait, it doesn't serve Billingham or the Clarences...

I really don't understand why you can't use Teesflex in the urban areas personally, as long as there's no competing service. There's loads of missing links which they'd cover and who knows - they might actually have some passengers...

Reading the latest TVCA report it seems that Flex struggles to provide enough capacity and is actually turning away customers - I think it said it can only handle 64% of requests. 
The service is only funded until August and who knows what will happen beyond this time.

Interestingly also in the same report there is a section on supported services and services 13/13b, 35 and 39 have all recently been added to the list for three months until August. I can only assume it’s evening and/or Sunday services being supported given the funding attributed to each service.

EDIT: Further clarification in the latest TVCA report confirms it to be services 13, 35 and Hartlepool’s 3/3a that have been chucked in wholly, with TVCA now funding those until March 2026.

20th July 2025


PB0002404/422
Cancellation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 99 (99) Grangetown ASDA Hylton Castle

(12 Jun 2025, 1:33 pm)Michael wrote 20th July 2025


PB0002404/422
Cancellation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 99 (99) Grangetown ASDA Hylton Castle

They lost it again

(12 Jun 2025, 1:58 pm)Aaron21 wrote They lost it again

Sadly.

No info on who's won it yet.

(12 Jun 2025, 2:09 pm)Michael wrote Sadly.

No info on who's won it yet.

Go North East has won the 99

(12 Jun 2025, 2:47 pm)Retro Nero wrote Go North East has won the 99

Would of been nice for someone else to have it for once..........


Also its a shame, Stagecoach tickets aren't accepted on the route, I would of defo used it more, if they were and I bet others would.


Be the same when GNE take it over.

Best Company to win it would of been Northstar to run alongside their 599

(12 Jun 2025, 3:03 pm)Michael wrote Also its a shame, Stagecoach tickets aren't accepted on the route, I would of defo used it more, if they were and I bet others would.

They are.

(12 Jun 2025, 5:03 pm)F114TML wrote They are.

Are they?, when did that change?

I thought u couldn't haha

(12 Jun 2025, 5:03 pm)F114TML wrote They are.

Another Stagecoach Sunderland service bites the dust. The company seems to be in a doom loop at the moment.

(12 Jun 2025, 5:57 pm)Michael wrote Are they?, when did that change?

I thought u couldn't haha

Usually in the first week of taken over of the service, the new company honour the previous company tickets, but baring in mind a lot of people in the Sunderland area will have the Sunderland Smart Zone ticket which can be used on Stagecoach,Go North East and Arriva in the Sunderland City Centre.

(12 Jun 2025, 5:58 pm)Economic505 wrote Another Stagecoach Sunderland service bites the dust. The company seems to be in a doom loop at the moment.

Wonder if the bus allocated to the 99 will go in to a spare role or move depot.

Still think the 99 should be merged with another route.. shame the 18 has gone, would of merged those together to make 1 massive loop service.

(12 Jun 2025, 5:57 pm)Michael wrote Are they?, when did that change?

I thought u couldn't haha

When we won the contract back, it's accepted sun/tw dayriders and megariders and the sunderland smartzone.

---

(12 Jun 2025, 9:16 pm)Michael wrote Wonder if the bus allocated to the 99 will go in to a spare role or move depot.

Still think the 99 should be merged with another route.. shame the 18 has gone, would of merged those together to make 1 massive loop service.

I did do a suggestion in the SC suggestions thread extending it to Seaburn via Hendon and Town.

(12 Jun 2025, 10:50 pm)UF114TML wrote When we won the contract back, it's accepted sun/tw dayriders and megariders and the sunderland smartzone.

---

I did do a suggestion in the SC suggestions thread extending it to Seaburn via Hendon and Town.

No reason why SC can’t create a route based off the 99 and 18. There must some mileage in an amalgamated route. Besides, the Sunderland SC network has to grow at some point. Might not be tomorrow, or next month , but it will happen.

(12 Jun 2025, 11:01 pm)Economic505 wrote No reason why SC can’t create a route based off the 99 and 18. There must some mileage in an amalgamated route. Besides, the Sunderland SC network has to grow at some point. Might not be tomorrow, or next month , but it will happen.

They should bring back the old 18/19 circular from the Busways days.

(13 Jun 2025, 9:39 pm)GrahamD83 wrote They should bring back the old 18/19 circular from the Busways days.

No they shouldn't in it current format at the time it served a purpose now it doesnt   however I am in favour of looped services 

The 18 and 19 was iconic but so was the 139 140 loop

(13 Jun 2025, 10:52 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote No they shouldn't in it current format at the time it served a purpose now it doesnt   however I am in favour of looped services 

The 18 and 19 was iconic but so was the 139 140 loop

Yes, the 139/140 was a top route. The 99 bollocks, swapping between the major operators year on year is stupid.

7th August:

PB0002404/3
Variation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 12 Two Ball Lonnen Walker or Wallsend

PB0002404/8
Variation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 39 (40) Chapel House or Dumpling Hall Wallsend or Walker

PB0002404/40
Variation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 87 (72A, 71, 72) Grainger Street North Walbottle, Chapel House or Newbiggin Hall
PB0002404/9

Variation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 63 (62) Killingworth Throckley, North Walbottle or Middle Callerton

(04 Jul 2025, 10:24 am)Michael wrote 7th August:

PB0002404/3
Variation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 12 Two Ball Lonnen Walker or Wallsend

PB0002404/8
Variation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 39 (40) Chapel House or Dumpling Hall Wallsend or Walker

PB0002404/40
Variation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 87 (72A, 71, 72) Grainger Street North Walbottle, Chapel House or Newbiggin Hall
PB0002404/9

Variation BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD 63 (62) Killingworth Throckley, North Walbottle or Middle Callerton

What’s happening with these routes?and btw where do you get this information from bc i have never known?

Must be an emergency or event on, 7th August is a Thursday

(04 Jul 2025, 5:48 pm)BusEnthusiast.com wrote What’s happening with these routes?and btw where do you get this information from bc i have never known?

Not sure on changes.


I use this:

https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.s...s-services


For each company (not posting everyone)


BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD

GO NORTH EAST LIMITED

CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD

ARRIVA DURHAM COUNTY LTD

ARRIVA NORTHUMBRIA LTD

CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LIMITED

NORTHSTAR CONSTELLATION LIMITED

(04 Jul 2025, 10:02 pm)Michael wrote Not sure on changes.


I use this:

https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.s...s-services


For each company (not posting everyone)


BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD

GO NORTH EAST LIMITED

CLEVELAND TRANSIT LTD

ARRIVA DURHAM COUNTY LTD

ARRIVA NORTHUMBRIA LTD

CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LIMITED

NORTHSTAR CONSTELLATION LIMITED

Thanks very much

(04 Jul 2025, 5:48 pm)BusEnthusiast.com wrote What’s happening with these routes?and btw where do you get this information from bc i have never known?

Something to do with pilgrim street quarter maybe?

Looks to be that there is some form of TTRO on barrack road on the 12.I’m assuming that it affects the rest of the buses that go via barrack road including the 39/40.Is there some sort of road works coming up or something like that?

Stagecoach are to introduce a new service in South Shields to compliment the existing service 12 that was cut from every 30 minutes to hourly in May.
The new service will be numbered 13 and will run from the Town Centre to Cleadon Park(The Lonnen) via the coast, possibly similar to the 516 if not instead of.
Watch this space....

(15 Jul 2025, 4:07 pm)Retro Nero wrote Stagecoach are to introduce a new service in South Shields to compliment the existing service 12 that was cut from every 30 minutes to hourly in May.
The new service will be numbered 13 and will run from the Town Centre to Cleadon Park(The Lonnen) via the coast, possibly similar to the 516 if not instead of.
Watch this space....

Used to be both the 512 and 513 to The Lonnen, back in the day..   God, arent I old?

(15 Jul 2025, 6:56 pm)LVK 404L wrote Used to be both the 512 and 513 to The Lonnen, back in the day..   God, arent I old?

No not really, I remember the 43,& 44, 
I think the 43 was Pier Head to Watson Avenue and the 44 was The Lonnen,... Yes two separate services up Quarry Lane, and I think one went up Larch Avenue from Prince Edward Rd, ( you will have to Google Maps)..,so I think I'm bloody old

(15 Jul 2025, 4:07 pm)Retro Nero wrote Stagecoach are to introduce a new service in South Shields to compliment the existing service 12 that was cut from every 30 minutes to hourly in May.
The new service will be numbered 13 and will run from the Town Centre to Cleadon Park(The Lonnen) via the coast, possibly similar to the 516 if not instead of.
Watch this space....

Chronicle article has a quote from Stagecoach: "A Stagecoach spokesperson said: 'We have developed a proposal in collaboration with Nexus which could provide a half-hourly bus link to Cleadon Park. This would be delivered through a combination of two bus routes, services 12 and 13 (each running hourly).'"

So they've cut the service, resisted the uproar it's created locally, and then just been handed public money to provide an additional service to make up the half hour frequency? Has this even gone through a competitive tender exercise?