(05 Feb 2026, 5:34 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Stagecoach barely even have NSA’s they had the screens and speakers installed for the newer buses for the law in October 2025 but never switched them on and have recently had them installed on the older buses for the law this year. I wouldn’t count on them 3 having them but if they do fair play they’re better than Stagecoach

Most of the Sunderland fleet have them displaying the date and time but display 'stop requested' when the bell is pressed. 27718 very quietly says 'please remain seated until the bus has come to a complete stop' when the bell is pressed. I was on 27240 yesterday and that was displaying information about live updates on the app and X and also about USB charging at every seat even though it doesn't!

With the upcoming changes to the contracts, has any time/route changes been made to the 599?

(05 Feb 2026, 7:42 pm)Dans_bus_photos wrote Most of the Sunderland fleet have them displaying the date and time but display 'stop requested' when the bell is pressed. 27718 very quietly says 'please remain seated until the bus has come to a complete stop' when the bell is pressed. I was on 27240 yesterday and that was displaying information about live updates on the app and X and also about USB charging at every seat even though it doesn't!

Yeah the 65 plate and onwards needed NSA’s from October 2025 but they never turned them on just constantly displaying messages or date/time on the screen and a lot of Slatyford’s say that please remain seated phrase. From October 2026 all remaining buses are required to have them hence why the older buses like 27718 are now getting them. Wonder if they’ll all be switched on or if they’ll just leave them.

Any updates on the outcomes of the tenders from Nexus?

(13 Feb 2026, 7:23 pm)Malarkey wrote Any updates on the outcomes of the tenders from Nexus?

Stagecoach have registered cancellations to services 18, 32/32A and 787. Northstar have also registered cancellation of the 599 service but Gateshead Central have not registered the 32/32A or 599 yet. Northstar haven’t registered the 18 yet and GNE haven’t registered the 787 yet so not sure what’s going on.

(13 Feb 2026, 7:23 pm)Malarkey wrote Any updates on the outcomes of the tenders from Nexus?

I believe this is the final award:

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/N...08971-2026

To save trawling through the excessive information (with publicised contract values for those really interested):

Contract 1 (Service 18) NORTHSTAR CONSTELLATION LIMITED (£586,860 +VAT)
Contract 2 (Service 19, 19A, 335) CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LTD (£795,814 +VAT)
Contract 3 (Service 32 and 32A) CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LTD (£890,078 +VAT)
Contract 4 (Service 35) CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LTD (£363,629 +VAT)
Contract 5 (Service 54) Go North East Ltd (£111,188 +VAT)
Contract 6 (Service 301) Go North East Ltd (£91,202 +VAT)
Contract 7 (Service 317) Go North East Ltd (£286,424 +VAT)
Contract 8 (Service 333) Go North East Ltd (£143,650 +VAT)
Contract 9 (Service 341 and 342) Go North East Ltd (£696,514 +VAT)
Contract 10 (Service 350 and 351) CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LTD (£788,813 +VAT)
Contract 11 (Service 599) CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LTD (£293,366 +VAT)
Contract 12 (Service 653) CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LTD (£122,021 +VAT)
Contract 13 (Service 787) Go North East Ltd (£105,475 +VAT)
Contract 14 (Service W1 and W2) CENTRAL TAXIS GATESHEAD LTD (£207,840 +VAT)
Contract 15 (Service X46) STANLEY TRAVEL (NORTH EAST) LIMITED (£142,312 +VAT)
Contract 16 (Service X78) BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LIMITED (£39,371 +VAT)

(13 Feb 2026, 8:59 pm)NEtransport wrote I believe this is the final award:

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/N...08971-2026

There is nothing different on there from when the standstill period started.

Does this mean Northstar have definitely lost the 599? Maybe a similar commercial service would be possible with the growth in passenger numbers since the route was introduced. Gutted if the 599 has definitely gone to Gateshead Central.

Stagecoach have definitely given up the 18 and 32/32A? Any chance of Gateshead Central getting EVs for the 32/32A? Northstar running the 18 with single decks or deckers?

787 extended to Wallsend or just Byker?

(03 Feb 2026, 11:16 am)Michael wrote Gutted about Northstar losing the 599.

They ran it really good.

Same here.

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(13 Feb 2026, 8:59 pm)NEtransport wrote I believe this is the final award:

https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/N...08971-2026

It isn’t - that was the original notification of results to operators.

(14 Feb 2026, 8:05 am)Dan wrote It isn’t - that was the original notification of results to operators.

So when can we expect to see the final awards, now the standstill period has finished?

(14 Feb 2026, 12:55 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote So when can we expect to see the final awards, now the standstill period has finished?

As soon as they are allowed to be made public

(14 Feb 2026, 2:25 pm)LVK 404L wrote As soon as they are allowed to be made public

Interesting to note that under 'information about tenders' every lots states "0 submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)" ... including the various lots that they have confimed were awarded to SMEs (GCT, Stanley and Northstar)!

(14 Feb 2026, 2:25 pm)LVK 404L wrote As soon as they are allowed to be made public

Presumably it should be soon. There is only 1 month and 1 week until the new contracts start. Very interested to see what has changed.

32/32A are staying at Stagecoach. Exactly like last year Gateshead Central won them but don’t have enough buses or drivers to do them so they’ve been given back to Stagecoach.

(16 Feb 2026, 12:39 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote 32/32A are staying at Stagecoach. Exactly like last year Gateshead Central won them but don’t have enough buses or drivers to do them so they’ve been given back to Stagecoach.

Joke of a process. Gateshead Cowboy Taxis should be excluded.

(16 Feb 2026, 1:02 pm)Economic505 wrote Joke of a process. Gateshead Cowboy Taxis should be excluded.

I'm sure it would also depend upon how many authorised ops discs they have for their vehicles too. They originally had been applying for an increase, although unsure if they were actually successful at securing that.

There's also the driver situation with how they do their rota's, adding the 32/32A in would very much stretch North Tyneside's rota & almost certainly would be reliant on overtime to ensure no lost mileage.

Of course losing the X46/M71 reduces two buses, although would still be a big increase, and surely those resources can be deployed onto the 599. However, I'm not so sure two Optare Solo SRs would be the most suitable given their reliability, two ADL E200MMCs would be more ideal, atleast for the first few weeks...

(16 Feb 2026, 12:39 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote 32/32A are staying at Stagecoach. Exactly like last year Gateshead Central won them but don’t have enough buses or drivers to do them so they’ve been given back to Stagecoach.

Joke that, shame they haven't gave up the 599....so far.

(16 Feb 2026, 1:02 pm)Economic505 wrote Joke of a process. Gateshead Cowboy Taxis should be excluded.

Bigger question. Why is Nexus only confirming who is running services just over a month out? 

Very poor planning on thier part. Giving operators last than two months to mobilise for standard secured work is a complete joke

They know when thier own contracts expire, and yet here we are. Jokers

(16 Feb 2026, 5:16 pm)Kimlfixit wrote Bigger question. Why is Nexus only confirming who is running services just over a month out? 

Very poor planning on thier part. Giving operators last than two months to mobilise for standard secured work is a complete joke

They know when thier own contracts expire, and yet here we are. Jokers

It’s not just nexus who do this sadly. It’s rather common across a vast amount of council areas

Hopefully it's something that can be fixed with franchising. If it ever happens.

Does anyone know if the 342 route changes are happening? Reverting back to how it ran as the 42A.

Any news on Northstar taking over the 18 and keeping the 599 or running a similar route commercially?

Disappointed Gateshead Central declined the 32/32A, as it compliments the 35 at the Kenton bit of the route and I expected they would be more prepared this year having won it last year, but presumably they expected losing other contracts which they didn't.

(17 Feb 2026, 5:11 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Does anyone know if the 342 route changes are happening? Reverting back to how it ran as the 42A.

Any news on Northstar taking over the 18 and keeping the 599 or running a similar route commercially?

Disappointed Gateshead Central declined the 32/32A, as it compliments the 35 at the Kenton bit of the route and I expected they would be more prepared this year having won it last year, but presumably they expected losing other contracts which they didn't.

Did the Cowboys of Gateshead Decline the 32/ 32/A or were they found out to be more or less a one man and his dog operation ? They shouldn’t get the 599 either. I hope NorthStar can operate it commercially.

(17 Feb 2026, 8:08 pm)Economic505 wrote Did the Cowboys of Gateshead Decline the 32/ 32/A or were they found out to be more or less a one man and his dog operation ? They shouldn’t get the 599 either. I hope NorthStar can operate it commercially.

Presumably they declined the 32/32A, because of a lack of available drivers and buses, as they've only lost the M71 and X46. Not sure what they expected to lose to make them able to run the 32/32A.

I agree, hopefully Northstar can run the 599 commercially, or a very similar route. Disappointing to see Gateshead Central get the 599.

Has anything besides the 32/32A changed after the standstill period?

With regards to the 18, I think the contract specifies Double Deckers due to it being a key route for High School Children with it service 3 major high Schools at the Northern end of the Route (Longbenton High School, St Marys Catholic High School and Jesmond Park Academy) being on or near the route. Especially linking residents of St Peters and Byker with Jesmond Park Academy.

(17 Feb 2026, 10:13 pm)Rapidsnap wrote With regards to the 18, I think the contract specifies Double Deckers due to it being a key route for High School Children with it service 3 major high Schools at the Northern end of the Route (Longbenton High School, St Marys Catholic High School and Jesmond Park Academy) being on or near the route. Especially linking residents of St Peters and Byker with Jesmond Park Academy.

I thought so. The 18 used to be single deckers, but has been a double decker allocation in recent years. Do you know if Northstar are taking over the route, or if Stagecoach will be retaining it for another year? 

Are Northstar planning on repainting their ADL E400s, LK57 AXR/LK57 AXY? Or will Optare Olympuses (Olympi?!) be coming in to replace them next month?

Confirmation from a Walkergate driver that the 18 has definitely been lost to Northstar and 787 lost to GNE. Walkergate going to have around 23 drivers more than needed so no doubt they’ll be loaned out to Slatyford, Sunderland, South Shields. Potentially Hartlepool and Stockton if they’re that desperate.

(16 Feb 2026, 4:27 pm)Michael wrote Joke that, shame they haven't gave up the 599....so far.

Yip. Northstar do a great job. Not looking forward to it at all

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Personally don't see the issue with GCT. There's much worse operators around like Arriva and GoNorthEast who have both struggled to operate their network pretty much since COVID, on and off and a large chunk of these routes bar the 3 Stagecoach ones are their routes anyway which they binned off.

(18 Feb 2026, 12:22 pm)Storx wrote Personally don't see the issue with GCT. There's much worse operators around like Arriva and GoNorthEast who have both struggled to operate their network pretty much since COVID, on and off and a large chunk of these routes bar the 3 Stagecoach ones are their routes anyway which they binned 

Gateshead Central doesn’t have a network, it’s an entirely tendered operation. Not saying it’s all drivers but there is a number of drivers who quite often put fares into their own pockets. Timing points are mild suggestions in a lot of cases and they’ve a habit of bidding for more work than they can feasibly operate (32 being case in point). GCT is a very delicate operation on the bus side and all it wouldn’t take much for their entire operation to cease.