Nexus are running a consultation proposing the withdrawal of the 59 / 359 services.If the proposal is agreed the GCT vehicle currently used on the 59 /359 will be redeployed to a new service.

What changes are we proposing?
The peak service 59 almost entirely duplicates Arriva’s service 54, with our bus in some cases operating just a few minutes in front of the commercial service. This effectively means that we are using public subsidy to replicate links already being provided by a private operator. This is not good use of public funds and it also undermines the commercial viability of the 54 which could place greater pressure on our limited funding, longer term. We therefore propose that the 59 service is withdrawn and passengers would be advised to use the Arriva service instead.
The off-peak 359 service was introduced to provide improved connections to North Tyneside Hospital, in particular from West Allotment and Marden Estate. Our data indicates that an average of just 2 passengers per day board the service in West Allotment (with the majority of these trips to Northumberland Park Metro) and an average of just 5 passengers per day use the service from Marden Estate (with the vast majority of these trips to/from the Morrison’s store at Preston Grange). Like the 59, the 359 route also has a considerable amount of overlap with the Arriva service 54. We therefore propose that the 359 service is withdrawn.
The bus currently used on the 59/359 would then instead be used to provide an extension to the current 51A service (Newcastle – Coast Road – Holystone Park). The new extension would operate between Holystone Park and Whitley Bay Metro via Northumberland Park Interchange, Heritage Green, Backworth North, Castle Park, Backworth Village, Earsdon Village, West Monkseaton Sainsbury’s, West Monkseaton, Monkseaton and Whitley Bay Town Centre. The service would operate hourly Monday - Saturday, between 7.30am – 7.00pm.
The proposed withdrawal of the 59/359 and introduction of new extension to service 51A would leave Murton Village without access to any bus service. We therefore propose that the W3 would be revised to additionally serve Murton Village Monday - Saturday (9.30am – 3.00pm).