It's funny we keep talking about buses here but it's crying out for a train to link all these places we've been mentioning. There's literally a line already there. If we reopened the Leamside Line which has been mooted for ages and actually would be beneficial but at same restore the link from Drum Ind. Estate in Birtley linking to the Leamside you've got a perfect loop service linking them all with stops like:

Newcastle, Saltwell (Team Valley North), Chowdene Bank (Team Valley South), Birtley (Perfect for Ouston to connect), Barley Mow, Rickleton / Harraton (Perfect for Rolls Royce / BAE), Fatfield, Barmston (Washington), Usworth (Perfect for Nissan with a bus link), Follingsby Park (Perfect for the new Amazon), Wardley, Heworth (Metro Connection), Gateshead Quays (Perfect for new arena), Newcastle... repeat

One railway line and you've pretty much linked all the major employment sites South of the Tyne and most of the line is already there infact bar about 100m in Washington with a R'bout it's all there. The link from the ECML / the new line might be a difficult though but should be doable.

Apart from Chowdene to Drum it's pretty much passing consistantly through urban areas which all have really poor bus connections currently. You could easily build P&R sites at Whitemare Poor / Chowdene Bank aswell to get cars out the urban areas as people might actually use them if it's quicker which it would be.