It's not as if there aren't any buses from Newcastle City Centre to Gateshead though! (More or less the same in Sunderland)...
I reckon GNE have good reason to regulate the buses and start late/finish early. If that's what they've got to do to keep to their timetable, it's the best option!
I think if that does happen though, customers should be allowed to use any 56 ticket on other Gateshead-Newcastle services etc. and be told that they should connect using another service.
RE: Go North East - Latest