(16 Apr 2024, 2:14 pm)Lewis1509 wrote Would absolutely never happen at all in a million years, its a massive reach but I've thought of a cool route, just thinking of bus spotters instead of actual customers lol

Merge Stagecoach 18 with GNE 19 and 317 to operate a giant loop service

Clockwise trips would continue to run as 317 and anticlockwise trips to run as 318, also operating via Monkseaton to connect Whitley Bay with Northumberland Park. To connect the 18 with the 317, either operate it the former route to Wallsend or just the 12 route.

Cramlington to North Shields 19 trips would still run as of now, as a Service 319.

Evening trips on all services would run as normal, however I'm not too sure what to do about the numbering. 317 could operate from Whitley Bay to Wallsend as the 317, and the returning trip as a 318 maybe? Then evening 18 trips could stay as the 18 (similar to the 54 and 354).

Not sure on the point of that one personally. I always think the 317/57/57A/19 should all work together rather than what we've got now where everything is bouncing around each.

So you'd end up with something like:


Would give better round service and link the important places with Ashington gaining links to Cobalt instead of the 57/57A corridor with both routes every 30 minutes in their Southern sections (hourly services are useless).

If you wanted to create a loop, you could do this though with the 353, remaining part of the 317, Q3 and 18.

SNE should also look at an express version of the current 10 and 11.  I am aware that the Jarrow to North Shields is bound by Nexus to operate every 30 mins, perhaps linking in express and standard service could achieve this

Revised 10 and 11. 
Every 30 mins South Shields via curent route to Low Simonside. Then extend every hour to Jarrow and North Shields.

New X10 and X11

Hourly, South Shields - Laygate - Tyne Dock - Simonside - Valley View - Jarrow - Percy Main - Royal Quays - North Shields.

(16 Apr 2024, 5:47 pm)LVK 404L wrote SNE should also look at an express version of the current 10 and 11.  I am aware that the Jarrow to North Shields is bound by Nexus to operate every 30 mins, perhaps linking in express and standard service could achieve this

Revised 10 and 11. 
Every 30 mins South Shields via curent route to Low Simonside. Then extend every hour to Jarrow and North Shields.

New X10 and X11

Hourly, South Shields - Laygate - Tyne Dock - Simonside - Valley View - Jarrow - Percy Main - Royal Quays - North Shields.

I think most people would just take the ferry.

What I think would be better service is

New Service X40 cobalt SouthTyne Express

Jarrow Bus Station -Through Tunnel - A19 North - off At Northumberland Park (Holystone) junction - stop at Toby shops then Northumberland Park Metro- then down to Cobalt - Silverlink (stop back of cinema) down bus only lane through Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate -Percy Main Metro -Royal Quays - then Bus only lane into Tyne Tunnel -Jarrow

Creating links south of Tyne to Cobalt as well as a quicker version of getting from Jarrow Metro Northumberland Park metro and Percy Main and back to Jarrow Metro stations as well as hitting key working areas

It would also link with 307/309 /19/22 /Corridor and when the new line comes in a quicker link from Jarrow(south of Tyne) to Ashington

(17 Apr 2024, 3:43 am)deanmachine wrote I think most people would just take the ferry.

Depends on what ticket you have.

If you have a SNE only pass, you may not opt for the ferry and stick with bus.  Also depends on whereabouts on route you are.

(17 Apr 2024, 6:42 am)LVK 404L wrote Depends on what ticket you have.

If you have a SNE only pass, you may not opt for the ferry and stick with bus.  Also depends on whereabouts on route you are.

Better to sort the ticketing problem out there though.

The Tunnel service should be connected to the 9 imo, the 10/11 is a dog leg route and there's nothing to note on either side why you'd want to use it.

Personally I'd always love to see the 57A from Ashington to Cramlington, 19 from Cramlington to Percy Main then the 9 from Jarrow to Sunderland all bolted together as one long route giving decent cross Tyne links and a reasonable link between Northumberland Park / Percy Main / Jarrow and Fellgate Metro stations.

People from Jarrow might actually want to go to Cobalt and Silverlink if a decent link was provided.

Thinking of a tinker around with services 3/4 in South Shields, and New services E3 South Shields - Biddick Hall - Whiteleas - Cleadon - Fulwell Grange - Sunderland

E4 Sunderland - Fulwell Grange - Cleadon - Whiteleas - Biddick Hall - South Shields

Existing 3 and 4 revised to operate every 30 minutes with additional new aervices E3 and E4 also every 30 minutes giving combined 15 min service South Shields - West Harton - Biddick Hall - Ridgeway (services E3/E4 extend to/from Sunderland via Cleadon, Fullwell Grange amd Wheatsheaf ,combining with GNE service 24, with a service every 15 mins Cleadon - Sunderland.

X39/X40 running limited stop along Shields Road and the West Road at peak times?

Are the 1, 10/11, 12, 37/38, 39/40 and 62/63 in Newcastle/North Tyneside, not busy enough to warrant X1, X10/X11, X12, 37X/38X, X39/X40 or X62/X63 variations all day or at peak times?

What are the chances of Stagecoach losing the 32/32A or 35 in the March changes?

Go North East might benefit from extending the 352/355 to Gateshead to compete with the 37/38.

I guess the 684 won't ever go back to 2 BPH?

(08 Aug 2024, 8:43 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote X39/X40 running limited stop along Shields Road and the West Road at peak times?

I would wish this would happen but I don’t think Walkergate has enough buses for it but it would definitely reduce the time it takes from the top of shields road to west end!

(25 Aug 2024, 8:44 pm)BusEnthusiast.com wrote I would wish this would happen but I don’t think Walkergate has enough buses for it but it would definitely reduce the time it takes from the top of shields road to west end!

All 39/40s could run limited stop as X39/X40. No extra buses required. Shields Road and West Road would be good opportunities for speeding up journey times. 

Given the popularity of Stagecoach Newcastle routes, I'm surprised more express services haven't been introduced.

(25 Aug 2024, 8:53 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote All 39/40s could run limited stop as X39/X40. No extra buses required. Shields Road and West Road would be good opportunities for speeding up journey times. 

Given the popularity of Stagecoach Newcastle routes, I'm surprised more express services haven't been introduced.

And what about all the passengers who presumably currently slow the journey down by boarding/alighting at the stops your X would cut out?

(25 Aug 2024, 7:32 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Are the 1, 10/11, 12, 37/38, 39/40 and 62/63 in Newcastle/North Tyneside, not busy enough to warrant X1, X10/X11, X12, 37X/38X, X39/X40 or X62/X63 variations all day or at peak times?

What are the chances of Stagecoach losing the 32/32A or 35 in the March changes?

Go North East might benefit from extending the 352/355 to Gateshead to compete with the 37/38.

I guess the 684 won't ever go back to 2 BPH?

To be fair most of these kind of already exist.

X1 = No real benefit the routes too short
X10/X11 = The 10/11 already are express on the Northern side and again otherside they're too short
X12 = Same as the X1
X37 = Arriva X7/X8/X10/X11, depending on location
X38 = Metro
X39/X40 = Metro to Wallsend and Byker, X82/684/685 on the Western side
X62/X63 = X63 already exists

I personally can't really see anywhere, where an express would work. I could be tempted to say swap the 71/72/87 and 63 around in the Fenham area though, 63 via Central Motorway, the others through Fenham. Might help both as one is dying and the other is too busy, with the 62/63 running non-stop between Cowgate and St James' Park

(25 Aug 2024, 7:32 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Go North East might benefit from extending the 352/355 to Gateshead to compete with the 37/38.

I don't get why this would need to happen. It would make absolutely no sense and does Gateshead really need more buses from Newcastle. There's so many plus the 352/355 cross the metro a bit so no need. 

Competition with the 37/38 is pointless as the 37/38 connect with Central Station & west end of Newcastle. Why would gne compete with it. If anything the 37 was brought in cause the 352 misses out half the 52 route and the timings & the 38 was extended to Forest Hall due to no link from Meadway Estate to Four Lane Ends anymore as the 355 doesn't go via Four Lane Ends anymore. 

There is no reason at all for what you said as non of it makes sense.

(25 Aug 2024, 7:32 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Go North East might benefit from extending the 352/355 to Gateshead to compete with the 37/38.

Btw on that, they should merge the 57 and 355 together imo. It means they can get arid of the 352 completely and up the 353 back upto every 30 minutes instead, it was always the busiest out the 3 routes and would benefit being 30 minutes again imo. The other 2 have always been a bit of a basketcase in comparison. What to do with the 354, who knows - merge it with the 359 maybe?

It's impossible currently to get shot of the 352 currently because of the 352/353/354/355 interworking pattern and the 355 should exist.

(26 Aug 2024, 10:06 am)Storx wrote Btw on that, they should merge the 57 and 355 together imo. It means they can get arid of the 352 completely and up the 353 back upto every 30 minutes instead, it was always the busiest out the 3 routes and would benefit being 30 minutes again imo. The other 2 have always been a bit of a basketcase in comparison. What to do with the 354, who knows - merge it with the 359 maybe?

It's impossible currently to get shot of the 352 currently because of the 352/353/354/355 interworking pattern and the 355 should exist.

The 352 duplicates almost all of the 37 in full! Except for a small part. The 352/355 will never compete with 37/38 as they don’t run evenings and Sundays. 355 could be made better but 352 is pointless as it is

(26 Aug 2024, 6:44 pm)Coastliner700 wrote The 352 duplicates almost all of the 37 in full! Except for a small part. The 352/355 will never compete with 37/38 as they don’t run evenings and Sundays. 355 could be made better but 352 is pointless as it is

Aye totally, agreed. The 354/359 are too samey aswell if you ask me, I'd much rather have the 353 being every 30 minutes over the 354 personally at the Eastern side.

The 57 merger was just for drivers really more than anything since it's quite well used the 355 whenever I see it to be fair.

(26 Aug 2024, 8:09 pm)Storx wrote Aye totally, agreed. The 354/359 are too samey aswell if you ask me, I'd much rather have the 353 being every 30 minutes over the 354 personally at the Eastern side.

The 57 merger was just for drivers really more than anything since it's quite well used the 355 whenever I see it to be fair.

Living in Forest Hall working many long/varied shifts the 38 would always have the edge. With a pass much more connections than one single GNE bus that doesn’t operate evenings or Sundays. If they could sort that out then maybe it would be a consideration

(27 Aug 2024, 7:03 am)Coastliner700 wrote Living in Forest Hall working many long/varied shifts the 38 would always have the edge. With a pass much more connections than one single GNE bus that doesn’t operate evenings or Sundays. If they could sort that out then maybe it would be a consideration

Aye I get that, not going to lie. I'd be the same. Well I'd probably be tempted to do the walk to Benton / Palmersville for the Metro like I know a fair few do around there.

(25 Aug 2024, 10:20 pm)Storx wrote To be fair most of these kind of already exist.

X1 = No real benefit the routes too short
X10/X11 = The 10/11 already are express on the Northern side and again otherside they're too short
X12 = Same as the X1
X37 = Arriva X7/X8/X10/X11, depending on location
X38 = Metro
X39/X40 = Metro to Wallsend and Byker, X82/684/685 on the Western side
X62/X63 = X63 already exists

I personally can't really see anywhere, where an express would work. I could be tempted to say swap the 71/72/87 and 63 around in the Fenham area though, 63 via Central Motorway, the others through Fenham. Might help both as one is dying and the other is too busy, with the 62/63 running non-stop between Cowgate and St James' Park

Thinking back, did they not re-route the 63 via Netherby Drive when they reduced the frequency of the 36?  I'd revert the 63 back to what it was previously - Fenham Hall Drive and then along Two Ball Lonnen to Cowgate Morrisons.

(27 Aug 2024, 11:50 am)Chris 1 wrote Thinking back, did they not re-route the 63 via Netherby Drive when they reduced the frequency of the 36?  I'd revert the 63 back to what it was previously - Fenham Hall Drive and then along Two Ball Lonnen to Cowgate Morrisons.

Not too sure if I had to be honest, possibly though.

(27 Aug 2024, 11:50 am)I Chris 1 wrote Thinking back, did they not re-route the 63 via Netherby Drive when they reduced the frequency of the 36?  I'd revert the 63 back to what it was previously - Fenham Hall Drive and then along Two Ball Lonnen to Cowgate Morrisons.

(27 Aug 2024, 12:10 pm)Storx wrote Not too sure if I had to be honest, possibly though.

I’m not sure either but I’d think the 62/63 via Stamfordham Road via current 62 route and 71/72/87 via Fenham Hall Drive a better shout

(27 Aug 2024, 7:03 am)Coastliner700 wrote Living in Forest Hall working many long/varied shifts the 38 would always have the edge. With a pass much more connections than one single GNE bus that doesn’t operate evenings or Sundays. If they could sort that out then maybe it would be a consideration

Know that feeling, im from Forest Hall, and for the 15 years i lived there, the choice of bus became thinner

90's- 38, 64/64A, 319, 323, 343/344, 355, M52/M53, M55

00's- 18/19 (19 withdrawn 06/07), 63, 81 (withdrawn 2010), 319 (withdrawn 2007), 343/344 (343 withdrawn 2010, 344 withdrawn 08/09) , 355 (withdrawn 2010), M55 (withdrawn 2010)

10's- 6/7 (withdrawn F.L.E- Forest Hall 19/20), 17 (withdrawn 2016), 18 (withdrawn Benton- Forest Hall 2016), 42/42A, 53/53A (53A withdrawn 2013), 55, 63, 353 (withdrawn 2017), K3 (withdrawn 19/20)

20's- 38, 42/42A (withdrawn 2022, 42A had also been re-routed), 53 (withdrawn 2023), 55 (withdrawn 2023), 63, 335 (re-routed 2023), 353, 355

2024- 38, 63, 342, 353, 355

(27 Aug 2024, 11:50 am)Chris 1 wrote Thinking back, did they not re-route the 63 via Netherby Drive when they reduced the frequency of the 36?  I'd revert the 63 back to what it was previously - Fenham Hall Drive and then along Two Ball Lonnen to Cowgate Morrisons.

I believe the 63 got changed when due to traffic reasons (this was before Cowgate roundabout got demolished and turned into what it is today) the decrease of the 36 didn't come until COVID when the 30/31 got decreased as the 36 runs off the 30

Posted this here rather than the other thread as it's where it should be really:

(13 Apr 2025, 6:25 pm)markydh wrote The issues in the outer west are that it’s a bit awkward to design a public transport network that doesn’t have lots of different bus numbers. Estates were never designed with public transport in mind and are mostly in/out via the same road. Stagecoach are pretty conservative when it comes to network reviews, so I don’t think they’ve ever really done an assessment of travel patterns in Newcastle and whether or not certain end to end routes make sense in the 2020s, always keeping in mind that the idea is to encourage people to use public transport, not a creeping managed decline. To be honest I don’t think anything major will change until about five years after a franchising scheme has been introduced because that’s when enough data will have been collected across all the services currently operated by all the various operators and informed decisions can be made. So, for example, who is to say that a route currently operated by Stagecoach  in west Newcastle can’t be merged with a route currently run by Arriva up the Great North Road?

Yeah agreed there to be honest, the North / South routes are the routes which I'd be more interested in though, could you maybe look at merging something like the 21 and 43/44/45 together and give a massive cross city route just to pluck something out.

Similar case could be made for the Coast Road and West Road maybe, would open up space at the bus stations for more terminating routes, the likes of the 71 etc if they still exist. The 1/22 is the most obvious though for merging though since they duplicate each other between Howdon and Newcastle bar a small variant in the Walkergate / Walkerville area. 

(13 Apr 2025, 6:41 pm)V514DFT wrote 62/63 go every 30 from Four Lane Ends
and combine it with the 37/38, I'd then extend the 38 to Killingworth via East Bailey, that then gives both Baileys a service to Central, then return route it would turn right onto Forest Hall Road, nit doing that bonkers routing the 356 does

I know this is a bit off topic but I'd be tempted to change the whole network around there and do something like:
62: Every 20 Minutes, Terminate at Longbenton (do a loop)
63: Every 20 Minutes, Additionally serve Benton Square, and terminate at Forest Hall (do the Meadway Loop)
64: Every 20 Minutes, Extend direct to Killingworth via Quorum and loop around Killingworth

37: Every 20 Minutes, Run direct to Killingworth via X63 route from South Gosforth
38: Every 20 Minutes, Extend to Killingworth via 63 Route from Four Lane Ends

18: Every 30 Minutes, Extend to Cramlington via 37 Route from Four Lane Ends

X37 (Current X63): Peaks only - daytime replaced by 37

There's no lost links but just tidies things up a little bit, there's an awful lot of duplication currently if you ask me, and gives a faster like from Byker and beyond to Quorum and Killingworth which is the only place they're likely to be going rather than having to wander around Benton or Longbenton and opens new links from Cramlington and Burradon rather than duplicating the X8 pretty much on a longer route.

(14 Apr 2025, 10:32 am)Storx wrote Posted this here rather than the other thread as it's where it should be really:


Yeah agreed there to be honest, the North / South routes are the routes which I'd be more interested in though, could you maybe look at merging something like the 21 and 43/44/45 together and give a massive cross city route just to pluck something out.

Similar case could be made for the Coast Road and West Road maybe, would open up space at the bus stations for more terminating routes, the likes of the 71 etc if they still exist. The 1/22 is the most obvious though for merging though since they duplicate each other between Howdon and Newcastle bar a small variant in the Walkergate / Walkerville area. 


I know this is a bit off topic but I'd be tempted to change the whole network around there and do something like:
62: Every 20 Minutes, Terminate at Longbenton (do a loop)
63: Every 20 Minutes, Additionally serve Benton Square, and terminate at Forest Hall (do the Meadway Loop)
64: Every 20 Minutes, Extend direct to Killingworth via Quorum and loop around Killingworth

37: Every 20 Minutes, Run direct to Killingworth via X63 route from South Gosforth
38: Every 20 Minutes, Extend to Killingworth via 63 Route from Four Lane Ends

18: Every 30 Minutes, Extend to Cramlington via 37 Route from Four Lane Ends

X37 (Current X63): Peaks only - daytime replaced by 37

There's no lost links but just tidies things up a little bit, there's an awful lot of duplication currently if you ask me, and gives a faster like from Byker and beyond to Quorum and Killingworth which is the only place they're likely to be going rather than having to wander around Benton or Longbenton and opens new links from Cramlington and Burradon rather than duplicating the X8 pretty much on a longer route.

What needs to happen, is go back to pre 2003 when Stagecoach butchered the 60's group of services, theres bits of those old services that probably would do better now in 2025 than the did lin the late 90's/early 00's, your 64 suggestion isn't a million miles away from what the old 63 did
The 61 used to do what your 62 suggestion
Then there was the 62/62A that went through Longbenton, can't remember what the 62B used to do
The 63 went straight down Benton Lane then picked upits current route from Southgate- Killingworth Bus Station 
The 64 was Chapel House- Forest Hall (Glebe Road)(the 38 also terminated/started here)
And the 64A was evenings/Sundays only and pretty much did what is now the current day 63, what else is also funny, is your 64, i suggested that exact route to Stagecoach in 2009, they weren't interested

(14 Apr 2025, 6:42 pm)V514DFT wrote What needs to happen, is go back to pre 2003 when Stagecoach butchered the 60's group of services, theres bits of those old services that probably would do better now in 2025 than the did lin the late 90's/early 00's, your 64 suggestion isn't a million miles away from what the old 63 did
The 61 used to do what your 62 suggestion
Then there was the 62/62A that went through Longbenton, can't remember what the 62B used to do
The 63 went straight down Benton Lane then picked upits current route from Southgate- Killingworth Bus Station 
The 64 was Chapel House- Forest Hall (Glebe Road)(the 38 also terminated/started here)
And the 64A was evenings/Sundays only and pretty much did what is now the current day 63, what else is also funny, is your 64, i suggested that exact route to Stagecoach in 2009, they weren't interested

Not too dissimilar then, I was thinking Glebe Road instead of Meadway but they serve it now so thought why not.

Tbh, I just think there's too many 60's from Killingworth to Byker. Like how many people really want to go there? There's nothing really anything inbetween to serve either which warrants 8 BPH either. 3 BPH is more than enough as long as there's the extensions ie. the 61/64 there to cover the unique parts of the 62/63. The 37/38 is just a better service as it's quicker to Newcastle, serves a hospital on the way, and also goes further into Newcastle and gives a direct link to Central Station where people might actually want to be imo.

The 18 to Cramlington also makes sense as it gives a Cramlington / Burradon to or from Byker/Walker link. Okay there's probably not much demand there but there's zero demand for a bus to Newcastle via that route. The 37/38(Short)/38(Long)/38A is also a bit confusing atm as an understatement aswell.

With the service changes upon us, personally this would have been better to avoid a major fiscal cliff, reducing some of the impact, opposed to completely withdrawing a high frequency service, I.e. service 17.

E1. Service route will remain unchanged, although may need slightly retiming to incorporate a better frequency with the additional E services...

E2. Service route will remain unchanged, although may need slightly retiming to incorporate a better frequency with the additional E services...

E6. This service would incorporate service 7 & 8, with journeys revised to operate via Laygate opposed to the Town Hall in both directions.

Ideally, with the service replacing parts of service 7/8, reinstating the Evening & Sunday frequency back to up to every 30 minutes.

E7. This service will operate up to every 30 minutes Mon - Sat Daytimes, combining with service E6 to offer a 15 minute frequency along common sections. The service will however service Roker Park & Roker Baths Road towards Sunderland, directly replacing service 18 on this section of route.

The service will not operate on an Evening or Sunday, although additional journeys on service E6 introduced to allow for two buses per hour along the route.

Route Map (South Shields - Laygate - Chichester - Mortimer Road - Harton Nook - Marsden - Lizard Lane - Whitburn Front Street - Seaburn Morrisons - Roker Park - Roker Baths Road - Wheatsheaf Depot - Sunderland Fawcett Street)

E8. This service will replace service 7/8 between South Shields and Marsden only via the Town Hall, Marine College & Horsley Hill. When the bus arrives at Marsden, it will return back to South Shields on the opposite side of the road, opposed to operating as a circular service. This service will continue to operate up to every 15 minutes & with it's current frequency outside of this.

Passengers from Horsley Hill & along the route will continue to have transport to Harton Nook via service 10/11, X34 & 516, aswell as connecting buses at Marsden or in South Shields...

These alterations will see an increase to eight E services per hour between South Shields and Sunderland, whilst also carefully making use of the available resources.

The already planned service changes outside of this are already unavoidable now, although it may have been better to have considered whether reducing service 17, whilst also sending service 3 into Whiteleas would have been a better solution opposed to it's complete withdrawal. Now services alike the 3 will be increasingly busier, which won't even get a frequency increase to compensate this, which especially during term time will more than likely see significant overcrowding when these changes take place...

(Yesterday, 12:45 pm)S830OFT wrote With the service changes upon us, personally this would have been better to avoid a major fiscal cliff, reducing some of the impact, opposed to completely withdrawing a high frequency service, I.e. service 17.

E1. Service route will remain unchanged, although may need slightly retiming to incorporate a better frequency with the additional E services...

E2. Service route will remain unchanged, although may need slightly retiming to incorporate a better frequency with the additional E services...

E6. This service would incorporate service 7 & 8, with journeys revised to operate via Laygate opposed to the Town Hall in both directions.

Ideally, with the service replacing parts of service 7/8, reinstating the Evening & Sunday frequency back to up to every 30 minutes.

E7. This service will operate up to every 30 minutes Mon - Sat Daytimes, combining with service E6 to offer a 15 minute frequency along common sections. The service will however service Roker Park & Roker Baths Road towards Sunderland, directly replacing service 18 on this section of route.

The service will not operate on an Evening or Sunday, although additional journeys on service E6 introduced to allow for two buses per hour along the route.

Route Map (South Shields - Laygate - Chichester - Mortimer Road - Harton Nook - Marsden - Lizard Lane - Whitburn Front Street - Seaburn Morrisons - Roker Park - Roker Baths Road - Wheatsheaf Depot - Sunderland Fawcett Street)

E8. This service will replace service 7/8 between South Shields and Marsden only via the Town Hall, Marine College & Horsley Hill. When the bus arrives at Marsden, it will return back to South Shields on the opposite side of the road, opposed to operating as a circular service. This service will continue to operate up to every 15 minutes & with it's current frequency outside of this.

Passengers from Horsley Hill & along the route will continue to have transport to Harton Nook via service 10/11, X34 & 516, aswell as connecting buses at Marsden or in South Shields...

These alterations will see an increase to eight E services per hour between South Shields and Sunderland, whilst also carefully making use of the available resources.

The already planned service changes outside of this are already unavoidable now, although it may have been better to have considered whether reducing service 17, whilst also sending service 3 into Whiteleas would have been a better solution opposed to it's complete withdrawal. Now services alike the 3 will be increasingly busier, which won't even get a frequency increase to compensate this, which especially during term time will more than likely see significant overcrowding when these changes take place...

Not sure getting rid of the 7/8 is a good idea personally. At least when they're in a loop they're picking passengers up while dropping people off. If you curtail it, then you'll end up with buses which are dead by the end as it goes nowhere - unless you extended that 8 to go somewhere useful ie. replace the likes of the 30, to the hospital or what not.

Personally if I was them I would've scrapped the 3 instead and kept the 17 and 18 with the 17 additionally doing Biddick. 

It's a hell of a lot less confusing that having a 3/18 every 7.5 minutes on the core section (they pretty much follow each other right now). 

The short section of 3 which is abandoned is served by multiple services for the 2 stops and would give the Chi area a clean 7.5 minute service down one corridor (7/8/17) rather than 3 15 minutes services down multiple corridors.

If they weren't stupid and made South Shields into a one way loop the 17/18 could've combined and created a loop through South Shields aswell but obviously that didn't happen. Another short sight from the usual transport planners as you can't get a bus to/from ASDA without a substantial walk in one direction.

(Yesterday, 12:45 pm)S830OFT wrote With the service changes upon us, personally this would have been better to avoid a major fiscal cliff, reducing some of the impact, opposed to completely withdrawing a high frequency service, I.e. service 17.

E1. Service route will remain unchanged, although may need slightly retiming to incorporate a better frequency with the additional E services...

E2. Service route will remain unchanged, although may need slightly retiming to incorporate a better frequency with the additional E services...

E6. This service would incorporate service 7 & 8, with journeys revised to operate via Laygate opposed to the Town Hall in both directions.

Ideally, with the service replacing parts of service 7/8, reinstating the Evening & Sunday frequency back to up to every 30 minutes.

E7. This service will operate up to every 30 minutes Mon - Sat Daytimes, combining with service E6 to offer a 15 minute frequency along common sections. The service will however service Roker Park & Roker Baths Road towards Sunderland, directly replacing service 18 on this section of route.

The service will not operate on an Evening or Sunday, although additional journeys on service E6 introduced to allow for two buses per hour along the route.

Route Map (South Shields - Laygate - Chichester - Mortimer Road - Harton Nook - Marsden - Lizard Lane - Whitburn Front Street - Seaburn Morrisons - Roker Park - Roker Baths Road - Wheatsheaf Depot - Sunderland Fawcett Street)

E8. This service will replace service 7/8 between South Shields and Marsden only via the Town Hall, Marine College & Horsley Hill. When the bus arrives at Marsden, it will return back to South Shields on the opposite side of the road, opposed to operating as a circular service. This service will continue to operate up to every 15 minutes & with it's current frequency outside of this.

Passengers from Horsley Hill & along the route will continue to have transport to Harton Nook via service 10/11, X34 & 516, aswell as connecting buses at Marsden or in South Shields...

These alterations will see an increase to eight E services per hour between South Shields and Sunderland, whilst also carefully making use of the available resources.

The already planned service changes outside of this are already unavoidable now, although it may have been better to have considered whether reducing service 17, whilst also sending service 3 into Whiteleas would have been a better solution opposed to it's complete withdrawal. Now services alike the 3 will be increasingly busier, which won't even get a frequency increase to compensate this, which especially during term time will more than likely see significant overcrowding when these changes take place...

Ive said similar about the 3 moving forwards.  If they keep E200s on, its gping to have manu issues.  They need to look at E300s as dedicated vehicles perhaps