It's been a long while since I have been on a bus to/from South Shields. Anyway with decent weather finally arriving, I had a trip out.

Firstly the new electric buses - I have to admit I was impressed. Smooth, quiet and clean. I had seen them from the outside and they looked quite cramped but on board I felt there was sufficient leg room. Once we past Marsden the buses appeared to be able to go fairly shifty but there were some concerns:-

I always thought the E services were quite busy and it was. With regular people getting off, the one door layout was a nightmare as people fought to get past.

There was a high proportion of older or non able people using the service, another deck would be ideal to allow able bodied to seek a sear upstairs. 

I remember when the E1 went a more direct route. I appreciate the need for efficiency but it was certainly a Shields tour.

We alighted at Seaburn and the only buses into Sunderland are the E services which promptly drop you off at the far end of town. As we wanted the bus station there was a trek across town. I'll admit when they did go to the bus station, they were often empty but it's still a missed cross city link.

Anyway only my views

(27 Apr 2025, 12:58 pm)Sland2000 wrote It's been a long while since I have been on a bus to/from South Shields. Anyway with decent weather finally arriving, I had a trip out.

Firstly the new electric buses - I have to admit I was impressed. Smooth, quiet and clean. I had seen them from the outside and they looked quite cramped but on board I felt there was sufficient leg room. Once we past Marsden the buses appeared to be able to go fairly shifty but there were some concerns:-

I always thought the E services were quite busy and it was. With regular people getting off, the one door layout was a nightmare as people fought to get past.

There was a high proportion of older or non able people using the service, another deck would be ideal to allow able bodied to seek a sear upstairs. 

I remember when the E1 went a more direct route. I appreciate the need for efficiency but it was certainly a Shields tour.

We alighted at Seaburn and the only buses into Sunderland are the E services which promptly drop you off at the far end of town. As we wanted the bus station there was a trek across town. I'll admit when they did go to the bus station, they were often empty but it's still a missed cross city link.

Anyway only my views

I have to admit, I'm surprised they didn't go for at least a mixed allocation of singles and deckers for the E services. During the warmer days/months especially, they get really busy, even with the high combined frequency.

It's a bit of a pain that they don't serve Park Lane anymore, I agree, but I think it's with them being so tight on time. The detour round Mowbray Park is probably a step too far, without sticking some more resource in to slacken the timetable up.

The "Summer Timetable" due to take affect shortly which will see all 20 of the Yutongs on the E1/E2/E6 boosting capacity across the routes however this does not change the fact the services require Double Deckers, I'm also surprised Stagecoach did not go for some Yutong U11DD's as the spares could've been utilised on other Sunderland Services at Peak Times but SNE will never learn.

I do also think some of the Stagecoach South Shields "Town Services" could be merged into some of the Stagecoach Sunderland routes providing much better Cross-City Connections i.e. South Shields Service 30 merging with Sunderland's Service 4 or 13 on specific boards as I appreciate the frequencies of all 3 service mentioned are different.

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The "Summer Timetable" due to take affect shortly which will see all 20 of the Yutongs on the E1/E2/E6 boosting capacity across the routes however this does not change the fact the services require Double Deckers, I'm also surprised Stagecoach did not go for some Yutong U11DD's as the spares could've been utilised on other Sunderland Services at Peak Times but SNE will never learn.

I do also think some of the Stagecoach South Shields "Town Services" could be merged into some of the Stagecoach Sunderland routes providing much better Cross-City Connections i.e. South Shields Service 30 merging with Sunderland's Service 4 or 13 on specific boards as I appreciate the frequencies of all 3 service mentioned are different.

(28 Apr 2025, 2:47 pm)Malarkey wrote The "Summer Timetable" due to take affect shortly which will see all 20 of the Yutongs on the E1/E2/E6 boosting capacity across the routes however this does not change the fact the services require Double Deckers, I'm also surprised Stagecoach did not go for some Yutong U11DD's as the spares could've been utilised on other Sunderland Services at Peak Times but SNE will never learn.

I do also think some of the Stagecoach South Shields "Town Services" could be merged into some of the Stagecoach Sunderland routes providing much better Cross-City Connections i.e. South Shields Service 30 merging with Sunderland's Service 4 or 13 on specific boards as I appreciate the frequencies of all 3 service mentioned are different.

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The "Summer Timetable" due to take affect shortly which will see all 20 of the Yutongs on the E1/E2/E6 boosting capacity across the routes however this does not change the fact the services require Double Deckers, I'm also surprised Stagecoach did not go for some Yutong U11DD's as the spares could've been utilised on other Sunderland Services at Peak Times but SNE will never learn.

I do also think some of the Stagecoach South Shields "Town Services" could be merged into some of the Stagecoach Sunderland routes providing much better Cross-City Connections i.e. South Shields Service 30 merging with Sunderland's Service 4 or 13 on specific boards as I appreciate the frequencies of all 3 service mentioned are different.

Is there going to be a summer timetable for the E buses or is this speculation?

I echo that, they should of had a mixed allocation on the E services, but personally I don't get why Horsley Hill needs 2 E services

(28 Apr 2025, 4:39 pm)Economic505 wrote Is there going to be a summer timetable for the E buses or is this speculation?

Last year the PVR increased by 1 (not 10) though the timetable didn't change, just additional running time iirc.

I've said this before but a summer open top service that just serves the coast road from Shields Interchange and Park Lane would alleviate a lot of pressure on the regular E services during the summer.