(19 Aug 2025, 8:20 pm)Robisdave54 wrote Interesting that they wouldn't take up the 2025 contract for the present services and thankfully Northstar stepped into the breach, again thankfully as given the current state of Arrivas fleet I wouldn't like to find myself stranded on the moors.

Arriva are within their right to refuse any contract they are offered. They don't even need to give a reason. Stagecoach also didn't want to do it, for whatever reason they decided on.

Northstar accepted when asked. Equally, haven't had a perfect season themselves, but the distance doesn't help react quickly.

The decision to run a single day though is hugely different to a decision to run a full season, so not even sure why they are being compared. I think it's one of the office staff driving it.

is it not to do with driving hours?

6 days a week for one driver and the day he needs to be off is covered by another company sub contracted perhaps aka a branded Northstar bus will operate ...

Info of the Tees Valley changes, effective 2 November 2025 have been posted by Arriva:  https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...y-&-whitby


We will be making changes to some of our services in Tees Valley and Whitby so that they better reflect how customers are using our buses.

Middlesbrough Area

Service 8 Middlesbrough – Netherfields
Will run to a revised timetable. Mon–Fri daytime buses will run up to every 15 minutes.

Service 9 Middlesbrough – Overfields
Timetable revised to improve punctuality.

Services 17A/17B Middlesbrough – Thornaby – Stockton
Timetable revised to improve punctuality.

Service 63 Middlesbrough – Redcar
Revised timetable. Mon–Fri daytime buses will run up to every 15 minutes.

Service 805 Brambles Farm – Swans Corner
The full service is been withdrawn. The alternative service are services 5 & 5A.

Service X3 Middlesbrough – Lingdale
Minor late afternoon changes are being made. New later through journey will depart Lingdale at 16:54 to Middlesbrough.

Services X4/X4A Middlesbrough – Redcar – Loftus – Whitby
Sunday journeys between Redcar & Whitby continue through winter. The service will be every 30 minutes plus a new later Sunday evening journey will now depart Whitby at 19:38 to Middlesbrough.


Regional / Longer Distance

Service X12 Middlesbrough – Durham – Newcastle
This service will see an early morning change the 06:41am from Coxhoe has been extended to start at Sedgefield 06.28am for earlier Durham arrival.

Service X22 Middlesbrough – Stockton – Peterlee
Due to low passenger demand, most journeys will now run Stockton to Peterlee only.


Whitby & Scarborough Area

Services X93/X94 Middlesbrough – Guisborough – Whitby – Scarborough
X94 is been withdrawn for winter and will restart in April 2026. The evening & Sunday journeys (introduced in April) will continue through winter. Based on customer feedback. the service will also now stop at Swans Corner in both directions.

Whitby Park & Ride P1 & P2
Will stop for the winter months and restart in April 2026


Durham changes
Not posted by Arriva yet, but there's variations submitted for services: 6, 22, 23, 24, 43, X46, 48 & 49/49A from 2 November 2025 as well.

Changes primarily designed to help with Stockton’s staffing crisis… I would hope many of the reductions are temporary!

On top of these… operation of the 5a will move to Redcar and the X12 will be an entirely Durham production from November.

Impressed to see the additional journeys being kept on the X4 and X93 through the winter.

It is nice to see that some growth is now on the cards and the X3, X4, X12 all get some extensions.