(18 Sep 2025, 10:07 pm)Andreos1 wrote Needed to get from the Tynemouth area to Cobalt not too long ago. 
Couple of mins in an uber. 

Nothing under 30mins on public transport. Some options took the best part of an hour.

Surely it's not beyond the wit of man or beast to realise that places like Cobalt, Quorum etc have decent traffic flows. Particularly during peak. Yet are seemingly ignored. Or, have buses going to and from the same places.

Easy fix would be to extend the 341 from Hadrian Park via Cobalt, Silverlink, Percy Main, Royal Quays and North Shields and have it replace the 301 between North Shields and Whitley Bay.

When Cobalt was expanding and developing, GNE missed a trick with the 325/326 in my opinion. I know it was down to complete a through loop in an hour so don't know how the timings would work. but something should've been done to incorporate it into Cobalt after Norham Road North before heading back into New York or towards North Shields.

(19 Sep 2025, 7:10 pm)L469 YVK wrote When Cobalt was expanding and developing, GNE missed a trick with the 325/326 in my opinion. I know it was down to complete a through loop in an hour so don't know how the timings would work. but something should've been done to incorporate it into Cobalt after Norham Road North before heading back into New York or towards North Shields.

Not a suggestion but this would've been the obvious routing:


It's ironically probably better than what people get now since everyone would get a direct Cobalt and Silverlink connection. The orange and red routes being the 309/311 (ignoring Hadrian Park) anyway bar them additionally doing Silverlink. Even more so if replaced the 301 between Whitley Bay and North Shields giving connections around North Tyneside and also from the Coast Road aswell since all their buses go the same way pretty much.

People wanting to go to Wallsend etc can interchange at the white elephant interchange in North Shields and a 15 minute service onto a 12 minute Metro is a well acceptable interchange.

BSIP funding or even Nexus Funding for 6-12 month

Works service 91 although it is a one journey wonder from Verne Road around 440am to Team Valley it is an interesting route which imo could be adapted into a service route and give great connections that are not actually present.

Hear me out... it fundamentally a works service with having Cobalt at one end and Team Valley at the other so early morning and rush hour is covered during the day you create meaningful links for residents aswell creating cross links between metro stations and open new links.

I would make it a 30 min service

instead of starting at Verne Road (maybe for the first service of the day to incorporate the route into an early morning route... but say a general service of

Northumberland Park Rail Hub - Cobalt - Hadrian Park- (Wiltshire Drive ) Down to Wallsend Metro over to Walkergate Metro- Walker bus terminal St Anthonys - Byker Metro and Byker Morrisons- then Monument /Market St Central Station Direct to Team Valley with a strong emphasis of driving around the Northside and then Southside not the central drag in a Anti or clockwise direction even possibly stopping at Sainsbury as a terminus ( so drivers can have a pee)

I do think it will have an interesting link and link many communities and businesses as well as shift workers etc

Open for debate (but Wiltshire Drive is negotiable )

(23 Sep 2025, 7:22 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote BSIP funding or even Nexus Funding for 6-12 month

Works service 91 although it is a one journey wonder from Verne Road around 440am to Team Valley it is an interesting route which imo could be adapted into a service route and give great connections that are not actually present.

Hear me out... it fundamentally a works service with having Cobalt at one end and Team Valley at the other so early morning and rush hour is covered during the day you create meaningful links for residents aswell creating cross links between metro stations and open new links.

I would make it a 30 min service

instead of starting at Verne Road  (maybe for the first service of the day  to incorporate the route into an early morning route... but say a general service of

Northumberland Park  Rail Hub - Cobalt  - Hadrian Park-  (Wiltshire Drive )  Down to Wallsend Metro  over to Walkergate Metro-  Walker bus terminal  St Anthonys - Byker Metro and Byker  Morrisons- then Monument /Market St  Central Station  Direct to Team Valley with a strong emphasis of driving around the Northside and then Southside  not the central drag in a Anti or clockwise direction  even possibly stopping at Sainsbury as a terminus ( so drivers can have a pee)

I do think it will have an interesting link and link many communities and businesses as well as shift workers etc

Open for debate (but Wiltshire Drive is negotiable )

Tbh, im surprised GNE have never tried sending the Q3 (why its still Q3 is anyones guess when theres no Q1/Q2 anymore) upto the Cobalt/Northumberland Park, your 91 would also reinstate the bottom of Norham Road with a service, a service which has been gone for a number of years now, it would also be another option incase theres any issues on the 301 and the Metro (it has happened before)

(23 Sep 2025, 7:22 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote BSIP funding or even Nexus Funding for 6-12 month

Works service 91 although it is a one journey wonder from Verne Road around 440am to Team Valley it is an interesting route which imo could be adapted into a service route and give great connections that are not actually present.

Hear me out... it fundamentally a works service with having Cobalt at one end and Team Valley at the other so early morning and rush hour is covered during the day you create meaningful links for residents aswell creating cross links between metro stations and open new links.

I would make it a 30 min service

instead of starting at Verne Road  (maybe for the first service of the day  to incorporate the route into an early morning route... but say a general service of

Northumberland Park  Rail Hub - Cobalt  - Hadrian Park-  (Wiltshire Drive )  Down to Wallsend Metro  over to Walkergate Metro-  Walker bus terminal  St Anthonys - Byker Metro and Byker  Morrisons- then Monument /Market St  Central Station  Direct to Team Valley with a strong emphasis of driving around the Northside and then Southside  not the central drag in a Anti or clockwise direction  even possibly stopping at Sainsbury as a terminus ( so drivers can have a pee)

I do think it will have an interesting link and link many communities and businesses as well as shift workers etc

Open for debate (but Wiltshire Drive is negotiable )

It's an interesting idea but I'm not sure. It duplicates the 12/18/22/Q3 depending on which bit is so unsure you'll pick people many up. 

I respect that you'd reduce the Northumberland Park links (you could double back by it but unsure whether it's worth it) but personally I'd go further and try and create some loop at the Eastern side, something like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.97090...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkyMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

At the same time, the 350/351 being curtailed at Northumberland Park. The other side of the loop is the old Arriva 337 pretty much and would open up links for Marden to anywhere bar Tynemouth / Whitley Bay with loads of new connections to Cobalt which don't exist and Silverlink which is difficult to get to, unless you live on the 308 route. 

The 350/351 currently are pretty much dead East of Northumberland Park, so why not try something different?

Was just thinking of some services that could do with some adjustments & some of these would help to increase frequencys, offer new links & also reduce driver changeovers having to be completed by company cars & vans.

6 - Journeys between Stanley and Lanchester will be transferred to service 29.

8 - This service will additionally serve Pelaw Square, Perkinsville, Ouston & Urpeth. However, the service will no longer operate to Beamish or Stanley, with this link available on service 8A or by changing buses with services 28/29 at intermediate stops.

Frequency:
Every 30 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)
Every 60 minutes (Evenings & Sundays)

8A - New daily hourly service that will create new links, but also maintain current connections, this including the reintroduction of a frequent, direct bus to Waterview Park from Chester Road.

(Sunderland | Chester Road | Hastings Hill | A1231 | Teal Farm | Waterview Park | A1231 Peel | Washington Galleries | Biddick | Fatfield | Picktree Village | Chester-le-Street | Pelton | Grange Villa | Beamish Museum | No Place | Stanley)

Frequency:
Every 60 minutes Daily (Evening journeys will only operate between Chester-le-Street and Stanley, with connections to services 8, 28, 50/X50 & 78 for onward travel to Washington or Sunderland.

22 - Service extended to Durham via Waldridge Park & Framwellgate Moor, combining with service X50, allowing for the continuation of two buses per hour on this section of route.

Frequency:
Every 60 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)

25/25A - Service withdrawn. Replaced by service 50 between South Shields & Boldon, and by service 35/36 between Boldon and Jarrow.

28 - Journeys that start/finish at Chester-le-Street will be extended to Washington Galleries, operating directly via the A1, calling only at Ayton & Lambton.

This extension will help ensure there continues to be two buses per hour between Washington Galleries & Beamish Museum, whilst also offering more faster buses between Washington & Chester-le-Street.

Frequency:
Every 60 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)

29 - Service extended to Stanley from Beamish & then onto Lanchester, replacing service 6. The extension to Stanley will help to introduce new bus links, but also ensures there continues to be two buses per hour between Stanley and Beamish Museum during Mon - Sat Daytimes. This service will no longer operate to Chester-le-Street, with this link available on service 8A & 28.

Frequency:
Every 60 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)

34 - Service fully withdrawn & replaced by service 8 on the Ouston section & service 50 on the Waldridge Park section.

35 - Evening & Sunday journeys on service 35 will be renumbered 35A & will run through to Fellgate Estate after Boldon replacing service 25, then continue onwards to Heworth, providing alternative transport during the periods when service 558 is not operating.

36 - Service will be revised to no longer operate to Hebburn or Lukes Lane & will instead serve Fellgate Estate, then operate to Jarrow. The service will continue to serve Cotswold Estate in Boldon.

50 - Service will be revised to only operate between South Shields and Waldridge Park Estate, with journeys to Durham transferred to services 22 & X50. whilst the Marsden trips will be withdrawn.

This service will also serve Westoe, Whiteleas & South Tyneside Hospital for all journeys, replacing service 25.

Frequency:
Every 30 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)
Every 60 minutes (Evenings & Sundays)

X50 - New service that will offer faster links between key stops. This service will call at Boldon Cinema & Business Park, opposed to North Road. Between Washington and Chester-le-Street, the service will only call at Lambton & Ayton.

(South Shields | Chichester | Stanhope Road | Galsworthy Road | Boldon Asda | Boldon Cinema & Business Park | Nissan Factory | Sulgrave | Concord | Washington Galleries | Lambton | Ayton | Chester-le-Street | Waldridge Park | Pity Me | Framwellgate Moor | Durham)

Frequency - (Every 60 minutes daily) This service will not operate at evenings, with service 50 covering most sections of route between South Shields and Waldridge Park.

The journey time between South Shields and Durham is estimated to be up to 85 minutes.

81 - With the introduction of two buses per hour on a Sunday Daytime on services 8/8A to Sunderland, therefore this service will no longer be required to operate between Waterview Park and Sunderland, with all journeys curtailed at Waterview Park.

The major improvements with services 8/50, will see three buses per hour along common sections of each route, with faster alternatives also available between key points (I.e. Washington to Chester-le-Street) - This also being done to make services more attractive to use, whilst making best use of the resources available.

Proposed PVR for each service, providing each service runs stand-alone:

8: PVR of 5 vehicles.
8A: PVR of 3 vehicles.
22: PVR of 3 vehicles.
28: PVR of 3 vehicles.
29: PVR of 4 vehicles.
50: PVR of 7 vehicles.
X50: PVR of 3 vehicles.

Tbh i've always thought theres wasted potential with the 14, both before and its upcoming return

(03 Oct 2025, 1:52 pm)S830OFT wrote Was just thinking of some services that could do with some adjustments & some of these would help to increase frequencys, offer new links & also reduce driver changeovers having to be completed by company cars & vans.

6 - Journeys between Stanley and Lanchester will be transferred to service 29.

8 - This service will additionally serve Pelaw Square, Perkinsville, Ouston & Urpeth. However, the service will no longer operate to Beamish or Stanley, with this link available on service 8A or by changing buses with services 28/29 at intermediate stops.

Frequency:
Every 30 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)
Every 60 minutes (Evenings & Sundays)

8A - New daily hourly service that will create new links, but also maintain current connections, this including the reintroduction of a frequent, direct bus to Waterview Park from Chester Road.

(Sunderland | Chester Road | Hastings Hill | A1231 | Teal Farm | Waterview Park | A1231 Peel | Washington Galleries | Biddick | Fatfield | Picktree Village | Chester-le-Street | Pelton | Grange Villa | Beamish Museum | No Place | Stanley)

Frequency:
Every 60 minutes Daily (Evening journeys will only operate between Chester-le-Street and Stanley, with connections to services 8, 28, 50/X50 & 78 for onward travel to Washington or Sunderland.

22 - Service extended to Durham via Waldridge Park & Framwellgate Moor, combining with service X50, allowing for the continuation of two buses per hour on this section of route.

Frequency:
Every 60 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)

25/25A - Service withdrawn. Replaced by service 50 between South Shields & Boldon, and by service 35/36 between Boldon and Jarrow.

28 - Journeys that start/finish at Chester-le-Street will be extended to Washington Galleries, operating directly via the A1, calling only at Ayton & Lambton.

This extension will help ensure there continues to be two buses per hour between Washington Galleries & Beamish Museum, whilst also offering more faster buses between Washington & Chester-le-Street.

Frequency:
Every 60 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)

29 - Service extended to Stanley from Beamish & then onto Lanchester, replacing service 6. The extension to Stanley will help to introduce new bus links, but also ensures there continues to be two buses per hour between Stanley and Beamish Museum during Mon - Sat Daytimes. This service will no longer operate to Chester-le-Street, with this link available on service 8A & 28.

Frequency:
Every 60 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)

34 - Service fully withdrawn & replaced by service 8 on the Ouston section & service 50 on the Waldridge Park section.

35 - Evening & Sunday journeys on service 35 will be renumbered 35A & will run through to Fellgate Estate after Boldon replacing service 25, then continue onwards to Heworth, providing alternative transport during the periods when service 558 is not operating.

36 - Service will be revised to no longer operate to Hebburn or Lukes Lane & will instead serve Fellgate Estate, then operate to Jarrow. The service will continue to serve Cotswold Estate in Boldon.

50 - Service will be revised to only operate between South Shields and Waldridge Park Estate, with journeys to Durham transferred to services 22 & X50. whilst the Marsden trips will be withdrawn.

This service will also serve Westoe, Whiteleas & South Tyneside Hospital for all journeys, replacing service 25.

Frequency:
Every 30 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)
Every 60 minutes (Evenings & Sundays)

X50 - New service that will offer faster links between key stops. This service will call at Boldon Cinema & Business Park, opposed to North Road. Between Washington and Chester-le-Street, the service will only call at Lambton & Ayton.

(South Shields | Chichester | Stanhope Road | Galsworthy Road | Boldon Asda | Boldon Cinema & Business Park | Nissan Factory | Sulgrave | Concord | Washington Galleries | Lambton | Ayton | Chester-le-Street | Waldridge Park | Pity Me | Framwellgate Moor | Durham)

Frequency - (Every 60 minutes daily) This service will not operate at evenings, with service 50 covering most sections of route between South Shields and Waldridge Park.

The journey time between South Shields and Durham is estimated to be up to 85 minutes.

81 - With the introduction of two buses per hour on a Sunday Daytime on services 8/8A to Sunderland, therefore this service will no longer be required to operate between Waterview Park and Sunderland, with all journeys curtailed at Waterview Park.

The major improvements with services 8/50, will see three buses per hour along common sections of each route, with faster alternatives also available between key points (I.e. Washington to Chester-le-Street) - This also being done to make services more attractive to use, whilst making best use of the resources available.

Proposed PVR for each service, providing each service runs stand-alone:

8: PVR of 5 vehicles.
8A: PVR of 3 vehicles.
22: PVR of 3 vehicles.
28: PVR of 3 vehicles.
29: PVR of 4 vehicles.
50: PVR of 7 vehicles.
X50: PVR of 3 vehicles.

Not sure I agree with some of this personally, there's too many hourly services which are useless imo. Personally I'd rather have a frequent slightly slower service rather than an infrequent faster service as unless I can time things to the t for the bus in the first place those 10 minute savings are lost waiting 45 minutes for the bus in the first place. 

For Washington, personally I'd split the 8 at Washington in half then do:

X2: Newcastle - Sunderland
Newcastle - Gateshead - Express - QE - Express - Wrekenton - Birtley (Direct) - Portbello - Vigo Lane (East) - 8 Route to Sunderland omitting Teal Farm and only serving Waterview Park at Peak Times (covered by 8 other times)
(Every 30 Minutes Daytime / Hourly Evenings)

X3: Newcastle - Langley Park (Funded by BSIP from 21 money)
Newcastle - Gateshead - Express - QE - Express - Wrekenton - Birtley (Direct) - Chester Le Street - Waldridge Park - Langley Park (via 725 Route)
(Every 30 Minutes Daytime / Hourly Evenings)

X1/X2/X3: Every 7.5 Minutes from Newcastle to Wrekenton, for connections for those using the 51/51A/52/52A to Newcastle (see below)

21: Newcastle - Angel/CLS/Durham
No route changes
(Every 7.5 Minutes, Newcastle to Angel | Every 15 Minutes, Newcastle to CLS | Every 30 Minutes, Newcastle to Durham) - 

21/X2/X3: Every 7.5 Minutes from Newcastle to Birtley

51/51A/52/52A: Gateshead Loop
51/52: No Changes (Every 30 Minutes)
51A/52A: Deviate from the 51/52 at Beacon Lough Road and do the 22 route to Wrekenton, then omit Springwell Estate (Every 30 Minutes)
(Every 15 Minutes Combined Daytime, 30 Minutes Evenings)

7: Stanley - Jarrow
Stanley - Chester Le Street (as now) - 50 Route to Washington - 82 Route to Waterview Park - Nissan - Boldon - 25 Route to Jarrow
(Hourly All Day)

8: Stanley - South Shields
Stanley - Chester Le Street (as now) - 50 Route to Washington - 82 Route to Waterview Park - Nissan - Boldon - 25 Route to South Shields
(Hourly Daytimes, No Evening)

7/8: Every 30 Minutes, Stanley to Boldon
7/25/35: 3 BPH, Jarrow to Boldon
8/25/50: 4 BPH, Boldon to South Shields

50: Durham - South Shields
Same route as now, bar run the current 8 route from Washington to Chester Le Street giving a combined 4 BPH on the common section
(Every 30 Minutes Daytime, Hourly Evenings)

28/28B/29: Stanley - Newcastle
Same route as now bar heading to Stanley from Beamish and the 28 doing the 22 route from Birtley to Wrekenton to cover that section.
(Every 30 Minutes Combined, Hourly Evenings)

CL3: Team Valley Retail World - Chester Le Street
Team Valley Retail World - Kibblesworth - Lansbury Drive - 82 Route to Barley Mow - North Lodge - Chester Le Street
(Every Hour Daytimes, No Evening Service)

CL4: Quaking Houses - Chester Le Street
Quaking Houses - Stanley (via 30 route) - Wear Road (via 31 route) - Humber Hill - Beamish - Grange Villa - Pelton Fell - Chester Le Street
(Every Hour All Day)

Withdrawn: 22/30/31/81/82/82A/TB14/702/725/X1A

imo it would make a much cleaner set of services and remove an awful lot of duplicate services, services where going on a magical tour like on the 22, dealing with the 22/81/82/82A/8 mess with 2 clean services all day and merging lots of short subsidised services like the 30, 31 and 702 while creating a new Birtley to Newcastle express and Washington to Sunderland express plus an awful lot more major links, especially to Nissan.

It's basically what a lot of it does anyway bar split in two ie. (TB14/702/82), (30/31), (22/81/82/82A - the X2 being basically the 81 give or take). The main duplicates being the 21 and 22, 28 and 82, 8 and 81, 8 and 78, 8/34/78 and 28/29, 8 and 81] and also isn't a radical change for most unlike past changes and is more improvements of what already exists.

If you want to make a faster Durham to South Shields bus link, you'd be better merging the X20 and 24 somehow, and give direct SOL links from Durham at the same time rather than via the 50 route.

remove service 7 and remove service 8 already duplicate services within Tyne and wear

replace the numbers (this forum is good creating fictional new numbers for bus routes)

14 Langley Park- Heworth serving
Langley Park- A691- Durham- Framwellgate Moor- Arnison Centre- Kimblesworth- Plawsworth- Waldridge Park- Chester-Le-Street- South Pelaw- Pelton- Perkinsville- Urpeth- Birtley- Wrekenton- Q.E Hospital- Felling- Heworth
Interworking with the 22, frequency remains the same
22 Extended to Langley Park serving Chester Moor- Plawsworth- Nettlesworth- Sacriston- Witton Gilbert- Langley Park
Interworking with the 14
34- Withdrawn
50- revised to operate to/from Chester-Le-Street as follows
Waldridge Park- Chester Moor- Plawsworth- Nettlesworth- Sacriston- B6532- A167 direct to Arnison Centre picking up its route to Durham
To cover the loss of the 14 in Sacriston
Frequency unchanged