(11 Jan 2026, 5:28 pm)Storx wrote Talking about Heworth, there badly needs to be some serious discussion about how to serve Central Station coming from the South.

Since the Northumberland Line has opened, it hasn't half opened up my eyes how diabolical the links are to pretty much everywhere which isn't the Metrocentre.

Changing at Gateshead for one stop, isn't the answer either as it's a huge inconvience and nor is walking 15 minutes from John Dobson Street inbound either. It's very different 

The ironic thing is already do a loop which has a bus stop nearby at the High Level Bridge but we've got an obsession of terminating everything at a bus station or the middle of nowhere which imo isn't needed for turn up and go services like the 21, 56, 58, X1 etc.

They could easily do something like:


Which would give links to every part of Newcastle ie. someone who works at the new HMRC, can get on the bus outside for Low Fell rather than having to trail across half of Newcastle, similar for Central the opposite way.

Not against the idea. But the on-street infrastructure, bus stop placements and general information provision within the city would need to be drastically improved.

(12 Jan 2026, 12:21 pm)Storx wrote Aye agreed, it's just a mess now but do agree I'm not sure two way on the High Level Bridge..

Btw I do think BSIP should be used though, but not towards the operators but more about making road improvements to make it work, stuff like potentially making Collingwood Street two way like you mentioned above. 

Truthfully Newcastle, needs to decide what it's long term bus plan is which includes closing Blackett Street, for once and all, and come up with something sensible

Like away from the loop (you could still do it) imo the network should be something like:


Which breaks up the Stagecoach services so it's not all slammed down Market Street, with the bottom end of Grainger Street going one way with the orange bits going pedestrianised because they should be imo. Would fix most issues really.

There's absolutely no guarantees operators would use it though. 
All that tax payers money used and on a whim, operators decide not to use it. 

It's happened many times before and I can't see it changing any time soon.

Just going back to your map, there was a period after Worswick Street closed, when a big chunk of the local cross-Tyne services operated an in/out type route, like the 27 takes now.

There were slight variants, such as some turning left down the Bigg Market off Grainger Street and others continuing down towards Central Station, back along Collingwood Street and then right on to the High Level Bridge.

Obviously it was two-way at the time, but the Durham and Washington services would come in off the High Level Bridge, turn left on to Neville Street and work their way up to Newgate Street.

So many options, which allowed people to get a bus which took them to their preferred part of the town.

On a personal note, I'm meeting some mates in the town towards the end of the month.
Some are bus-ing it, some coming on the Metro and others via train (but could bus there if push came to shove. Couldn't get back on the bus due to the ridiculously early finish times).
The only convenient meeting/drinking point (without a hike) is in the area around Central Station.

For a city like Newcastle, that shouldn't be the case.

(12 Jan 2026, 1:53 pm)cr51xln wrote Perhaps sending the diverted buses from Blackett Street onto new stops at Percy Street, so Grainger Street and Newgate Street aren't getting hundreds more buses per hour?

Aye could do, loads of options really like.

(12 Jan 2026, 4:30 pm)Kimlfixit wrote Not against the idea. But the on-street infrastructure, bus stop placements  and general information provision within the city would need to be drastically improved.

Yeah definitely, it's where the BSIP would come in and it would be worthwhile imo.

(12 Jan 2026, 4:33 pm)Andreos1 wrote There's absolutely no guarantees operators would use it though. 
All that tax payers money used and on a whim, operators decide not to use it. 

It's happened many times before and I can't see it changing any time soon.

Just going back to your map, there was a period after Worswick Street closed, when a big chunk of the local cross-Tyne services operated an in/out type route, like the 27 takes now.

There were slight variants, such as some turning left down the Bigg Market off Grainger Street and others continuing down towards Central Station, back along Collingwood Street and then right on to the High Level Bridge.

Obviously it was two-way at the time, but the Durham and Washington services would come in off the High Level Bridge, turn left on to Neville Street and work their way up to Newgate Street.

So many options, which allowed people to get a bus which took them to their preferred part of the town.

On a personal note, I'm meeting some mates in the town towards the end of the month.
Some are bus-ing it, some coming on the Metro and others via train (but could bus if push came to shove).
The only convenient meeting/drinking point (without a hike) is in the area around Central Station.

For a city like Newcastle, that shouldn't be the case.

Yeah agreed to be honest; mind the time Newcastle takes to do work, Northumberland Street has took the best part of 2 year, the things will be franchised by then.

It's a nightmare, kind of only realised with the Northumberland Line how bad it is really is. The more illogical stuff is stuff like the 21 serves the new HMRC on the way in but if you want to return you have to trek half way across town. It's a bit illogical really.

It's not helped that the bus station from the South is at the North side of city either mind; like it wouldn't be too bad if you had to walk in the right direction to catch your bus, but Eldon Square is the complete wrong direction. If only there was a bus station near the new HMRC site, oh wait...

(12 Jan 2026, 4:40 pm)Storx wrote Aye could do, loads of options really like.


Yeah definitely, it's where the BSIP would come in and it would be worthwhile imo.


Yeah agreed to be honest; mind the time Newcastle takes to do work, Northumberland Street has took the best part of 2 year, the things will be franchised by then.

It's a nightmare, kind of only realised with the Northumberland Line how bad it is really is. The more illogical stuff is stuff like the 21 serves the new HMRC on the way in but if you want to return you have to trek half way across town. It's a bit illogical really.

It's not helped that the bus station from the South is at the North side of city either mind; like it wouldn't be too bad if you had to walk in the right direction to catch your bus, but Eldon Square is the complete wrong direction. If only there was a bus station near the new HMRC site, oh wait...

To be fair I had been thinking about this when it was being built, doesn't have to be a massive interchange but small one with 5-6 stands could've fitted in on Pilgrim Street.

Other than Five Guys and Nationwide is anything else in The Pearl Complex as that brutalist eye sore could be knocked down to make space.

aren't network rail going to stop vehicles using high level bridge?

(12 Jan 2026, 5:37 pm)Malarkey wrote To be fair I had been thinking about this when it was being built, doesn't have to be a massive interchange but small one with 5-6 stands could've fitted in on Pilgrim Street.

Other than Five Guys and Nationwide is anything else in The Pearl Complex as that brutalist eye sore could be knocked down to make space.

Aye, to be honest I'd be tempted to look at the other side of the road; over by the Art Gallery. Still quite a few places you could build one and could be the catalyst which regenerates that part of town including the 'closed' hotel. 

It's no further than Haymarket is from the core and could mean that New Bridge Street etc could be pedestrianised aswell. Even better if you could connect it to Manors Metro and Rail station as a hub with a short walk.

It's so much nicer around there with the original renders without the traffic:

(12 Jan 2026, 7:11 pm)Storx wrote Aye, to be honest I'd be tempted to look at the other side of the road; over by the Art Gallery. Still quite a few places you could build one and could be the catalyst which regenerates that part of town including the 'closed' hotel. 

It's no further than Haymarket is from the core and could mean that New Bridge Street etc could be pedestrianised aswell. Even better if you could connect it to Manors Metro and Rail station as a hub with a short walk.

It's so much nicer around there with the original renders without the traffic:

If we're looking at the other side by the Art Gallery I would look at removing the cycle lanes on John Dobson Street/Saville Place and reconfigure the bit aligned with North Street highlighted in orange as Option 1 or remove Saville Place Car Park as Option 2 in green. 

(12 Jan 2026, 7:31 pm)Malarkey wrote If we're looking at the other side by the Art Gallery I would look at removing the cycle lanes on John Dobson Street/Saville Place and reconfigure the bit aligned with North Street highlighted in orange as Option 1 or remove Saville Place Car Park as Option 2 in green. 

Aye, I was thinking there tbh. Portland House was the other one I was thinking as it's a hideous building and belongs in a business park from the 90's. Could turn the old building into a little coffee shop / waiting room (forgot it's name) and build it around it. 

Unsure who's in there these days since Newcastle Building Society left for Cobalt and don't think anyone will miss the 'blue' carpet.

(12 Jan 2026, 7:37 pm)Storx wrote Aye, I was thinking there tbh. Portland House was the other one I was thinking as it's a hideous building and belongs in a business park from the 90's. Could turn the old building into a little coffee shop / waiting room (forgot it's name) and build it around it. 

Unsure who's in there these days since Newcastle Building Society left for Cobalt and don't think anyone will miss the 'blue' carpet.

Portland House is now owed by a Company called Wizu who have refurbished the office space completely and have a few different tenants including ICPlanning, ECO4HOMESUK and Omnicom Media Group. https://wizuworkspace.com/location/portland-house/

(12 Jan 2026, 9:35 pm)Malarkey wrote Portland House is now owed by a Company called Wizu who have refurbished the office space completely and have a few different tenants including ICPlanning, ECO4HOMESUK and Omnicom Media Group. https://wizuworkspace.com/location/portland-house/

Aye that's fair wasn't sure if there's actually anything in there or if it was like half the ones with Cobalt which are completely empty and have been since they were built aswell.