Councillor calls for North East Mayor to step in over South Shields bus service changes
A South Tyneside Councillor is calling for the North East Mayor to reserve bus service changes.
Councillor Susan Traynor, of the Cleadon Park and Harton Moor ward, is urging Kim McGuinness to step in and help reverse the decision to change the frequency of the number 12 bus service, which services the Lonnen area in Cleadon Park.
Cllr Traynor spoke out at a recent meeting of the East Shields and Whitburn Community Area Forum, where she challenged transport executives about the changes.
She also highlighted the impact that it was having on the local residents that she represents.
The changes, which were made by operator Stagecoach, saw the number 12 go from a half hourly to an hourly service when they came into effect earlier this month.
Cllr Traynor states that the changes are impacting public transport access to services at The Nook and South Shields town centre.
She said: “The service 12 from South Shields Interchange to the Lonnen now operates an hourly rather than half hourly.
“The Lonnen, is at the highest point of South Shields and is heavily populated by bungalows for the elderly and has one of the lowest car ownerships in the Borough.
“This decision has also had a detrimental effect on those residents who use the service to travel to work and is not acceptable.”
Cllr Traynor, who has already raised the issue with the North East Mayor and Stagecoach, believes that there was little consultation over the changes and wants the Regional Transport Authority to publicly fund the half-hourly service.
The East Shields and Whitburn Community Area Forum agreed to invite the North East Combined Authority to examine the issue as a matter of urgency and to meet with the Forum to discuss their conclusion.
According to the Stagecoach website, the change to the number 12 bus service was carried out to reflect customers demands.
It stated: “To better reflect prevailing customer demands, Service 12 trips during Monday to Saturday daytimes will be revised to operate hourly, with some minor timing changes.
“Evening and Sunday trips remain unchanged, also operating hourly.”
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