South Tyneside councillor urges Stagecoach to rethink bus service changes
A borough councillor has urged transport bosses to rethink proposed bus service changes.
Councillor Susan Traynor, of the Cleadon Park and Harton Moor ward, is calling on Stagecoach to rethink its proposals to change the frequency of the number 12 bus service, which serves the Lonnen area in Cleadon Park.
Cllr Traynor has stated that changing the service from half-hourly to hourly will have an impact on residents who require public transport to access services at The Nook and South Shields town centre - with the changes set to come into force from May 11.
She said: “I am really concerned that the change in this service will have a detrimental effect on the residents who live at the Lonnen who need a regular bus service to connect with the Nook and South Shields Town Centre.
“There appears to have been very little consultation and I would urge Stagecoach to rethink these proposals.
“I will also be raising this at the next meeting the East Shields Community Forum, whilst I fear Stagecoach will not reverse their decision, I do intend to seek the Forums support for contacting Stagecoach, in addition the North East Regional Transport Authority does provide subsidies to the bus companies for those routes considered vital but may not be profitable.
“I will be asking the Regional Mayor whether she may be in a position to consider providing such support for the Number 12 bus service.”
Cllr Traynor has confirmed that she has contacted Kim McGuiness, the North East Mayor, to express her support in bringing North East bus services back into public control.
She added: “At the moment bus operations in our region are run as a service to the public, not as a public service.
“I know Kim McGuinness is examining proposals to bring bus operations back into public ownership, and I would welcome that.
“Some routes may not be profitable, but the residents in those areas are still entitled to a regular and publicly funded bus service.”
According to the Stagecoach website, the change to the number 12 bus service has been carried out to reflect customers demands.
It states: “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.”
The Shields Gazette has contacted Stagecoach for a comment.