'Use it or lose it' - how you reacted to bus service cuts in South Shields

Transport bosses at the firm have announced a fall in customer numbers, leading to a number of services having their timetables changed from Sunday, March 24.

The changes include service X20 no longer serving Westoe in the evenings and service 30 not serving Chichester in the evenings.

Services 10 and 11 will see trips re-timed to run a few minutes earlier or later and services 17 and 18 will additionally serve Coronation Street to improve access to South Shields Asda.

While some passengers expressed their disappointment at the changes and the impact they would have, others called for a reduction in ticket prices to encourage more people to use the buses.

Some of you argued that the cost of running and maintaining the services justified the price of tickets.

Speaking at the West Shields, Cleadon and East Boldon Community Area Forum, operations manager Janine Foley addressed councillors on the changes.

She added: "We’re projected to lose £35,000 on those services over the financial year and can’t sustain that sort of loss."

Here is how you reacted to the news on the Shields Gazette Facebook page:

Kriss Marshall: "If most people who have disabled passes who don’t need them paid, [we] wouldn’t have this problem."

Anthony Owens: "There's also people that knowingly don't pay for their kids and also the ones who claim to be under 19. It all adds up, then people wonder why prices rise and services are lost."

Alan Tullett: "The people whinging clearly think that bus services are run on fresh air. A new bus costs upward of 300k, diesel prices are through the roof, drivers need paid.

"Then you have maintance eg, a gear box for one bus £850, to replace, one tyre £200 ... a bus has six tyres. Then there is operator's licence, insurance, the list goes on.

"Then people think £1.50 is too much for a bus fare. Come on, we don't live in the 80s anymore. It's like everything, use it or lose it.".

Kath Strike: "Always the same excuse, lack of demand. Bad planning in my opinion but hey, they know best."

Peter Watt: "Here is a radical idea drop the price see passenger numbers increase."

Lynsey Mason: "If they ran a reliable service maybe people would use it more."

Carl Lister: "Make all the tickets one price, £2. Go three stops = £2. Go all the way around the route £2. Go one stop £2. Adults £2. Child £2. 12-16 years £2.

"People would use services and ditch cars, better for the environment too ... everyone's a winner."

Mickey Newly: "Would be better if these public services were brought back into the public domain. Privatisation only has the shareholders interest at the forefront and public service is secondary."

Heather Ditchburn Curry: "I’d sooner walk then get a bus, last time I got one it cost me £1-50 for two stops! The prices are ridiculous!"

Phillip Gripton: "Drop the prices simple as that."

Deborah Shaw: "Gutted about the 30! We've only just discovered it since moving and were saying how great it is."