Go North East Announces Major Service Enhancements

Go North East, the region’s leading bus company, is thrilled to announce a series of significant improvements to bus services across the region. Funded through the North East Combined Authority’s (NECA) Bus Service Improvement Plan, these enhancements, effective from Sunday, July 21, 2024, will boost connectivity, increase frequency, and provide more reliable services for customers.

Residents in the Derwentside area will benefit from additional fast buses connecting Consett, Stanley, and Newcastle, serving villages such as Burnopfield, Dipton, and Whickham. Bus frequency to Newcastle from Annfield Plain, Dipton, and Burnopfield will double on weekdays. The new routes, X70 and X73, will reintroduce direct services to the Metrocentre.

Go North East passenger, Brad Young, is delighted with the service enhancements in the Derwentside area, commenting: “I’m really happy that there are more buses to visit my friend in Burnopfield because there was previously one bus an hour from Gateshead and now we have frequent services between Gateshead and Burnopfield. Thank you to Go North East!”

Ben Maxfield, Business Director for Go North East, said: “These new services and improvements are vital for our local communities. They ensure that residents have reliable and frequent access to travel across the region. We are thrilled to work in partnership with NECA to deliver these enhancements and continue our commitment to excellent public transport.”

In Consett, the introduction of the X70 service and the rerouting of the X71 will increase bus frequency from Leadgate to Newcastle. Morning peak service improvements on route 47 from Blackhall Mill to Newcastle will better accommodate commuters.

Stanley will also see significant benefits with the new X32 service, which increases the number of fast buses to Newcastle from two to three per hour, enhancing travel options for residents.

Ben Maxfield added: “We wanted to highlight just how much these changes will positively impact our passengers. It’s not just about improving services; it’s about making a real difference in our communities’ daily lives. These enhancements reflect our commitment to providing a top-notch bus service that meets the needs of our passengers.”

For more information on the upcoming changes and to view the detailed timetables, please visit our website or contact our customer service team.

NOTE TO EDITORS

Go North East runs a network of bus routes across the North East region including Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, and surrounding areas.

The Go-Ahead Group is one of the UK’s leading providers of public transport, enabling more than a billion passenger journeys each year on its bus and rail services. Go-Ahead places great importance on partnership, adopting a collaborative approach with governments, local communities and strategic partners; developing and operating services that create long-term value for all.

For more information about Go-Ahead Group visit www.go-ahead.com.

Press and media contacts:

Ben Maxfield

Business Director, Go North East

ben.maxfield@gonortheast.co.uk

Telephone: 07890 436531