Service type Bus services Parent organization Stagecoach Group Founded 1986 | Depots 6 Headquarters Sunderland Fleet 475 (April 2013) | |
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Service area Tees Valley
Tyne and Wear Website www.stagecoachbus.com/North East Hubs Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, South Shields, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough | ||
Stagecoach North East is a bus operator of providing services in North East England. It is a subsidiary of Stagecoach. The company is made up of two formerly municipal operations; Busways Travel Services and Cleveland Transit.
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Busways Travel Services
Stagecoach's first presence in the North East of England came with the purchase of Busways Travel Services in July 1994 from its employees and management shareholders. Busways Travel Services Limited is now a holding company for Stagecoach North East's operations in Newcastle, South Shields and Sunderland, the three locations in which Busways operated.
Stagecoach in South Shields
Stagecoach is the largest operator of local services in South Shields. Stagecoach in South Shields operates mostly local services within South Shields, however services linking the town to Gateshead, Jarrow, Newcastle and Sunderland are also operated. Stagecoach in South Shields is the eventual successor to South Shields Corporation Transport.
Stagecoach in Sunderland
Sunderland operates a large network of local services in the city. Only one of Sunderland’s operations leave the city’s boundaries, the X24 express to Gateshead and Newcastle. Services E1, E2 and E6, which operates out of the city to South Shields are operated by Stagecoach in South Shields.
Cleveland Transit
Stagecoach purchased Cleveland Transit in September 1994. Cleveland Transit also owned Kingston upon Hull City Transport, now part of Stagecoach East Midlands. Darlington Transport Company refused to sell to Stagecoach, and a Competition Commission inquiry later concluded:
"It was the combination of Busways' actions in recruiting so many of DTC's drivers so quickly, registering services on all its routes and running free services which caused DTC's final collapse. We find these actions to be predatory, deplorable and against the public interest. The adverse effects which we identify are the disruption of the orderly sale of DTC and the deterrence of future competitive entry into local bus markets where Stagecoach is present, with implications not only in the reference area but elsewhere."
In December 1994 Hartlepool Transport was purchased by Stagecoach. The Stagecoach Darlington company was sold to Arriva North East in 2007.
Stagecoach in Hartlepool
Hartlepool operates a network of local services around Hartlepool. It also operates route 1 to Middlesbrough.
Stagecoach on Teesside
Stagecoach on Teesside operate a number of local services in the Middlesbrough and Stockton areas, as well as route 36 to Hartlepool.
Stagecoach in Darlington
After its purchase by Stagecoach, Busways became a key participant in the Darlington Bus War, with the establishment of Stagecoach in Darlington. In 1995 Stagecoach in Darlington passed from Busways to Cleveland Transit.
In August 2007 the Darlington depot was sold to Arriva North East with 28 Dennis Darts. Arriva North East's Darlington depot was closed with operations consolidated at the former Stagecoach depot.
Fleet
As at April 2013 the fleet consisted of 475 buses and coaches.
Stagecoach North East operate six depots, in Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool, Slatyford, South Shields, Sunderland and Newcastle.