Your guide to our service changes from Sunday 10 May 2026
1 month ago
We're introducing changes to our services across Sunderland, Washington, County Durham, Gateshead and Newcastle from Sunday 10 May 2026.
What’s new?
Improvements to our X1/ X1A / X1B services
- One bus per hour will now serve Dalton Park and Murton (Monday-Saturday), providing new links to these locations for our customers in Houghton-le-Spring, Newbottle, Penshaw, Washington, Springwell and Old Durham Road.
- Later departures from Newcastle on Friday and Saturday nights so our customers enjoying a weekend evening out can still get home using public transport.
- Between Newcastle and Hetton-le-Hole, the frequency of service will be increased from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes Monday-Saturday
- Passengers on the X1 can enjoy smoother, more comfortable journeys on our brand-new double-decker buses.
- The new leg to Dalton Park will be numbered the X1A, with the existing X1A becoming the X1B. This X1B will now start from the Vigo Lane/ Picktree Lane junction.
Improved punctuality in Newcastle on weekday mornings
- Services 6, X30, X31 and X71 will operate via Centrelink rather than the Redheugh Bridge on weekday mornings to improve punctuality for commuters.
Summary of the changes
The changes and are detailed below, by area:
Sunderland
- There will be minor timetable changes for this service to improve punctuality in the Durham area at peak times.
- An additional bus will depart from Sunderland to Durham at 17:14 on weekdays to increase capacity at peak times.
- Buses in Hetton Downs will now follow a clockwise loop to ensure buses do not meet in tight sections of road where parking issues are present.
- There will be minor timetable changes for this service to improve punctuality.
- There will be minor timetable changes for this service to improve punctuality in the Durham area at peak times.
- The service will now additionally call at Durham Millburngate (A) and Hild Bede College/A690 when departing Durham towards Sunderland.
Washington
- Go North East are taking over operation of this service from its current operator, Gateshead Central.
- Between Newcastle and Hetton-le-Hole, the frequency of service will be increased from 15 minutes to 12 minutes Monday-Saturday, providing 25% more capacity to the service. During the weekday afternoon peak (5-6pm), buses will depart Eldon Square every 10 minutes. These major changes mean that most departure times will be different to our current timetable, so please make sure you check the new timetable to plan your journey.
- One bus per hour will serve Dalton Park and Murton (Monday-Saturday), providing new links to these locations for our customers in Houghton-le-Spring, Newbottle, Penshaw, Washington, Springwell and Old Durham Road.
- The last trip from Newcastle to Easington Lane on Friday and Saturday nights will now depart at 00:03. For customers heading to Penshaw, Newbottle, Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton-le-Hole and Easington Lane this is 53 minutes later than previous, for those heading to Gateshead, Old Durham Road, Springwell and Washington this is 23 minutes later.
- The new leg to Dalton Park will be numbered the X1A, with the existing X1A becoming the X1B. This X1B will now start from the Vigo Lane/ Picktree Lane junction.
- The new timetable will also deliver punctuality and reliability improvements and will be operated by the fleet of our brand-new double-decker buses.
Gateshead and Newcastle
- To improve punctuality, weekday morning peak time services will operate via Centrelink rather than the Redheugh Bridge. This means that the route will not serve Askew Road West or the Redheugh Bridge slip road between 07:25 and 09:00.
- The current 07:03 departure from Metrocentre to Lanchester will start from Eldon Square at 06:45.
- Go North East are taking over operation of this service from its current operator, Gateshead Central.
- Between Newcastle and Hetton-le-Hole, the frequency of service will be increased from 15 minutes to 12 minutes Monday-Saturday, providing 25% more capacity to the service. During the weekday afternoon peak (5-6pm), buses will depart Eldon Square every 10 minutes. These major changes mean that most departure times will be different to our current timetable, so please make sure you check the new timetable to plan your journey.
- One bus per hour will serve Dalton Park and Murton (Monday-Saturday), providing new links to these locations for our customers in Houghton-le-Spring, Newbottle, Penshaw, Washington, Springwell and Old Durham Road.
- The last trip from Newcastle to Easington Lane on Friday and Saturday nights will now depart at 00:03. For customers heading to Penshaw, Newbottle, Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton-le-Hole and Easington Lane this is 53 minutes later than previous, for those heading to Gateshead, Old Durham Road, Springwell and Washington this is 23 minutes later.
- The new leg to Dalton Park will be numbered the X1A, with the existing X1A becoming the X1B. This X1B will now start from the Vigo Lane/ Picktree Lane junction.
- The new timetable will also deliver punctuality and reliability improvements and will be operated by the fleet of our brand-new double-decker buses.
- There will be minor changes to Newcastle departure times due to stand availability in Eldon Square Monday-Saturday.
- The Sunday timetable will be revised with short journeys between Newcastle and Peterlee removed from timetable due to low passenger demand.
- A new 9:02 departure starting at Peterlee Moorcock towards Newcastle will replace the current 10:09 journey on Sundays.
- To improve punctuality, weekday morning peak time services will operate via Centrelink rather than the Redheugh Bridge. This means that the route will not serve Askew Road West or the Redheugh Bridge slip road between 07:14 and 09:20. Bus stops on Johnson Street and Yetholm Road will be observed as an alternative to Teams Club slip road.
County Durham
- To improve punctuality, weekday morning peak time services will operate via Centrelink rather than the Redheugh Bridge. This means that the route will not serve Askew Road West or the Redheugh Bridge slip road between 07:25 and 09:00.
- The current 07:03 departure from Metrocentre to Lanchester will start from Eldon Square at 06:45.
- There will be minor timetable changes for this service to improve punctuality in the Durham area at peak times.
- An additional bus will depart from Sunderland to Durham at 17:14 on weekdays to increase capacity at peak times.
- There will be minor timetable changes for this service to improve punctuality in the Durham area at peak times.
- Between Newcastle and Hetton-le-Hole, the frequency of service will be increased from 15 minutes to 12 minutes Monday-Saturday, providing 25% more capacity to the service. During the weekday afternoon peak (5-6pm), buses will depart Eldon Square every 10 minutes. These major changes mean that most departure times will be different to our current timetable, so please make sure you check the new timetable to plan your journey.
- One bus per hour will serve Dalton Park and Murton (Monday-Saturday), providing new links to these locations for our customers in Houghton-le-Spring, Newbottle, Penshaw, Washington, Springwell and Old Durham Road.
- The last trip from Newcastle to Easington Lane on Friday and Saturday nights will now depart at 00:03. For customers heading to Penshaw, Newbottle, Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton-le-Hole and Easington Lane this is 53 minutes later than previous, for those heading to Gateshead, Old Durham Road, Springwell and Washington this is 23 minutes later.
- The new leg to Dalton Park will be numbered the X1A, with the existing X1A becoming the X1B. This X1B will now start from the Vigo Lane/ Picktree Lane junction.
- The new timetable will also deliver punctuality and reliability improvements and will be operated by the fleet of our brand-new double-decker buses.
- There will be minor changes to Newcastle departure times due to stand availability in Eldon Square Monday-Saturday.
- The Sunday timetable will be revised with short journeys between Newcastle and Peterlee removed from timetable due to low passenger demand.
- A new 9:02 departure starting at Peterlee Moorcock towards Newcastle will replace the current 10:09 journey on Sundays.
- There will be minor timetable changes for this service to improve punctuality in the Durham area at peak times.
- The service will now additionally call at Durham Millburngate (A) and Hild Bede College/A690 when departing Durham towards Sunderland.
- To improve punctuality, weekday morning peak time services will operate via Centrelink rather than the Redheugh Bridge. This means that the route will not serve Askew Road West or the Redheugh Bridge slip road between 07:14 and 09:20. Bus stops on Johnson Street and Yetholm Road will be observed as an alternative to Teams Club slip road.
St Bede's Scholars
- There will be minor timetable changes for all services (SB1-10) to ensure prompt arrival at school in the morning.
- Following requests from parents and the school, the SB7 will start from Horse & Groom (westbound) and will serve stops at Consett Road/A68 Junction and Castleside Schools before resuming the current route from Castleside Church.
How can I stay up to date with the new timetables?
Our new routes and timetables will begin on Sunday 10 May 2026. There are a few different ways to check if your usual journey will be affected and to plan your journey:
- The timetables are available on our website. To see the new timetables, change the date to the 10 May or later, then click 'update'.
- Download the Go North East app to check fares, buy tickets and plan your journey.
- If you still have questions, please contact our customer service team on 0191 420 5050, available Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.