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| Parent | Stagecoach Group |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 1994; 31 years ago (1994-07) |
| Headquarters | Sunderland,Tyne and Wear England |
| Service area | |
| Service type | Bus and coach |
| Depots | 6 |
| Fleet | 475 (July 2025) |
| Website | www |
Stagecoach North East operates both local and regional bus services inCounty Durham,Cumbria,Northumberland,North Yorkshire andTyne and Wear, England. It is a subsidiary of theStagecoach Group, which operates bus, coach, rail and tram services across theUnited Kingdom.
In July 1994,Busways Travel Services was acquired by Stagecoach Group, in a deal valued at £27.5 million.[1]Busways Travel Services Limited is now a holding company for the group's operations in the cities ofNewcastle upon Tyne andSunderland and town ofSouth Shields.
In spring 2003, a new depot was opened in Walkergate, at a cost of £6.5 million. It replaced the former depot ofNewcastle Corporation Tramways inByker – the site of which has subsequently been redeveloped.[2][3]
In July 2005, the company commenced operation of a five-year contract for theQuayLink network of services inGateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne. Award of the contract saw the introduction of a fleet of ten single-deckDesignline Olymbus turbine-electric hybrid buses – a project costing £7.7 million.[4]
In 2007, the first batch ofAlexander Dennis Enviro400 double-deckers were delivered to Newcastle, these being part of a £55 million group-wide order.[5]
In October 2011, a total of 26 double-deck diesel-hybridAlexander Dennis Enviro400H buses were introduced in Newcastle on high-frequency services 39 and 40. Investment totalled £7.2 million, with £2.2 million from the Government's Green Bus Fund.[6][7][8]
From February 2014, a fleet of 40 gas-poweredAlexander Dennis Enviro300s were introduced on a series of routes in Sunderland – a project totalling £8 million.[9][10][11]
In 2016, 24Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC double-decker buses were delivered for services 62 and 63 (operated by bothSlatyford andWalkergate depots), with this delivery allowing for some of the Enviro400s from the original 2007 order to leave the region. A further 23 were delivered for services 39 and 40 in January 2020 which include additional audio-visual next stop announcements with scrolling LED displays, free Wi-Fi and USB charging points.[12] EighteenAlexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC single-decker buses were also delivered in 2016, these being for routes 30, 31 and 36 (operated bySlatyford depot).
In September 2018, weekend night bus services were introduced on five routes (N1, N30, N39, N40 & N88) in Newcastle upon Tyne.[13] In July 2019, the services were withdrawn due to low usage.
In 2019, the company launchedThe Seasider open-top service, which takes in the sights of the North East's coast. The route servesNorth Shields,Cullercoats,Tynemouth andWhitley Bay.[14] The launch of the coastal service coincided with the end of the company'sCity Sightseeing franchising agreement, with the open top double-deckers being deployed onto this new route, in order to engage with a new customer base inNorth Tyneside.[15]
In September 1994, Stagecoach Holdings purchased operatorCleveland Transit for £7.7 million.[16][17][18]ClevelandTransit Limited is now a holding company for the group's operations in the towns ofDarlington,Hartlepool,Middlesbrough,Redcar andStockton-on-Tees.
In the same month, the company registered a small network in Darlington, with operations commencing in November 1994. The company became a key participant in theDarlington Bus War. The following month, Stagecoach Holdings acquired Hartlepool Transport.[16] Darlington Transport Company refused to sell to Stagecoach Holdings, with a subsequent inquiry by theMonopolies and Mergers Commission concluding that the actions of Busways were a "contributing factor" in the company's collapse.[16]
In August 2007, the group's operations in Darlington were transferred toArriva North East. Following the takeover, a total of 28 vehicles and 78 drivers were transferred.[19][20][21]
In January 2022, with subsidy from theTees Valley Combined Authority, Stagecoach launched a service between Middlesbrough andTeesport, which aims to assist with employment opportunities in the area.[22][23]
In September 2023, Stagecoach returned to Darlington, following the award of the contract for services 6 & 6A, linkingHurworth-on-Tees,Yarm and Stockton-on-Tees with Darlington andTeesside International Airport. The services provide a replacement for Arriva North East's 12 service, which was withdrawn the month prior.[24][25]
Since February 2020, the boroughs ofDarlington,Hartlepool,Middlesbrough,Redcar and Cleveland andStockton-on-Tees have been served by the Tees Flexdemand-responsive network – a three-year project valued at £3 million. Passengers can pre-book a bus by app, website or telephone, requesting pick-up and drop-off points within the serviced area, as well as destinations such as hospitals and train stations outside of the area. The network is served by a dedicated fleet of nine 16-seaterMercedes-Benz Sprinter minibuses, branded in a blue livery.[26][27]
As of February 2024[update], the company operates from six bus depots across the region:Hartlepool,Slatyford,South Shields,Stockton-on-Tees,Sunderland andWalkergate.
As of July 2025, the fleet consists of 475 buses. The fleet consists mainly of diesel-powered single and double-deck buses manufactured byAlexander Dennis, as well asYutong E12battery electric single-deck buses.
The current standard fleet livery was revealed in January 2020, and consists of vehicles branded in a white base with blue, green and orange swirls, featuring the company's updated logo.[28][29] The former standard fleet livery was introduced over twenty years prior, and consisted of vehicles painted in a white base, with a blue skirt, and red and orange swoops.[30]
Media related toStagecoach North East at Wikimedia Commons