A WORKING group is to be set up to examine how plans for a major shake-up of bus services in Tyne and Wear could affect travellers in Northumberland.

Transport bosses in Tyne and Wear are considering ending 25 years of bus deregulation and introducing a new franchised network, with Nexus setting routes, timetables, fares and vehicle standards. Last month, the Integrated Transport Authority agreed to force through the changes, unless the private bus firms agree to come together and form a voluntary partnership to run services.

Under the proposed quality contracts scheme, Metro owner Nexus would decide what bus routes are run by a preferred operator, and at what price. Once a year councillors from the five Tyne and Wear authorities would set routes and tickets.

Now council bosses in Northumberland plan to set up a Bus Services Working Group to examine the potential impacts for travellers in the county.

The move is expected to be approved by scrutiny committee members next week, with the working group reporting back to the executive with recommendations – including whether the council should take part in any Nexus quality contracts.

A report to the committee says 60% of bus services in Northumberland cross into Tyne and Wear, and any new regulated regime there would have an impact on these services.

Transport support manager, Ian Coe, has listed a number of ways in which bus services in Northumberland would benefit from a quality contract scheme on Tyneside – including simpler, more transparent and better value for money services.

But yesterday Grant Davey, leader of the Labour group on the county council and a Blyth councillor, said there could also be “massive negatives” in the shake-up.

He said: “This working group will really have to get stuck in and examine a lot of issues, because this could be a real mish-mash. There are concerns that Northumberland and Durham will lose out with Tyne and Wear being the winners.”

Coun Davey said having a deregulated bus system next door to a regulated one could cause problems for services from Northumberland into Tyneside, with buses possibly having to sit at the boundary because of different timetables. He said there could also be higher fares in Northumberland and potential difficulties with the use of travel passes.

In his report to the economic prosperity and strategic services scrutiny committee, Mr Coe says the working group would meet three times from January to May next year and look at issues such as the benefits, disadvantages and risks in Northumberland of a quality contracts scheme.

It will examine whether taking part in such a scheme will benefit improve or harm bus service routes, frequencies, fares and quality standards.

He says potential benefits for the county include standard timetables on core routes, better enforcement of punctuality and reliability, simplified fares, input into route and fare changes in Northumberland.