RESIDENTS have reacted with anger after a bus firm rejected calls to divert a service through their village – because it would add three minutes to the route.
In September last year, Arriva North East made changes to its bus network and, as a result, the Blyth to Newcastle X5 stopped serving Weetslade Road in Dudley, North Tyneside.
Since then, people in the Clarke’s Terrace and Ethel Street area of the village have had to change buses in Burradon, Killingworth or Cramlington to get to Newcastle, or face a lengthy walk to catch another service.
A campaign was launched by residents urging Arriva to re-route the service back through Dudley, arguing that it prevented people from having a direct connection to Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.
But now the firm has declined the request because it would add three minutes and 0.7 of a mile to the route.
The company says the extra minutes could have a negative effect on the reliability of the service.
Nick Knox, area managing director for Arriva North East, said: “In order for us to continue to provide a reliable and sustainable service for our passengers on the X5 route we had to make some route changes last September.
“Unfortunately, this did mean that we were unable to continue to serve Weetslade Road.
“The timings of the current route are crucial to us providing a reliable service between Blyth, Cramlington and Newcastle. While an extra three minutes each way may not seem significant, the diversion would have a negative effect on the reliability of the service.
“Since November 25, service 53a has been operating a 30-minute service through Weetslade Road, providing a link between Dudley and Cramlington where residents can change to 10-minute frequent connections to Newcastle. We will of course continue to review route options in light of operational experience.”
Residents say they are disappointed. Margaret Shaddock, 66, who is a full-time carer for her disabled son William, 43, said: “We are very angry about this.
“They are refusing to bring the X5 to Dudley because it would add three minutes and 0.7 of a mile to the route. It’s absolutely ridiculous.
“We were talking about a short diversion that would take the bus from the B1505 Burradon Road, down to the B1321 into the middle of Dudley, onto the B1319 Weetslade Road and back onto Burradon Road.
“This was important for us because the X5 goes to the Freeman Hospital. There are many elderly people living here and the diversion would have provided a direct link to the hospital, as well as Newcastle city centre. We would have been happy with just one bus an hour.
“But Arriva’s refusal to change the route is making things difficult for residents. The loss of this service affects the whole of the village.”
Margaret, of Clarke’s Terrace, says she won’t give up the fight and has written to the Department for Transport explaining the views of the villagers.
