Staff shortage blamed as bus service halted

STAGECOACH have suspended a busy bus route just weeks after the service was reinstated.

The 100 shuttlebus between Metrocentre and Newcastle city centre has been temporarily axed again this month, with the bus company blaming an ongoing national driver shortage. Stagecoach told its customers that the situation had become “acutely worse” in the last few weeks.

The company, which suspended the route last week, apologised for any inconvenience caused, adding that the driver shortage has left them “desperately short” to cover current timetables.

It comes just weeks after the shuttlebus was reinstated having been halted for almost a year due to staffing and operational issues related to Covid-19.

The busy route previously operated a daytime service every 12 minutes between Newcastle’s Blackett Street and Gateshead’s Metrocentre shopping centre, as well as every 20 minutes during evenings, and half-hourly during later evenings.

Anyone affected by the 100 shuttlebus suspension can travel on Go North East services: 6, 10/10A/10B, 47/47A, X45/X46. Go North East will accept Stagecoach products on those services on all trips between Newcastle and the Metrocentre.

In Newcastle, these Go North East services stop at Eldon Square bus station, Newgate Street and at Central Station.

A Stagecoach spokesperson said: “This temporary service suspension is necessary due to the ongoing national driver shortage.

“In the last few weeks this has become acutely worse and has unfortunately left us desperately short to cover our current timetables.

“We are keen to mitigate this as much as we can and ensure we maintain a service customers can rely on elsewhere on our network.”

The spokesperson added: “Stagecoach would like to apologise for any inconvenience resultant from this temporary service suspension.”