Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Bus Network Review Study

Background.

The Tees Valley Bus Network review was commissioned by Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Darlington and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Councils, who were concerned at falling bus patronage and instability in the bus network.

Following invitations to submit proposals, the TAS consultancy was selected to carry out the study.

The Tees Valley local councils all contributed towards the study, providing funding and information. Local bus operators also provided much of the data used to produce the study's findings.

The study recommends a hierarchical bus network based on:

• Super core and core routes
• A secondary network
• A tertiary and rural network

These will be supplemented by inter-urban and express routes.

Following Stockton, the other Tees Valley Local authorities will also be considering the TAS study recommendations.

All local councils will need to incorporate proposals in the second Local Transport Plans, which have to be submitted in March 2006. It is hoped that the Tees Valley local authorities will jointly agree the main elements of a Bus Strategy for inclusion in their LTPs.