- Work Hard
- 11th Sep 2026
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- 0 minute
Wouldn’t franchised buses make the North East a better place to live?
- Advertisement Feature
Better buses in the North East could mean more than a smoother commute, they could change who can get to work, who can afford to study, and who feels safe getting home at night.
As the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority consults on whether to bring more than 500 bus routes back under public control, we asked High Life North readers across the region what better buses would actually mean for their lives, and looked at what the consultation itself says about jobs, education and everyday opportunity.
There’s still time to add your own view before the consultation closes, and to enter our competition for taking part.
JOBS YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET TO
Nearly half of North East bus users, 47%, rely on the bus as their only way to travel, and that includes people getting to shifts that don’t fit a 9-to-5.
“I work rotating shifts at the depot, and the last bus home from town finishes at 11pm. If franchising means more evening services, I could actually take the better-paid nights.”
A warehouse operative from Gateshead.
The consultation’s own case for change points to routes lost since 2010 as one reason fewer people can reach jobs across the region at all.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING WITHIN REACH
For students and apprentices outside the main city centres, a missed connection can mean a missed lecture or a written-off shift.
“My college is 40 minutes away, and if I miss the one bus that fits, I’m stuck asking my mam for a lift.”
A college student from Northumberland.
Franchising proposes maintaining the size of the network for 10 years and connecting bus, Metro and rail through the Angel Network, which could matter most for young people without a car of their own.
NIGHTS OUT WITHOUT THE STRESS
Safety for women and girls is named specifically in the consultation, and it shapes how people plan an evening out as much as how they get to work.
“I’ve cancelled plans because I didn’t want to wait alone for a bus that might not turn up. If the network felt more reliable, I’d say yes to more nights out.”
A young woman from North Shields.
More consistent safety standards across every operator, rather than a patchwork depending on which company runs your route, is one of the six objectives the North East MSA has set for franchising.
EVERYDAY LIFE, NOT JUST COMMUTES
Buses matter well beyond the 9-to-5.
“I don’t drive anymore, so the bus is how I get to the GP, the shops, and see my grandkids. If routes keep getting cut, I lose more than a journey.”
A pensioner from County Durham.
With around 317,500 people making a bus journey every day, and passenger journeys down 31% since 2010, the consultation argues that a shrinking network narrows daily life for exactly the people who rely on it most.
WHAT COULD ACTUALLY CHANGE
A recurring theme in what readers told us is trust: whether the bus will actually turn up, connect with a train or Metro, and get them home safely.
“I’d use the bus more if I could trust one timetable instead of guessing three different apps.”
A small business owner from Sunderland.
That’s exactly what franchising proposes: one authority setting routes, fares and standards, with bus companies delivering them under contract instead of independently. We’ve already covered what franchising means for passengers and why the shake-up matters in more detail.
WHY YOUR VIEW MATTERS BEYOND THE BUS STOP
None of this is decided yet. The consultation closes at 9am on Monday 28th September 2026, and the Mayor and cabinet are expected to decide in early 2027.
Whether you catch the bus every day or never at all, the case for better buses is really a case about who gets to reach work, study, a night out or a GP appointment without a fight, and that’s worth having an opinion on.
HAVE YOUR SAY AND WIN
Filling in the survey takes a few minutes. Once you’ve completed it, you can enter our competition for the chance to win one of three prizes, a luxury stay at TipToe Retreat, a city cruise with Tyne Cruises, or a three-course lunch with fizz at Blackfriars.
Enter for taking part, whatever your view on franchising, so there’s nothing to lose and a genuine say in how the North East gets around for years to come.
Rachael Ellis
Head of Content
After gaining a first in her BA Media and Journalism degree at Northumbria University, Rachael worked at Newcastle’s leading regional newspaper with her stories being picked up in national and global newspapers. She spent two very successful years giving a voice to those communities across the North East who otherwise…
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