Bus route change is just the ticket for passenger after bridge closure

A bus user has praised transport bosses for changing their direction of travel after a bridge closure left him and his pals high and dry.

- by Gareth Crickmer

Alan Ball, 76, says he and several friends have found it difficult to get out and about after services close to their homes near South Shields town centre were switched when council chiefs ordered the sudden closure of the Heugh Street Bridge on River Drive.

The closure led to Stagecoach North East altering the route used by its E1 and 10 services.

Vehicles were diverted in November over safety concerns and engineers are expected to need up to six-months for detailed structural testing.

The two buses usually travel from South Shields' central transport interchange in a northerly loop, which takes them along River Drive and through residential areas via Mile End Road.

But for the past few weeks, their new route has entirely skirted that zone, which Mr Ball, a grandfather, insists has restricted passengers' access to services.