Three new taxi-bus services will start running in South Tyneside from Monday, 19 April.
The TB529 will run hourly Monday to Saturday from Hebburn Quay stopping at Hebburn Community Association, Glenn Street Medical Centre, Hebburn College, Bill Quay in Gateshead and Heworth Metro station.
The TB 503 will run hourly Monday to Saturday from Low Simonside stopping at Simonside, Tesco in Newcastle Road, Tyne Dock, Laygate and South Shields town centre.
The TB 504 will run hourly evenings and Sundays from South Shields town centre via Laygate, Commercial Road and Boldon lane to South Tyneside Hospital then on through Harton Nook to Horsley Hill Square.
Taxi-buses operate just like normal buses with the same fares and concessionary travel schemes, but using smaller vehicles because the number of people they are likely to carry is small.
All three services are provided by Nexus using public subsidy to meet areas of small but acute demand for public transport. The TB529 is operated by Anthony Kane Taxi Services. The other routes are operated by Eurocars.
Cllr Tom Hanson, a South Tyneside member of the Tyne & Wear Integrated Transport Authority, said: “These routes provide invaluable links between local communities and shopping and health services.
“The routes have been designed after asking local people what they want to see from public transport in South Tyneside.”
Ken Kemp, Integration Director for Nexus, said: “The new taxi-bus routes are part of a wider commitment to help people get to the key places in their day to day lives.”
The three services are being introduced ahead of wider changes to the bus network in South Tyneside to be launched this summer in a partnership between Nexus, bus companies and South Tyneside Council.
Full details of routes and times can be found on the Nexus website www.nexus.org.uk or by calling North East Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.