Overview of the Proposal
Most bus services in Tyne & Wear are run commercially by private bus companies. Services which are not profitable, but which still serve an important social need are then paid for by Nexus. We regularly review all the local bus services that we pay for to ensure that they continue to provide value for money and meet the needs of the communities they serve.
Following recent customer feedback and operational monitoring, we are proposing the following changes to service 653:
- Revised route in High Farm/Battle Hill
The route would be amended to operate a new one-way clockwise loop through the High Farm and Battle Hill area. This change is designed to make the journey through this area quicker, allowing us to add an extension to the route in the Heaton area.
- Extend the route to serve Dovedale Gardens in High Heaton
In High Heaton the route would be extended to additionally serve Dovedale Gardens and Cleveland Gardens, improving access to local facilities for residents in this area.
- Minor timetable changes for improved on-time running
Service 653 would continue to operate hourly Monday to Saturday daytime, but there would be minor changes to the timetable to improve on-time performance and ensure more reliable journeys throughout the day.
Service 653 Consultation Update – March 2026
Following public consultation, Nexus has confirmed they will proceed with planned changes to Service 653.
What’s changing?
- New hourly timetable, route and fares will be introduced from 22 March 2026.
- The route will be extended to additionally serve Dovedale Gardens and Cleveland Gardens in High Heaton.
- A new one-way loop will be introduced in the High Farm area.
We would like to thank everyone who took the time to provide us with their views and help shape the future of this service.
For further information please visit nexus.org.uk or call Nexus Customer Services on 0191 20 20 747