Local bus operator Stagecoach North East has announced the extension of its route 22 bus service in Newcastle, which will provide new links from Wallsend to Silverlink shopping park and Cobalt business park in North Tyneside.
Customers can now connect from across Newcastle with the premier business park and Stagecoach is also offering a direct express service via its 22X bus during the morning and evening peaks between the city centre and Cobalt, plus two late buses on weekdays at 21:20 and 22:19.
In addition, the 22 will serve Silverlink seven days a week, with buses every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday during the day, and every 20 minutes during evenings and Sundays, running as late as 11pm – bringing leisure and shopping opportunities to customers all day and every day.
Both Silverlink and Cobalt welcomed the launch of the new 22 service, which was developed in direct response to customer demand.
Lynn Cramman, Business Development & Transport Manager at Cobalt Park said: “Over 14,000 people currently work at Cobalt and we are growing all of the time, we ensure we stay ahead of the field by offering all the most recent and numerous initiatives to urge our workforce to adopt sustainable methods of travel, such as cycling or using buses rather than driving and as such are delighted Stagecoach have decided to come onto the park with their 22 service”.
“Our increasing workforce and bus patronage has brought this new service about meaning that staff can now connect directly to the North, East, South and West of Newcastle as well as into Northumberland, Gateshead and South Tyneside. This service improves connections to the West End of Newcastle, Walker and Central Station and further extends our recruitment catchment area of 1.1 million.”
“Cobalt Park is one of the best connected business parks in the country daily linking to over 40 key residential destinations, over half of those buses come directly into the park.“
David Parker, Commercial Manager, Stagecoach North East, said: “This extension to our network represents a significant investment for the company and we have had tremendous support from both Cobalt and Silverlink in the development of the new service.
“Silverlink is the second largest retail park in the north east, after the Metro Centre, and Cobalt is the UK’s largest office park. With such successful commercial and retail developments in close proximity to Newcastle, we are delighted to be able to offer this service and bring our customers closer to home, work and leisure. I am sure this will prove a popular service; especially we approach the festive season, as it also offers an alternative option to parking, which can prove busy during peak times and holidays.”
To celebrate the launch, Stagecoach North East has launched a ‘Club 22’ competition, with a chance to win one of 22 great prizes, including an iPad Air, £100 retail voucher and many more. To enter the competition, entrants just need to send an email stating what connects them to the number 22, whether it is age, birthday, house number etc, and the more wacky the ideas the better!
Entries need to be sent to northeast.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com by Friday 20 November 2015.
For the full timetable, new route and network of buses, please visit https://www.stagecoachbus.com/SilverlinkandCobalt
For further information about Stagecoach North East please visit www.stagecoachbus.com/northeast