Tees Flex Rural Bus Service
Tees Flex is a demand-responsive bus service that allows residents in the rural communities of Hartlepool, Redcar & Cleveland or Darlington & Stockton to travel from a primary destination to a secondary destination – or, to put it more simply, to travel from a rural village into the local town, or a hospital, or rail station for example, but is not designed to allow you to cross out of your local area.
The service has been commissioned on a 3-year trial basis, by Ben Houchen, Mayor of Tees Valley Combined Authority, and is run by Stagecoach, who use accessible Mercedes Sprinters with free WiFi, USB chargers and friendly, local drivers. The system uses technology to match your journey with other people heading in the same direction, thus making it cost-effective yet remarkably flexible.
We are just concentrating on the Hartlepool zone on this site, and have tried to give you enough information to help you, without overwhelming you with all the information available.
(For information on the service availability in Redcar & Cleveland or Darlington & Stockton go to the Tees Flex website at: http://www.stagecoachbus.com/teesflex, where you will also find further information on the service as a whole.)
Primary Destination
Dalton Piercy, Elwick, Hart, Wynyard
Secondary Destination
Hartlepool Transport Exchange, Maritime Avenue/Marina Way, Queens Meadow (36 Bus southbound), University Hospital of Hartlepool, York Road/Victoria Road.
What’s the offer?
The Tees Flex bus will pick you up from a point near to your address and take you to as near a point as possible to your destination – never more than a short walk away. Journey times are comparable to a taxi, and fares start from £1 for single trips of under 2 miles up to a maximum of £6 for an adult making a return journey of over 10 miles. Return trips can be booked at the same time as an outgoing trip, but if you find you’re not ready to return, just ring up and amend the time of your return to suit you.
NB: Under 19s benefit from half-fares on all single trips and Concessions travel free (subject to T&Cs). You will know before you travel exactly how much you will be paying and what time you should be ready to be picked up.
The service is available from Monday to Saturday, 7am – 8pm.
You will be given an accurate estimate of your pick-up time before booking and you can also track your bus in real time, using the app.
Getting Started
Using the Tees Flex app (iOS and Android), downloadable free from the Google Play or Apple Apps Store, you can hail a vehicle directly from your smartphone.
The technology directs you to a nearby 'virtual bus stop' (within a short walking distance) for your pick-up and drop-off points, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips - without lengthy detours, taking you where you like, when you like!
To get started:
- Download the Tees Flex app
- Create your account
- Register your credit or debit card, or pay via PayPal
NB: If you want to claim the right to free travel you will need to demonstrate, when you first set up your account, that you have a Concessionary Travel card (e.g. Over 60’s Bus Pass).
All set-up? You’re ready to go!
Remember, you can travel between two primary destinations within the Hartlepool zone, as well as to a secondary destination; if you want to travel further, you can join up with another bus or train service in town, to get you to your final destination.
Open the App, then:
- Step 1 - Select your pick-up point from one of the ‘virtual bus stops’ - whichever is closest to you!
- Step 2 - Choose your desired destination
- Step 3 - Select the time that's best for you
- Step 4 - Your Tees Flex bus will be with you very soon.
If you don’t have a smart-phone, then ring: 0330 678 1545 to book your journey.