End of the Road: Tees Flex Service to Stop Running in March 2026
- teessidetoday
- Dec 16
- 3 min read
Tees Flex Shutdown Confirmed Following High-Cost Extension..as councillors claim the service is "Too Costly to Run"....
16th December 2025
A Teesside bus service funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority considered a 'lifeline' to many of the areas outlying rural villages will be scrapped, after officials decided not to extend its contract past March 2026
It's been confirmed that Tees Flex, the Tees Valley’s on-demand responsive bus service, will cease operating at the end of March 2026. This comes after the service’s contract was extended through the current financial year — leaving its long-term future uncertain for passengers who rely on it across rural and more isolated parts of the region.
Contract Extended Through March 2026
Launched in 2020, The Tees Flex Service was previously under threat of cancellation last year, but in mid-2025 the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) agreed to extend the service contract until at least March 2026. The decision was welcomed by users of the service, as the on-demand service was said to have played a key role in connecting rural communities that lack frequent conventional bus routes.
The extension was funded from the region’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) allocation, provided by the Department for Transport to support local public transport services.
However, according to the most recent public contract award notice, TVCA directly awarded a contract for the Tees Flex service to Cleveland Transit Ltd. (Stagecoach) covering 25 August 2025 to 28 March 2026. The total contract value for this period is approximately £897,000 excluding VAT, or £1,076,400 including VAT.
At a Cabinet meeting held this week, it was reported that members were presented with two options: Continue The Tees Flex for a further three years, at a projected cost of £4.65 million, or Scrap the service and redirect funding into alternative, fixed bus routes, with the majority of council leaders opting for the service to be scrapped. .
Difficult to justify the Service as being Value for Money...
Tees Flex operates as a demand-responsive transport service across the Tees Valley, allowing passengers to book minibus journeys by app or phone rather than waiting at fixed bus stops. This flexible model was intended to fill gaps in areas poorly served by conventional scheduled buses, helping people reach jobs, healthcare, education and essential services.
Passengers could book shared rides within designated zones across the boroughs of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees, with fares structured by distance.
The Cost of running Tees Flex was ultimately central to the decision to end the service.
With Cabinet members were told that Continuing Tees Flex would cost £4.65 million over three years, with the subsidy per passenger journey is just under £19.50.
Additionally its claimed just 63% of booking requests were met & Just 36% of trips carrying more than one passenger, with around half of all journeys run completely empty..
What Happens After March 2026?
Although a further Tees Flex contract could legally have run from April 2026 to March 2029, officers explained that The Vehicles currently in use are “life-expired” & that Any new fleet would require a minimum three-year contract.
Instead of continuing Tees Flex, Its claimed The TVCA will now fund two new fixed, hourly bus services designed to offer more reliable transport in high-demand areas such as:
Elwick and Dalton Piercy → Hartlepool Sixth Form → Hartlepool Town Centre
Stillington, Whitton, Carlton, Redmarshall, Great Stainton → North Tees Hospital / Roseworth Tesco → Stockton High Street
The Stockton–Stillington route alone is reportedly expected to cost £440,000 per year.
Hartlepool Council leader Cllr Pamela Hargreaves said the two routes could be delivered for around £1.3 million over three years, leaving over £3 million available to explore further options elsewhere in the region.
Its claimed Tees Valley Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen was the only Cabinet member to argue strongly for continuing Tees Flex, stating it had provided a “lifeline” for some rural residents and could be improved.
Tees Flex will now continue operating until the end of March 2026, after which it will be withdrawn entirely. In its place, The TVCA says funding will be redirected towards fixed routes with regular timetables, which leaders arguing this provides better value for money and more reliable journeys.
