On 25 January 2026, at approximately 14:20 GMT, a Service 69 Go North East bus narrowly avoided a collision at the roundabout where Festival Park Drive meets Kingsway North in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, after witnesses said it failed to give way to circulating traffic.
Go North East confirmed in a statement on 26 January 2026 that “We are aware of the report regarding a Service 69 vehicle at Festival Park Drive on January 25th. Safety is our absolute priority, and a full internal investigation is underway. We are currently reviewing onboard telematics and CCTV footage.” Management said they are reviewing the vehicle’s onboard camera footage and telematics/GPS data as part of that inquiry.
Witnesses and a local resident who posted dashcam footage on a community social media page said the bus entered the roundabout at speed without braking, forcing other drivers to brake sharply to avoid a crash. The complainant posted: “The bus didn’t even tap the brakes. If I hadn’t slammed on mine, the driver-side door would have been taken off.” No injuries or damage have been reported.
The roundabout is a busy entry to the Team Valley Trading Estate and is known to experience heavy traffic from shoppers and delivery vehicles at peak times.
Residents with concerns about local transport safety can report incidents to Nexus, the Tyne and Wear passenger transport executive. For more serious reports about the conduct of a professional bus or coach driver, members of the public can make a formal complaint to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency via GOV.UK
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
