About 10% of the bus mileage operated in Tyne and Wear is paid for by Nexus on behalf of the PTA.

These are known as secured bus services, and are those which local bus operators choose not to operate on a commercial basis, but which perform a valuable role for the travelling public. These services are provided by local bus operators under contract to Nexus, with nexus determining timetables and fares

These can be eennig or Sunday services, works or college routes, or simply services which operate at a loss and require subsidy, but fill vital gaps in the public transport network.

All secured services are regularly reviewed and prioritised, to ensure they continue to be relevant to people's neds. Although the proportion of cost recovery is a factor, the extent to which these buses increase social inclusion is also important, The level of accessibility to essential services such as food shops, health centres and town centres will be the key determinant of where and when secured services are provided.

Secured services need not necessarily be conventional bus services running to a timetable. Depending on individual circumstances, these could also be demand resopnsive services (operated by minibus or taxi) or taxibuses, according to the needs of the community they serve.