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18 May 2021, 12:24 am #1,400

(17 May 2021, 11:50 pm)streetdeckfan I live on the very edge of GNE's area in Bishop, right in the middle of Arriva's territory, unless I want to travel somewhere along the X21, I have to use Arriva.

Honestly, even if they didn't introduce multi-operator tickets, but instead just kept the mutual ticket acceptance on common routes (like the GNE X21 and Arriva 6 which are pretty much duplicates from Durham to West Auckland), I'd be fine with it.
If GNE can't be arsed to run the X21 to West Auckland on evenings and Sundays, then I should at least be able to use my GNE ticket on the Arriva service!

There's all this talk about the Durham Smartzone ticket, but if the other SmartZone tickets are anything to go by, it's not going to be any use for me.

What I really want is a ticket that I can use in Tyne and Wear and County Durham, on any operator. I know there's the Explorer, but then I'm also paying to be able to go to Northumberland, Carlisle, and Scarborough, places I have no need to go.

Well, I am fortunate to have a GNE service every day (albeit it further away on evenings and Sundays) to no longer require an expensive Stagecoach day ticket, or a multi-operator ticket. For a long time I was buying a multi-operator ticket, or before I knew better I was paying twice for two different tickets (Stagecoach and GNE). Even when I volunteer and get travel expenses back I get the cheapest ticket available, which is a GNE ticket! It was nearly two years ago I realised how bad value Stagecoach tickets are, likewise multi-operator tickets I realised I don't need by sticking with my favourite company, which by coincidence serves where I need and want to be! (Other than my street being Stagecoach, but hey walking is good exercise!).

Yes, the Smartzone isn't great. Fell into a trap getting a Newcastle SmartZone for the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018, ended up in Gateshead and then couldn't scan it to get back! They are only valid in one place, so Gateshead wasn't included, which I knew but stupidly forgot!

Definitely, a ticket you can use in Tyne & Wear and County Durham is what is needed, and GNE offers that, plus Northumberland like the Expolorer, but GNE is cheaper than an Explorer. GNE is expensive in some ways, like just for Newcastle and Gateshead, Stagecoach is cheaper, to go to Wallsend or Sunderland, it's cheaper on Stagecoach. Just GNE offers freedom to go anywhere, for £5 a day with Flexi 5. £4.70 on Stagecoach gets you to Sunderland and Ponteland, Wallsend, South Tyneside, Metrocentre and Newcastle.

Never use Arriva, so not sure of their fares. Use Nexus services to avoid Stagecoach, not always the best value. Permanently staying away from Stagecoach, there is no way I'll board a Stagecoach bus again!

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