(12 Feb 2024, 8:23 pm)solsburian wrote [ -> ]Unfortunately West Moor also gets choked during the peaks too. The whole thing is a mess.
(12 Feb 2024, 8:43 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Ah didn't realise it was still bad through there, I know it can sometimes be bad by the council yard. It is a mess mind, I kind of actually feel sorry for Arriva as they're stuck in rut in what they can realistically do without adding more resources and let's be honest why should they for council incompetence.
(12 Feb 2024, 5:31 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Not surprised to see the X7 and X8 on there, the timetable is an absolute shambles still around this time pretty much every night, especially Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
I know it'll remove the new bus stops near Miller and Carter but they really need to pull them off the A189 / Killingworth Way and avoid Sandy Lane Roundabouts. It's much quicker to go via Killingworth nowadays and demand changes for them to re serve it (ie. bus gate off Great Lime Road).
No doubt they'll change the times by 2 minutes or something again which won't do the bot of difference.
(12 Feb 2024, 8:57 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Looking at tracking, they seem to get stuck in the section between the Miller and Carter roundabout and the Sandy Lane roundabout in the PM peak for some time. Could the road past Dobbies not have been converted into a bus gate at the northern end (rather than totally closing off access to the roundabout) with traffic signals? They'd only need to change to green 4x per hour, and only for a few seconds at most, so would have minimal impact on the traffic flow from the rest of the roundabout.That would be a big help. I might be wrong but I think that was dismissed during the planning stages.
(12 Feb 2024, 8:57 pm)Shrek wrote [ -> ]If only the council had put a bus lane down Great Lime Road onto the Sandy Lane Roundabout. It would've been an easy win for public transport.
(12 Feb 2024, 8:57 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Looking at tracking, they seem to get stuck in the section between the Miller and Carter roundabout and the Sandy Lane roundabout in the PM peak for some time. Could the road past Dobbies not have been converted into a bus gate at the northern end (rather than totally closing off access to the roundabout) with traffic signals? They'd only need to change to green 4x per hour, and only for a few seconds at most, so would have minimal impact on the traffic flow from the rest of the roundabout.
(12 Feb 2024, 9:18 pm)solsburian wrote [ -> ]That would be a big help. I might be wrong but I think that was dismissed during the planning stages.
Of course a proper flyover would be the best solution, but I have a better chance of winning the lottery.
(12 Feb 2024, 9:26 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Aye agreed with the bus gate, mentioned it a few times. There's quite a few nuisance areas though other than there though. The map below probably explains it better for those who don't know the route but all the red areas can easily add 10 minutes on each then you lose another 5 on the orange areas.
It's why it's common for the buses to be 30 minutes late with massive gaps heading into Newcastle as everything is just stuck which is a problem when it's one of the main buses from Quorum. Mind the traffic hasn't been as bad since Christmas, seems like people are rat running elsewhere.
Moor Farm is the problem though as it's all caused by people rat running cutting the corner off, fix that and most the problems there should be gone but there's no chance of that happening any time soon.
(12 Feb 2024, 9:40 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Looking at that map, a bus gate into the estate in the same section as Miller and Carter would have helped massively too with the advantage of giving the residents a closer bus stop too.
In terms of South Gosforth, is running it via Gosforth High Street and down like the 54/354 an option?
(12 Feb 2024, 9:44 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote [ -> ]Traffic past the council offices is not as bad as people think or feel the 342 for example the max it waits stuck in traffic is 4mins
However diverting the buses off towards great lime road but then take a left turn and round the loop over the railway crossing (serving the community where the nexus secured bus used to operate) people can still walk to connect to miller and Carter estates etc ) over the crossing then onto the road to burradon leave the X9 and X10 to serve miller and Carter roads
Alternatively change the X7 route completely
As normal from Newcastle to Quaroum then Great lime Road left and around the loop past the station pub and over the railway crossing into Killing worth (northern loop) so passengers for Burradon can get off and walk under the underpass to the industrial estate ) the bus continues to killingworth Bus Station then back out and right under the A19 and on the back road to Seghill and continue on its route it would also create new links from Killingworth to Seghill
(12 Feb 2024, 3:28 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]There is a timetable, and route, variation for the 306/308 from 24th March. Wild theories incoming...
There are also timetable changes to:
43, 44, 45, X7, X8, X21, X22.
(12 Feb 2024, 10:20 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]https://bustimes.org/licences/PB0002717 - Arriva Durham
https://bustimes.org/licences/PB0002032 - Arriva Northumbria
(12 Feb 2024, 7:46 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Only the 363/364 done that route, the X24/X25 went direct from Annitsford straight to South Gosforth pretty much. I believe they changed it though as it was quicker the route it goes now - used to be traffic problems in West Moor aswell. It was only after 2016 or so when they pissed about with Sandy Lane which now backs onto the roundabout when it got worse, which miraculously they've made even worse with the traffic lights.
I believe the 52/54 were formed when they went with the absolute crackjack idea of sending the X4/X5 via Gosforth and the Freeman respectively which went down like a lead balloon. I must admit, I never really returned since and always go for a bus or lift to the Metro and in that way instead as it's just as quick. Horrific decision and one they were pretty much forced to do.
The 52 was the 340/342, the 53 - 343/344 and the 54 - 356 before all the pissing about though, guessing you know that though.
(12 Feb 2024, 10:18 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]I don't know the solution though tbh, really need a few buses at peak times that run non-stop from Newcastle to Seghill and give it freedom to go multiple ways, I'd assume the Coast Road and A19 would be quickest but with the bus lanes, Gosforth High Street might just pip it but obviously the question is where do the buses come from.
(12 Feb 2024, 10:18 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]It's just as bad by Church Road and Station Road, used to horrific that way at peak times.Sorry I get mixed up with the service numbers round there hope you got my drift about the service ...
Only the X8, goes that way btw, sounds a bit long winded that for the X7 and we don't approve detours as Arriva learnt last time. There's very very vocal councillors around here who would kick up a fuss. Killingworth Way towards Killingworth is really going down the pan aswell lately, annoyingly.
I don't know the solution though tbh, really need a few buses at peak times that run non-stop from Newcastle to Seghill and give it freedom to go multiple ways, I'd assume the Coast Road and A19 would be quickest but with the bus lanes, Gosforth High Street might just pip it but obviously the question is where do the buses come from.
(13 Feb 2024, 6:03 pm)Mark66t wrote [ -> ]Is the summer service x94 back on this year if anyone knows
(12 Feb 2024, 10:59 pm)V514DFT wrote [ -> ]The X4/X5 definitely went via Station Road/Northumbrian Way after the 2010 "big shakeup", not forgetting the X6, no idea when it changed after that, i only used it once and it was the X5 that turned up first,it was November 2010
(12 Feb 2024, 11:30 pm)solsburian wrote [ -> ]Oh yes, I'd certainly be all for the resurrection of the X36! Given the fact that the X7 and X8 are stopping at more stops these days, especially in the evenings with Matthew Bank etc., it is probably time they dropped the X prefix on these services.
(19 Feb 2024, 3:05 pm)Stuartphin1639 wrote [ -> ]From the 31st march 2024 Darlington service 1 will be running from Darlington to Tow Law on a Sunday
(20 Feb 2024, 10:58 pm)peter wrote [ -> ]Full Darlington service changes confirmed: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...march-2024
(23 Feb 2024, 11:07 pm)L469 YVK wrote [ -> ]Just seen changes for Coast Road on Traveline. Only noticable things, timetable changes for reliability, 308 has extra running time on Sundays meaning a new bus & driver out of Blyth (similar to GNE's old 10/X21 boards), and after 11pm, departures every 20 minutes from Haymarket (307 - 05, 308 - 25, 309 - 45) instead of 00, 15, 45
(26 Feb 2024, 8:24 am)Aaron21 wrote [ -> ]Arriva have registered 2 new services. This being the 415 and 460. 415 runs between Morpeth & Alnwick via Felton & Swarland with the 460 running between Alnwick to Ellingham via Denwick & Rennington & Rock
(26 Feb 2024, 8:24 am)Aaron21 wrote [ -> ]Arriva have registered 2 new services. This being the 415 and 460. 415 runs between Morpeth & Alnwick via Felton & Swarland with the 460 running between Alnwick to Ellingham via Denwick & Rennington & Rock
(26 Feb 2024, 7:37 pm)Coastliner700 wrote [ -> ]Ironic like GNE that they deemed these routes uneconmical. Withdrew them. Now money is offered they reinstate them. Bus companies that do should be excluded from applying to tender them.
(26 Feb 2024, 7:49 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Can you tell me when Arriva last ran these services?
(26 Feb 2024, 8:11 pm)RobinHood wrote [ -> ]Many, many years ago, circa 2007 maybe? and even then, they were financially supported.