Bus crashes into bus shelter (again!)
http://m.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1139...arlington/
Darlington town centre bus stops are badly laid out especially in that area where stands H/I/J are very close together and often two buses want to be on the stands but there isn't the space, for example at 45 mins past the hour on stand H the 8 is due to depart from the stand plus the 16 also leaves at the same time and also the 7 is due to arrive at 45 mins past too but often arrives early meaning the 16 often has to pull in all over Darlington such as on that corner and one day it had to pull up outside Bright House little wonder it never has anybody on it.
Also the stops on Northgate are far to close made worse as as well as town services using them stands the longer distance routes also drop off there too and at times the bus has to either wait for a space to free up to pull in and block the road or pull onto the 13A/13B stand around the corner.
When these stories come up about bus incidents in Darlington town centre there are always people saying that Darlington needs a bus station but the simple fact is there is nowhere to put one in Darlington town centre also people say that don't want to walk miles to the shops.
Something really needs to be done as its ridiculous how buses are often end up blocking the road on Tubwell Row and having to board a bus in the middle of the road is brilliant for passengers in wheelchairs which is poor and not seeing your bus because its half down Tubwell Row because it can't get on the stand because there is three buses booked to use one stand at the same time.
I know what you mean, every day me and many others have to put up with this madness! Stop E needs to be put to use outside Wilkinsons to free up some space and services need to be re jingled (I.e the 2, 3 & 19 only share stand I). Sapphire 7 could exclusively use stand E freeing loads of space instantly!
(10 Aug 2014, 7:10 am)JoshP wrote [ -> ]I know what you mean, every day me and many others have to put up with this madness! Stop E needs to be put to use outside Wilkinsons to free up some space and services need to be re jingled (I.e the 2, 3 & 19 only share stand I). Sapphire 7 could exclusively use stand E freeing loads of space instantly!
I would like to see some services using stand E again, but having the 7 on a different stand to the 5/5A, 8 and 21 would be silly. The same would apply to moving the 1, 1b and X1 from the stand with the other services to Cockerton although the 2 runs about every 10 minutes though.
(10 Aug 2014, 7:16 am)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]I would like to see some services using stand E again, but having the 7 on a different stand to the 5/5A, 8 and 21 would be silly. The same would apply to moving the 1, 1b and X1 from the stand with the other services to Cockerton although the 2 runs about every 10 minutes though.
Maybe they could have a policy of the town services using stands A-E only and out of town services using L-N?
I know it splits the 2 and 3 from the 1 but most other groups stick together (north road group) etc...
(11 Aug 2014, 4:36 pm)JoshP wrote [ -> ]Maybe they could have a policy of the town services using stands A-E only and out of town services using L-N?
I know it splits the 2 and 3 from the 1 but most other groups stick together (north road group) etc...
I do think it would be better if all services only stopped on one stand and I'd remove stands B, D, I to make more space so two buses can occupy a stand, Stand D would be removed so there is more room for people to move as it can be a squeeze getting past the people waiting for the 13A/13B.
Went to Darlington this afternoon and I got stuck on service 5 for three minutes on Northgate because there was two buses on service 10 arrived at the same time and we couldn't pull off stand B so we just had to sit there.
On Stand I the 84 and X1 were occupying the stand and then service 2 arrived and couldn't get on the stand and it left and I don't think it picked up any passengers from that stand.
When I was leaving Darlington there was a huge line of buses on Northgate which was backed up onto the roundabout so the 7 I was on struggled to get round to head down North Road.
This is nothing rare either, something has to be done as this is pathetic, I'm waiting for the day my bus leaves Darlington without picking any passengers up because it can't get on the stand.
Needs a Bus Station man !
(12 Aug 2014, 9:46 pm)busman101 wrote [ -> ]Needs a Bus Station man !
Don't we know, whenever there is an article about buses in Darlington in the Northern Echo there is always comments saying that Darlington needs a bus station.
"We need a bus station"
"Darlington needs a bus station"
"instead of a new cinema and 7 restaurants, lets build a bus station"
"Darlington doesn't feel like a market town anymore... Lets build a bus station"
"Arriva do what they want which is why we need a bus station"
"surprised no has been killed by a bus in Darlington, we need a bus station"
"knock down JJB and build a bus station"
"A bus station is what Darlington needs"
I'm sick to death about it, who is making these decisions the fairly recent changes to stands just seemed to make things worse and yet they are instant that its made things better but the only difference its made is that its easier to walk down Prebend Row.
Do the Locomotion thing is just a waste of time and money, when the stands were changed they said that there would be people out and about to help you find your stand and the first full day of the changes there was nobody there. Also at the end of 2012 Darlington Borough Council had withdrawn the subsidy for the more rural routes and the following Christmas they sent everyone in Darlington and surrounding areas a Christmas card and it wasn't even a very nice Christmas card either it had a left hand drive bus on too and I'd be very angry if I lived in somewhere like Brafferton and I received one after they lost their bus services in January 2012 because of council cuts.
http://m.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1091...ly_cards_/
Because the 2 and 11 intermixing does not work in the slightest, today at around 4pm, three number 11's and two number 2's battled for stands A & B, as well as other services, causing such a backlog of buses on Northgate roundabout, it was chaos!
(26 Aug 2014, 8:22 pm)JoshP wrote [ -> ]Because the 2 and 11 intermixing does not work in the slightest, today at around 4pm, three number 11's and two number 2's battled for stands A & B, as well as other services, causing such a backlog of buses on Northgate roundabout, it was chaos!
I knew this would be the case, I've seen times where there has been two service 2's mid afternoon too, this is why when it was changed from the 25 they were split into two routes because of poor time keeping because of the traffic on Yarm Road and Woodland Road.
The other week I saw three service 10's arrive at the same time on Northgate too.
(26 Aug 2014, 8:28 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]I knew this would be the case, I've seen times where there has been two service 2's mid afternoon too, this is why when it was changed from the 25 they were split into two routes because of poor time keeping because of the traffic on Yarm Road and Woodland Road.
The other week I saw three service 10's arrive at the same time on Northgate too.
Regularly you now see three number 2's or 11's together, and as I ride both the problem honestly is with the 11 at the McMullen cross roads, the extension to Morton Park and the town centre road works. The only delay to the two is Woodlands Road but 90% of the time, the service picks up time whizzing around Branksome.
The interworking needs to end it is just not working for either service at all.
Service 7 ended up blocking the roundabout once again as some stupid prat parked their crappy Peugeot in the middle of stand "A"
Also a taxi stopped outside the Post Office opposite the 13A/13B stand while the other person in the car went to the cash machine and of course there was a 13A on the stand at the time which meant nothing could get through so that ended up causing a pile of traffic on Northgate.
Also something needs to be done about cars stopping on Prebend Row as at times buses struggle to get round, when something parks right on the corner the bus has no chance of getting round and I once had to sit on service 5 for 5 minutes outside the hotel because we couldn't get round the corner because someone was parked badly on the corner.
Something needs to be done about this too as it results in buses being delayed and people having to make dodgy moves and having cars blocking the town centre certainly makes the town look good and make me go on a regular basis. Also just because you have your hazards on doesn't make it okay to just stop anywhere especially in bus stops.
(05 Sep 2014, 1:11 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Service 7 ended up blocking the roundabout once again as some stupid prat parked their crappy Peugeot in the middle of stand "A"
Also a taxi stopped outside the Post Office opposite the 13A/13B stand while the other person in the car went to the cash machine and of course there was a 13A on the stand at the time which meant nothing could get through so that ended up causing a pile of traffic on Northgate.
Also something needs to be done about cars stopping on Prebend Row as at times buses struggle to get round, when something parks right on the corner the bus has no chance of getting round and I once had to sit on service 5 for 5 minutes outside the hotel because we couldn't get round the corner because someone was parked badly on the corner.
Something needs to be done about this too as it results in buses being delayed and people having to make dodgy moves and having cars blocking the town centre certainly makes the town look good and make me go on a regular basis. Also just because you have your hazards on doesn't make it okay to just stop anywhere especially in bus stops.
Not in Darlington but this is the sort of stuff we have to put up with...
(05 Sep 2014, 8:35 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Not in Darlington but this is the sort of stuff we have to put up with...
Typical that it's a pratt in a Range Rover too!
(05 Sep 2014, 9:27 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Typical that it's a pratt in a Range Rover too!
Yeah he came running back when he saw me taking a photo, amusingly.
(05 Sep 2014, 9:52 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Yeah he came running back when he saw me taking a photo, amusingly.
I don't know why operators don't start releasing some of their driver view CCTV footage onto YouTube or something. It'd be a right insight to see what drivers have to put up with daily.
(05 Sep 2014, 9:56 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]I don't know why operators don't start releasing some of their driver view CCTV footage onto YouTube or something. It'd be a right insight to see what drivers have to put up with daily.
I'm sure this has been done in the past? Don't think it was any of the companies in the North East, but I'm sure I remember watching videos which were raising awareness of the stress bus drivers face on the road due to the driving of others.
Nexus did something similar but with general CCTV and people getting jammed in the doors of Metros and stuff.
My service 5 pulled onto stand "I" this afternoon because the 7 arrived early so the driver pulled round to where the Arriva office is and didn't come back until it was due away from the stop. Also service 14 pulled in on an angle so it was partly blocking the road.
Also I got off the X66 on Tubwell Row this afternoon and trying to get from one side of the road to the other is a nightmare because all you can see is buses on the stands because there is too many services using the same stands, you can't see anything until you are in the middle of the road and then have to swiftly step back before you get hit by the car that you couldn't see, one day someone (probably me) will get run over there because its a flaming mess.
Sort things out Darlington Borough Council and stop pretending things are fine by making statements like "our recent stand changes have now improved traffic on Prebend Row making it safer" when all they've done is make Tubwell Row even more dangerous than it already was by moving the traffic from Prebend Row onto Tubwell Row, and almost one month since a bus ploughed into stand "I" it has still not been repaired and has metal fencing around it which looks lovely. When will someone see sense and sort this mess out.
Unless a transport authority/pte decides to build a bus station, I can't see there being much change.
Financially, it will cost a fortune to build and take an age to recoup that initial outlay.
On Tyneside/Wearside - you get the likes of Nexus who use private/public finance to construct a bus station.
The initial outlay, is returned by the way of rent by small businesses sited within the bus station and from the operators paying landing/access fees.
The PTE had the foresight to build the interchanges back in the 70's/80's to complement the integrated system.
Operators would be silly to move services away from these areas - based on the simple basis, that they would loose passengers.
On North Road, you have the site of what was an operator owned/constructed site.
Ditto Park Lane and others too. Not sure about Peterlee, but in all likelihood it was.
In Darlington, which operators would pay the council to use the bus station (without any interchange facilities) when they can use the streets for nowt?
There would possibly be a similar situation to the one in Hartlepool.
Back in the day, when there was competition, an operator would build their own bus station/terminus, very much like the train companies did.
It demonstrated grandeur and could attract passengers from a rival operation.
There isn't anything like that since de-reg.
As for the siting of stops; whilst problems may be happening on a daily basis, there will be all sorts of things to take into account, such as the destinations of the buses I.e routes in, out and across town, locations needing to be near shops/busy areas and the existing road/building infrastructure - before any re-siting can even happen.
Today my service 5 had to drop off passengers on the 13A/13B stand around the corner from Northgate again and so did an X66.
Lots of road blocks on Tubwell Row including two service 7s as one pulled onto the stand after it was due out. Scarlet Band 20 had to pull in on an angle on stand I and this happened at least another two times, it's pathetic!
Also the NextBuses screen on Tubwell Row "H" was randomly showing - 1510 16 Newton Aycliffe Centre even though the 16 no longer runs to Newton Aycliffe.
The stand changes over the weekend which saw Arriva services switch between stands I & J looked to have made no difference still saw buses stopped in the middle of the road waiting to get on stand J today.
Scarlet Band services 20, 84/84A still leave from stand I.
Buses were also all over the place on Northgate as ever.
Don't think they'll ever get the bus stops right.
To Me Services 1/1b/x1 2 & 3 should be moved from stand J on tubwell row and moved to stand F outside Burger King at least there there is abit more mouverable room for the big buses as for northgate stand A does not suit the 2/3 they should be moved to stand C and 9/10 back to Stand A
(06 Feb 2015, 10:16 am)ross13 wrote [ -> ]To Me Services 1/1b/x1 2 & 3 should be moved from stand J on tubwell row and moved to stand F outside Burger King at least there there is abit more mouverable room for the big buses as for northgate stand A does not suit the 2/3 they should be moved to stand C and 9/10 back to Stand A
That would probably be better, although Northgate could do with less buses all together as there is too many trying to pick up and drop off passengers at one time.
An idea I've thought of which would probably improve things but I don't think people would like it, is to move the Aycliffe services back to stand E and remove stand I with services using stand I would move to stand H with stand I removed it would create more space. The problem with stand E is it's location as it isn't the best looking place to wait for a bus which I believe was the reason they were moved from there.
I think it would also be better if services using stand M pulled right to the top of the stand as you often have 3 buses trying to access that stand at once and the third bus is practically on the mini roundabout at times. The 16/16A often has to pull in on an angle to get anywhere close to the stand.
(06 Feb 2015, 11:59 am)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]That would probably be better, although Northgate could do with less buses all together as there is too many trying to pick up and drop off passengers at one time.
An idea I've thought of which would probably improve things but I don't think people would like it, is to move the Aycliffe services back to stand E and remove stand I with services using stand I would move to stand H with stand I removed it would create more space. The problem with stand E is it's location as it isn't the best looking place to wait for a bus which I believe was the reason they were moved from there.
I think it would also be better if services using stand M pulled right to the top of the stand as you often have 3 buses trying to access that stand at once and the third bus is practically on the mini roundabout at times. The 16/16A often has to pull in on an angle to get anywhere close to the stand.
Tubwell Row will soon be a little clear as I understand some services will be moving to a new stand or two outside the town hall. Stand M shouldn't exist much longer and the Barnard Castle, Hurworth and Richmond busses will move there as well as the 16/16A.
That won't help the issues on stands H-J or Northgate though...
(09 Sep 2014, 11:59 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Unless a transport authority/pte decides to build a bus station, I can't see there being much change.
Financially, it will cost a fortune to build and take an age to recoup that initial outlay.
On Tyneside/Wearside - you get the likes of Nexus who use private/public finance to construct a bus station.
The initial outlay, is returned by the way of rent by small businesses sited within the bus station and from the operators paying landing/access fees.
The PTE had the foresight to build the interchanges back in the 70's/80's to complement the integrated system.
Operators would be silly to move services away from these areas - based on the simple basis, that they would loose passengers.
On North Road, you have the site of what was an operator owned/constructed site.
Ditto Park Lane and others too. Not sure about Peterlee, but in all likelihood it was.
In Darlington, which operators would pay the council to use the bus station (without any interchange facilities) when they can use the streets for nowt?
There would possibly be a similar situation to the one in Hartlepool.
Back in the day, when there was competition, an operator would build their own bus station/terminus, very much like the train companies did.
It demonstrated grandeur and could attract passengers from a rival operation.
There isn't anything like that since de-reg.
As for the siting of stops; whilst problems may be happening on a daily basis, there will be all sorts of things to take into account, such as the destinations of the buses I.e routes in, out and across town, locations needing to be near shops/busy areas and the existing road/building infrastructure - before any re-siting can even happen.
I'm sure there was a court case where it was ruled that even if an operator builds its own bus station it has to let competitors use it, which is bizarre.
(11 Feb 2015, 12:19 am)JoshP wrote [ -> ]Tubwell Row will soon be a little clear as I understand some services will be moving to a new stand or two outside the town hall. Stand M shouldn't exist much longer and the Barnard Castle, Hurworth and Richmond busses will move there as well as the 16/16A.
That won't help the issues on stands H-J or Northgate though...
I know it wont help the issues with stands on Northgate but heres a thought why not keep stand M and have services 14/14a/14b use it to Skerne park rather than stand I which then be more ideal for the 14a to come straight down crown street then on to tubwell row and 14/b could just come in via Stonebridge but down side with the 14b will be moaning passengers who have to get off there
(11 Feb 2015, 12:19 am)JoshP wrote [ -> ]Tubwell Row will soon be a little clear as I understand some services will be moving to a new stand or two outside the town hall. Stand M shouldn't exist much longer and the Barnard Castle, Hurworth and Richmond busses will move there as well as the 16/16A.
That won't help the issues on stands H-J or Northgate though...
I'm sure some people will be happy about having to walk further to the shops. Who knows if the 16/16A will still be here after June.
I think Stand "I" has to go to make more room for stand "J" since the changes two MPDs can fit on there but only if the first one pulls far enough forward and problems occur if: A bus isn't far enough forward, if one of the services has something bigger than an MPD (1308 on 14B) and when the Scarlet Band 20, 84/84A need access to that stand and the 84's have 9 minutes layover.