North East Buses

(25 May 2015, 7:51 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]And what do you think will happen on 26 December 2015?

Don't forget boxing day this year Is Christmas Saturday. The Monday after is actually boxing day. So you will have both the Saturday and the Monday to contend with this year.

(26 May 2015, 12:22 pm)ifm001 wrote [ -> ]Don't forget boxing day this year Is Christmas Saturday. The Monday after is actually boxing day. So you will have both the Saturday and the Monday to contend with this year.

Won't the Monday just be normal Bank Holiday timetable or will it be a special timetable to coincide with Xmas Weekend

Anybody spotted any big delays Today then?

(31 Aug 2015, 12:28 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote [ -> ]Anybody spotted any big delays Today then?

Every E2 I've seen today has been operating 10-15 mins late.

Can't see any delays on Arriva today. Probably because the live map thinks it's a normal Monday...

My 47 home from Newcastle, after attending the Seaburn Bus Rally, was at least 1 and a half hours (maybe even two hours late) and subsequently many passengers were left disgruntled.

It was like Black Friday all over again..... thank god an Omnicity didn't turn up!

Go North East
2 hrs ·
All services operating in and around the Metro Centre are still experiencing delays of up to 30 mins due to heavy traffic

(31 Aug 2015, 5:56 pm)DanPicken wrote [ -> ]Go North East
2 hrs ·
All services operating in and around the Metro Centre are still experiencing delays of up to 30 mins due to heavy traffic

Yep. There were gantry signs as far South as Wetherby warning that the A1(M) was congested from the A194(M) northwards, from mid afternoon. It was similarly bad around Teesside park, apparently, so we avoided going that way home. Hull was bad, too, so it seems that most of the country opted to go shopping, this afternoon (unless the queues in Hull were of people waiting to go and point and laugh at Hull KR).

I think I saw a '9' at Fulwell which was operating a few minutes late.

(31 Aug 2015, 6:31 pm)MurdnunoC wrote [ -> ]I think I saw a '9' at Fulwell which was operating a few minutes late.

Hahah... I think the BMW driver was running a few minutes late too, as he didn't hang around to wait for our bus to successfully turn right...

(31 Aug 2015, 5:56 pm)DanPicken wrote [ -> ]Go North East
2 hrs ·
All services operating in and around the Metro Centre are still experiencing delays of up to 30 mins due to heavy traffic

Ironically, the one service I observed to be vaguely running to time was the X43!

(31 Aug 2015, 6:47 pm)Sidthebusbabe wrote [ -> ]Ironically, the one service I observed to be vaguely running to time was the X43!

Was quite busy too. I saw 5337 heading up Swalwell/Whickham Bank heading to Stanley with a few standees. Really think they should have put a decker on there to cope like they do with the 50A.

That's it then. The last bus until Sunday has just passed my window.

The joys of living on an Arriva route...

(24 Dec 2015, 7:14 pm)GX03 SVC wrote [ -> ]That's it then. The last bus until Sunday has just passed my window.

The joys of living on an Arriva route...

Tell me about it. I don't know what's more comical. The fact they aren't running a single service on Boxing Day, or the response I got from the company about it. 

(24 Dec 2015, 7:14 pm)GX03 SVC wrote [ -> ]That's it then. The last bus until Sunday has just passed my window.

The joys of living on an Arriva route...

My sofa cushions might actually stay in place.

(24 Dec 2015, 7:23 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Tell me about it. I don't know what's more comical. The fact they aren't running a single service on Boxing Day, or the response I got from the company about it. 

Ah so they can reply!! Didn't hear anything back at all from my email to them... Nothing like good customer service!

Stagecoach tweeting high customer demand causing delays. It's the 21st century that's why and I'm sure you could run more than a Sunday service.

(25 Mar 2016, 2:53 pm)idiot wrote [ -> ]Stagecoach tweeting high customer demand causing delays. It's the 21st century that's why and I'm sure you could run more than a Sunday service.

They could on most services but not all of them.


I doubt the likes of the 18/19 in Sunderland would get loads of passengers hence why it doesn't run on evenings and Sundays.

Speaking of high demand. A 40 minute wait for a 21. Outrageously bad.

This happens every bank holiday (and reliability is awful on Sundays too)

You'd think they'd learn to react to demand

(25 Mar 2016, 3:10 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Speaking of high demand. A 40 minute wait for a 21. Outrageously bad.

This happens every bank holiday (and reliability is awful on Sundays too)

You'd think they'd learn to react to demand

Been working Metro replacements today and never seen anything like today. Even the Coasters were running in pairs with standing loads. Definitely demand for a higher service frequency on the main routes on Good Friday and has been for years.

(25 Mar 2016, 6:56 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Been working Metro replacements today and never seen anything like today. Even the Coasters were running in pairs with standing loads. Definitely demand for a higher service frequency on the main routes on Good Friday and has been for years.

Sunday timetables on Bank Holidays don't work, they barely work on Sundays in some cases!

(25 Mar 2016, 2:53 pm)idiot wrote [ -> ]Stagecoach tweeting high customer demand causing delays. It's the 21st century that's why and I'm sure you could run more than a Sunday service.

(25 Mar 2016, 3:10 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Speaking of high demand. A 40 minute wait for a 21. Outrageously bad.

This happens every bank holiday (and reliability is awful on Sundays too)

You'd think they'd learn to react to demand

(25 Mar 2016, 6:56 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]Been working Metro replacements today and never seen anything like today. Even the Coasters were running in pairs with standing loads. Definitely demand for a higher service frequency on the main routes on Good Friday and has been for years.

(25 Mar 2016, 6:59 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Sunday timetables on Bank Holidays don't work, they barely work on Sundays in some cases!

Pulling these over from the 'Annoying' thread.

I would agree, to a point, that Bank Holidays, or at least Good Friday, should have a better service than Sunday service levels. However, I wouldn't go as far as calling for a normal Monday or Friday level of service after the Bank Holiday after Christmas last year proved it didn't justify even a Saturday service.
However, I do think the major routes could do with a special timetable running to normal weekday timings until evening drop-off time. I would like to point out that this is my opinion on the matter - but I do feel some routes may need their normal weekday service levels just to give a Sunday level of service especially after today.

Last #2 was 6 minutes late from Silksworth. Driver said to his friends as they were getting off its just been manic.

Sounded almost like couldn't cope with demand. Not been funny but this is the last bus of the evening? Surely should of caught up on schedule from the busy period? When will bus depots get out of the 19th century?

The crazy thing is Easter Sunday having a regular service when all that's open are pubs....yet New Year's Day has nothing.

The 21 has been utterly hopeless on Sunday's for yonks, surely they saw today coming? It's just bad management all round

Think it depends on the route...

I would imagine the 21 would suit its normal times but something like the 28, not sure it would, I'm taking guesses as I'm not from the area.

(26 Mar 2016, 12:22 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Think it depends on the route...

I would imagine the 21 would suit its normal times but something like the 28, not sure it would, I'm taking guesses as I'm not from the area.

Going by what I've seen on Sundays, I think the 21 needs upgrading to every 7 Mins like what's shown on Monday - Saturday, Also on Monday to Saturday the service needs upgrading to every 4-5 Mins -
Newcastle City Centre - Chester-Le-Street.

For years, operators have told us services operate using data from previous years.

If they are indeed doing that, why isn't anything changing? 
If demand is increasing year on year, why aren't operators stepping up and beyond?

In addition that, I would love to know how data is analysed for services that are non-existent on Bank Holidays.
How can they work out passenger demands, without data?

Yesterday, I went inland for the day, visiting areas served by a major operator during the normal working week - when demand is probably lower than it was yesterday (judging by the cars parked and visitors visiting - in addition to those living and working in the areas).
Was there a bus service yesterday? Whey no. Of course there wasn't.

(25 Mar 2016, 3:10 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Speaking of high demand. A 40 minute wait for a 21. Outrageously bad.

This happens every bank holiday (and reliability is awful on Sundays too)

You'd think they'd learn to react to demand

I agree the 21 was not only suffering timing problems yesterday as capacity seemed to be proving an issue as well. My experience yesterday was arriving in to Eldon Square at 18:05 for a 21 to Chester le Street with next bus due display showning as 18:15. The 18:15 bus arrived at 18.25 dropped off passengers at the set down stand and left Eldon Square empty. The 18:30 bus then arrived on time but a huge backlog of customers were rammed into the bus. On departure from Gateshead all of the top deck seats were taken, there were standing passengers on the lower deck and there was even children sitting on the stairs. I can understand the need to regulate buses to get them back on time but capacity also needs to be considered when considering regulating a service.

Eldon Square bus station had huge queues going back to the front door with no visibility of staff from Nexus or the bus operators to manage the situation. Nexus should have had cover for health and safety and GNE could have managed the capacity of people waiting verses regulating buses if they had a supervisor present at Eldon Square on busy public holidays.

Stagecoach also had issues with  capacity and / or frequency on the X88 when I was at Eldon Square with the queue for that service back to the front door and the allocated late running Enviro 400 departing with standees.

In conclusion not only do operators needs to review service provision on a public holiday they also need to provide a greater level of supervision to manage the situations that might occur with capacity. Those responsible for bus stations need to have staff attending on Public Holidays when passengers numbers require it.

(26 Mar 2016, 12:28 am)South Tyne Lad wrote [ -> ]Going by what I've seen on Sundays, I think the 21 needs upgrading to every 7 Mins like what's shown on Monday - Saturday, Also on Monday to Saturday the service needs upgrading to every 4-5 Mins -
Newcastle City Centre - Chester-Le-Street.

If that ever happens, it'll probables be when the 21 gets new buses.

My mam passed Ashington bus station at about 1015, and she said there was large queues for the x22.