North East Buses

Shields Ferry services have been suspended due to the discovery of damage to the North Shields landing

Nexus, the public body which owns and operates the cross-Tyne passenger service, discovered structural damage this afternoon and has suspended services to allow a full examination to take place.

A frequent Ferry replacement bus service will be in operation for passengers this evening and throughout Tuesday, 22 November, calling near both landings.

Buses depart from South Shields Ferry Landing on River Drive (B1344) - just outside the BT building.

Buses depart from North Shields Ferry Landing at the bus turning circle, just outside the landing area. Passengers who have a bike will not be able to use the replacement buses with their bikes. Bikes can be used on the Tyne Tunnel shuttle bus, 6am-8pm, which runs between Jarrow and Howdon.

Nexus cannot operate river crossings when the North landing is out of service as it means that the ferries have nowhere to dock.

Head of Communications at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “An inspection of the north landing has shown up some structural damage.

“It is vital that we investigate this in more detail so we need to close the North Shields landing to passengers. Safety is our top priority at all times.

“This means that we are currently unable to operate crossings. We will keep passengers fully informed when we are able to re-open the landing. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

http://www.nexus.org.uk/news/item/shield...-suspended

Shields Ferry services are suspended until early next week, w/c 28 November, due to the discovery of damage on the North Shields landing.
http://www.nexus.org.uk/ferry/updates?op...isruptions

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Kingsley's have been operating the replacement bus service.

(22 Nov 2016, 10:04 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Shields Ferry services are suspended until early next week, w/c 28 November, due to the discovery of damage on the North Shields landing.
http://www.nexus.org.uk/ferry/updates?op...isruptions

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Kingsley's have been operating the  replacement bus service.

Any idea what they have been using on it?

(22 Nov 2016, 10:33 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Any idea what they have been using on it?

ALX400 bodied Trident's V178MEV and V126MEV were on this afternoon.

(22 Nov 2016, 10:54 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]ALX400 bodied Trident's V178MEV and V126MEV were on this afternoon.

Ah right thanks

Ferry service suspended

Ferry services are suspended due to the tidal surge. Replacement buses running half hourly from each landing from 5pm.

(13 Jan 2017, 5:18 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Ferry service suspended

Ferry services are suspended due to the tidal surge. Replacement buses running half hourly from each landing from 5pm.

I wonder if this can possibly be a new excuse for the Metro?

Ferry replacement bus service today with Kingsleys Coaches 104 & 245 providing the cover.

The Shields Ferry
8 mins ·
UPDATE: Ferry services will be suspended all day. Replacement buses are being sourced at the moment, but are not place as yet. If travelling between North and South Shields customers are advised to find an alternative form of travel.

We will post an update on the replacement buses here as we get it. Apologies for inconvenience.

Pride of the Tyne has the engine problem which our engineers are working on now.

Spirit of the Tyne is undergoing planned maintenance in a dry dock at the moment.

Sorry for the disruption.

UPDATE: Ferry suspended. Replacement buses will begin running from 10.45am.

The buses run on the hour and on the half hour from each ferry landing. Please note that these are the same as the normal ferry times from North Shields, but are not the same as the normal ferry times from South Shields. This is of course because the replacement bus service takes longer than the ferry to travel between the two landings. The buses operate between South Shields ferry landing and North Shields landing via the Tyne Tunnel. From South Shields the buses depart from the bus stop on Ferry Street, outside the BT building, stop number 42S32.

From North Shields the buses depart from the bus stop on North Quay at the end of the ferry landing, stop number 41080.

Ferry off tomorrow. Service hopefully back for tuesday morning

I've only seen one of the replacements, with the A-Line Solo appearing

Ferry off due to the swell on the river. 2 buses running but dont know who by

Ferry off tonight

Ferry replacement buses are in service this evening with Kingsleys Coaches 254 & 255.

Kingsleys Coaches 254 / LX53 AZD. by Guy Park-Royal, on Flickr

Shields Ferry will be suspended for the week. Commencing Monday 25.February. Appears Arriva Northumbria are operating the replacement 585 service on this occasion.

Ferry is out of service until further notice due to repairs being required on the North Shields Ferry Landing. Anyone know who is operating the 585 this time?

(09 Nov 2019, 5:48 pm)ifm001 wrote [ -> ]Ferry is out of service until further notice due to repairs being required on the North Shields Ferry Landing. Anyone know who is operating the 585 this time?

Yesterday, a taxi and a Stagecoach bus.

Today, one bus provided by Go North East and the other by A-Line Coaches.

Tomorrow onwards should be Go North East, subject to driver and vehicle coverage.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ty...+Newcastle&at_medium=custom7&at_custom1=link&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_custom4=C9942ADC-1CE4-11ED-98F1-EB4716F31EAE&at_campaign=64

More on the plans for a new ferry landing. Huw Lewis has some news.

https://www.nexus.org.uk/news/item/nexus...ry-landing

found this about the new ferry landing for North Shields

(18 Mar 2023, 7:23 pm)NEbushopper wrote [ -> ]https://www.nexus.org.uk/news/item/nexus...ry-landing

found this about the new ferry landing for North Shields

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ty..._Newcastle&at_format=image&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_campaign_type=owned&at_link_type=web_link&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_medium=social&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_link_id=2D781EC6-D853-11ED-A9A8-EAC77E934D9D

Funding bid rejected.

Nexus with the usual PR puff piece/begging bowl request

https://www.facebook.com/100064712255408...ksYQf6wvl/

Don't really know where to put this but would a regular river bus up the Tyne (every 20 mins) be a good idea.

Start at either North or South Shields and serve, Jarrow, St Anthonys, Friars Goose, Quayside, Dunston, Metrocentre and Newburn. 

I wanted to go further west but I don't thinkthere will be enough water and can't really do one on the Wear due the waterfalls around Chester & Durham.

(15 Jul 2023, 4:49 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote [ -> ]Don't really know where to put this but would a regular river bus up the Tyne (every 20 mins) be a good idea.

Start at either North or South Shields and serve, Jarrow, St Anthonys, Friars Goose, Quayside, Dunston, Metrocentre and Newburn. 

I wanted to go further west but I don't thinkthere will be enough water and can't really do one on the Wear due the waterfalls around Chester & Durham.

I've said for years, that the river needs to be utilised more. 

We keep hearing stories about the roads and pollution and the need to switch modes of transport - but here we are, sitting alongside a totally underutilised resource.

It would open up so many new links/connections and in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't cost much to set up either.

A fast express type ferry between key points and a slower stopping service, maybe zigzagging down the river.

(15 Jul 2023, 5:34 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I've said for years, that the river needs to be utilised more. 

We keep hearing stories about the roads and pollution and the need to switch modes of transport - but here we are, sitting alongside a totally underutilised resource.

It would open up so many new links/connections and in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't cost much to set up either.

A fast express type ferry between key points and a slower stopping service, maybe zigzagging down the river.

I'm not convinced. Having used the Thames Clipper in London, I'd be surprised if, other than tourism, it's used for any more than odd journeys. 

When I was last down there, we did Battersea to Canary Wharf, which took just over an hour. The same journey on the Tube is half the time, even taking into account the change from Northern to Jubilee. The journey was also around £9, as oppose to the £2.80 off-peak fare on the Underground, which is part of capping.

Having a look at the timetable for the Clipper, it takes 1:14 from Barking Riverside to Embankment. A similar distance from Newburn to Shields, as suggested above. It's already slightly quicker using Bus and Metro. 

There's also the question of how well used it'd be. Newburn isn't exactly a huge, with a population of less than 10k. It already has a 10 minute frequency on the Stagecoach 22, takes just over 15 minutes into town, and which stops in more convenient places oppose to where a ferry landing would need to be. Even if you look at other places likely to be served to/from Newcastle; Blaydon (15 min (infrequent) by train, 20 by bus), Metrocentre (9 minutes by train, 18 by bus), Dunston (15 minutes by bus). The road is King here.

On the East of Newcastle, they've had bus links along the river via the Quaylink and Stagecoach 18, but they're really not that well used. Even the stretch between the Quayside and St Peters basin, where there's loads of housing, it's rare to see more than 1 or 2 board at a time.

You're also not considering the biggest competitor to a river boat/ferry service - bridges. They're almost the sole reason why we don't have ferry crossings along the Tyne and the Wear anymore, with exception of the Shields ferry.

I'm all for trying new things, but the cost of delivering this would far outweigh any benefit delivered.

(16 Jul 2023, 3:14 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]I'm not convinced. Having used the Thames Clipper in London, I'd be surprised if, other than tourism, it's used for any more than odd journeys. 

When I was last down there, we did Battersea to Canary Wharf, which took just over an hour. The same journey on the Tube is half the time, even taking into account the change from Northern to Jubilee. The journey was also around £9, as oppose to the £2.80 off-peak fare on the Underground, which is part of capping.

Having a look at the timetable for the Clipper, it takes 1:14 from Barking Riverside to Embankment. A similar distance from Newburn to Shields, as suggested above. It's already slightly quicker using Bus and Metro. 

There's also the question of how well used it'd be. Newburn isn't exactly a huge, with a population of less than 10k. It already has a 10 minute frequency on the Stagecoach 22, takes just over 15 minutes into town, and which stops in more convenient places oppose to where a ferry landing would need to be. Even if you look at other places likely to be served to/from Newcastle; Blaydon (15 min (infrequent) by train, 20 by bus), Metrocentre (9 minutes by train, 18 by bus), Dunston (15 minutes by bus). The road is King here.

On the East of Newcastle, they've had bus links along the river via the Quaylink and Stagecoach 18, but they're really not that well used. Even the stretch between the Quayside and St Peters basin, where there's loads of housing, it's rare to see more than 1 or 2 board at a time.

You're also not considering the biggest competitor to a river boat/ferry service - bridges. They're almost the sole reason why we don't have ferry crossings along the Tyne and the Wear anymore, with exception of the Shields ferry.

I'm all for trying new things, but the cost of delivering this would far outweigh any benefit delivered.

I've done the O2 to Embankment before. Purely from a tourist perspective and you're right, there are many quicker journeys.
However, other than peak, I don't think there's any/many express services. 

However, I think you're comparing apples and pears. 
London has a fantastic public transport system compared to what we have up here. 
There are many alternatives, depending on need. 

However, they've also got bridges. 
They've also got high levels of pollution and are expanding the public transport offering, along with emissions/congestion charging. 

The bridges you mention across the Tyne, are struggling to cope with traffic. 
Buses are getting stuck. Cars are getting stuck. 
One of them is so knackered - they made it one way and removed the ability to cross it going north. 
They're also consistently appearing in the lists of pollution hot-spots. 

I've lost count how much money has been chucked at bus priority measures.
I've lost count how many times we've seen roads narrowed and bus lanes squeezed in. 

I doubt many will be travelling from Blaydon to South Shields. 
I do reckon there will be many doing short-hops, maybe two or three landing stations and probably passing a 10 stuck in traffic around the Metrocentre or crawling over the Redheugh Bridge though.
Maybe even going to places on one riverbus, that would take 2 or 3 buses.

I'd also hazard a guess that all those people living in the new houses on Smiths Dock, are getting stuck in the tunnel or going the long-way round on the way to work too.
East of Gateshead, you're looking at potential landing spots not far (short walk or a quick bus ride) from several metro stations (Bill Quay/Pelaw, St Peters Basin/Byker, Hebburn, Wallsend, Jarrow, Willington Quay... 

The Tyne is sitting there totally underutilised, whilst everything alongside it, under it or over it is struggling.

When it comes to public transport and infrastructure, I look at some of the European cities and am constantly amazed at how far ahead they are of us. Toto on the Amsterdam trams for example. It's been in place for donkeys years. 
Then look at the Dutch and how they're using their waterways successfully. Making the most of the resource that's there and not finding the long way around or over it like we do here.

(16 Jul 2023, 9:44 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I've done the O2 to Embankment before. Purely from a tourist perspective and you're right, there are many quicker journeys.
However, other than peak, I don't think there's any/many express services. 

However, I think you're comparing apples and pears. 
London has a fantastic public transport system compared to what we have up here. 
There are many alternatives, depending on need. 

However, they've also got bridges. 
They've also got high levels of pollution and are expanding the public transport offering, along with emissions/congestion charging. 

The bridges you mention across the Tyne, are struggling to cope with traffic. 
Buses are getting stuck. Cars are getting stuck. 
One of them is so knackered - they made it one way and removed the ability to cross it going north. 
They're also consistently appearing in the lists of pollution hot-spots. 

I've lost count how much money has been chucked at bus priority measures.
I've lost count how many times we've seen roads narrowed and bus lanes squeezed in. 

I doubt many will be travelling from Blaydon to South Shields. 
I do reckon there will be many doing short-hops, maybe two or three landing stations and probably passing a 10 stuck in traffic around the Metrocentre or crawling over the Redheugh Bridge though.
Maybe even going to places on one riverbus, that would take 2 or 3 buses.

I'd also hazard a guess that all those people living in the new houses on Smiths Dock, are getting stuck in the tunnel or going the long-way round on the way to work too.
East of Gateshead, you're looking at potential landing spots not far (short walk or a quick bus ride) from several metro stations (Bill Quay/Pelaw, St Peters Basin/Byker, Hebburn, Wallsend, Jarrow, Willington Quay... 

The Tyne is sitting there totally underutilised, whilst everything alongside it, under it or over it is struggling.

When it comes to public transport and infrastructure, I look at some of the European cities and am constantly amazed at how far ahead they are of us. Toto on the Amsterdam trams for example. It's been in place for donkeys years. 
Then look at the Dutch and how they're using their waterways successfully. Making the most of the resource that's there and not finding the long way around or over it like we do here.

I'd say one of the biggest problems with Riverboats here is we have an adverse idea of building houses near the thing and it's mainly parks and/or industrial whereas the likes of London and the European cities are all residential right upto the river. Other than Smith Docks, Newcastle / Gateshead Quays and around Dunston Staiths there's not really anything of note on the whole length without a substantial walk.

You have to remember there's the foot tunnel and that's dead most the time which might have it's refurb finished sometime in the 21st century.

(16 Jul 2023, 10:01 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]I'd say one of the biggest problems with Riverboats here is we have an adverse idea of building houses near the thing and it's mainly parks and/or industrial whereas the likes of London and the European cities are all residential right upto the river. Other than Smith Docks, Newcastle / Gateshead Quays and around Dunston Staiths there's not really anything of note on the whole length without a substantial walk.

You have to remember there's the foot tunnel and that's dead most the time which might have it's refurb finished sometime in the 21st century.

Sounds ideal. An ideal situation then.
Pointless having just houses on the river and having a boat take people from one housing development to another.
Might as well have some take people to work or pleasure.

Seriously though, there's only portions of The Thames in London served by the clippers that has residential areas too. Particularly West of Canary Wharf on the northern side.

The ferry next to this cafe, just outside Amsterdam fascinates me everytime I pass it.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/e2wWSJjKkj1hNx78A

Absolutely in the middle of nowhere, but it works and it operates 24/7.
There's buses on both sides for those not driving/cycling and they connect with Haarlem on the south side and the nearest railway station on the northern side (Alkmaar to Rotterdam line).

https://reisinfo.gvb.nl/nl/lijnen here's the rest of the routes in that area.

(16 Jul 2023, 9:44 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I've done the O2 to Embankment before. Purely from a tourist perspective and you're right, there are many quicker journeys.
However, other than peak, I don't think there's any/many express services. 

However, I think you're comparing apples and pears. 
London has a fantastic public transport system compared to what we have up here. 
There are many alternatives, depending on need. 

However, they've also got bridges. 
They've also got high levels of pollution and are expanding the public transport offering, along with emissions/congestion charging. 

The bridges you mention across the Tyne, are struggling to cope with traffic. 
Buses are getting stuck. Cars are getting stuck. 
One of them is so knackered - they made it one way and removed the ability to cross it going north. 
They're also consistently appearing in the lists of pollution hot-spots. 

I've lost count how much money has been chucked at bus priority measures.
I've lost count how many times we've seen roads narrowed and bus lanes squeezed in. 

I doubt many will be travelling from Blaydon to South Shields. 
I do reckon there will be many doing short-hops, maybe two or three landing stations and probably passing a 10 stuck in traffic around the Metrocentre or crawling over the Redheugh Bridge though.
Maybe even going to places on one riverbus, that would take 2 or 3 buses.

I'd also hazard a guess that all those people living in the new houses on Smiths Dock, are getting stuck in the tunnel or going the long-way round on the way to work too.
East of Gateshead, you're looking at potential landing spots not far (short walk or a quick bus ride) from several metro stations (Bill Quay/Pelaw, St Peters Basin/Byker, Hebburn, Wallsend, Jarrow, Willington Quay... 

The Tyne is sitting there totally underutilised, whilst everything alongside it, under it or over it is struggling.

When it comes to public transport and infrastructure, I look at some of the European cities and am constantly amazed at how far ahead they are of us. Toto on the Amsterdam trams for example. It's been in place for donkeys years. 
Then look at the Dutch and how they're using their waterways successfully. Making the most of the resource that's there and not finding the long way around or over it like we do here.

I don't think the comparison is too dissimilar. The network on both sides of the Tyne, formed of buses, Metro and Rail, is not a bad service at all. In my example above, I quoted somewhere the size of Newburn having a 10 minute frequency to the town, with a journey time of just over 15 minutes. 

There's always ways to improve transport networks and infrastructure, but I really don't think the suggestion of more services on the river does that. In the places you quote East of Gateshead as potential landing spots, you've probably answered your own question; they're a short walk from several Metro stations. When the maximum journey time on that section (from Shields) is about 25 minutes, I don't think you're going to beat that across the River. Even still, the Metro gets you into the centre of Newcastle, whereas landing at the Quayside is either a steep walk up or a bus ride if you have mobility issues.

(17 Jul 2023, 10:39 am)Adrian wrote [ -> ]I don't think the comparison is too dissimilar. The network on both sides of the Tyne, formed of buses, Metro and Rail, is not a bad service at all. In my example above, I quoted somewhere the size of Newburn having a 10 minute frequency to the town, with a journey time of just over 15 minutes. 

There's always ways to improve transport networks and infrastructure, but I really don't think the suggestion of more services on the river does that. In the places you quote East of Gateshead as potential landing spots, you've probably answered your own question; they're a short walk from several Metro stations. When the maximum journey time on that section (from Shields) is about 25 minutes, I don't think you're going to beat that across the River. Even still, the Metro gets you into the centre of Newcastle, whereas landing at the Quayside is either a steep walk up or a bus ride if you have mobility issues. 

But this is assuming that everyone is travelling to or from town or city centres. 
Just like bus operators do. 

We all know that's not the case.

You mentioned St Peters yesterday and the poor numbers of people using the bus when you've been on it. 
Where are those people going? If it's the town, they're clearly not using the bus.

Those people in Newburn you mention. Where else can they get to using public transport?
It's alright saying they've got a frequent bus in to the town, but it doesn't solve any other issues at all. It probably does impact on the widening of the A1 at the top of their street though and the issues with traffic along Scotswood Road.

Where are people in Hebburn working? Is it just places on a bus route or metro line? Of course not.

Imagine you're living in Smiths Dock, how easy is it to get to somewhere such as the Sage or anywhere on the quayside?

The road network is as knackered as the bus network.
We need to look at alternatives. The river can be an alternative and as long as it is timed, priced and operated effectively (integrating with road and rail like the example I shared in the Netherlands), I see absolutely no reason why it can't be part of the solution.