(20 May 2023, 2:44 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Could you not turn the way GNE buses leave Newcastle to Gateshead into two ways with traffic lights?
The high level was two way and Wellington St was perfect as two way but the council morons changed the latter
With all of the companies just following the Gov fares, whats the point of seperate companies with any competition...
Call it Go North East (yes its already the name of Go North East), but atleast Go means something other than Stagecoach/ Arriva, Go could be used as a promotion "GO". Its much better than Arriva and Stagecoach North East
It would present an opportunity for joint operations, with both Metro, Trains between Hartlepool-Metrocentre
There would be 8/9 Depots, Superhub in Gateshead/Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Hexham, Ashington, Washington, Consett, possibly North Shields
I think giving a brand for service/ group of services isn't necessarily a bad idea it gives an image, as well with all operators joining together there is no competion but there needs to be regulation. All profits have to go back into the services, personally i dont think this is the worst idea, espically if research was done into where people want to go.
(19 May 2023, 9:58 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Once the Tyne Bridge lane closures start (plus the upcoming high level bridge work) that may be your best option.
At some point John Dobson street will close at the bottom end for a sustained period to support HMRC works which will hugely impact GNE services
it’s painful enough now suffering Gateshead Councils attempt at bus priority through askew road, they’ve made it far worse than it used to be and it’s only going to get worse.
You see I disagree with this. I remember before the changes getting the bus to town on a non match day and taking ages to get out of the interchange, down the bank then getting stuck even longer at the lights due to the cars going along Askew road! Now, although i do think the lights could be sync'ed better it near enough straight through Everytime i've got the bus
(21 May 2023, 6:57 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]You see I disagree with this. I remember before the changes getting the bus to town on a non match day and taking ages to get out of the interchange, down the bank then getting stuck even longer at the lights due to the cars going along Askew road! Now, although i do think the lights could be sync'ed better it near enough straight through Everytime i've got the bus
You're right, they're a decent idea for bus priority. It's just a shame they don't actually give buses any priority with the traffic lights.
(21 May 2023, 6:06 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]You're right, they're a decent idea for bus priority. It's just a shame they don't actually give buses any priority with the traffic lights.
Yep like I said the light could be better set up and may set to change when a bus approaches the 167? Although I think all the lights in that area are connected from the crossing at the Tyne bridge up to the lights at yesco
Is there a date confirmed for the new TNE Day Tickets yet? Any chance of them being available by the start of July and the summer season - all the details seem a bit obscure so far.
(29 May 2023, 9:44 pm)Adtrainsam wrote [ -> ]Is there a date confirmed for the new TNE Day Tickets yet? Any chance of them being available by the start of July and the summer season - all the details seem a bit obscure so far.
I think they are being held until the £2 fare ended, but given the announced extension, they may decide to go live with it sometime after the summer?
(30 May 2023, 11:21 am)RobinHood wrote [ -> ]I think they are being held until the £2 fare ended, but given the announced extension, they may decide to go live with it sometime after the summer?
You’d hope it would be sooner than that, the £2 fare doesn’t help those who need an Explorer Ticket or indeed some of the more expensive single operator day tickets, such as Arriva’s Regional or two zone tickets
(31 May 2023, 1:37 pm)Bazza wrote [ -> ]You’d hope it would be sooner than that, the £2 fare doesn’t help those who need an Explorer Ticket or indeed some of the more expensive single operator day tickets, such as Arriva’s Regional or two zone tickets
It doesn't help anyone that doesn't live on a core bus route. Its largely ineffective without a proper capping system in place.
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(31 May 2023, 2:34 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]It doesn't help anyone that doesn't live on a core bus route. Its largely ineffective without a proper capping system in place.
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Helps people who need to use a bus and Metro though like me, who live in Northumberland, it's still £10 or so currently, and that's using POP, or even people in Tyne and Wear who are multimodal as it's much cheaper than the equivalent Day Rover.
Well done to GNE PR/Marketing team for announcing the £2 fare extension a month after it was announced.
Great Job!
(01 Jul 2023, 4:17 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Well done to GNE PR/Marketing team for announcing the £2 fare extension a month after it was announced.
Great Job!
Dont think it was just GNE mind. Looking on Twitter yesterday I seen tweets from all the large operators in all parts of the country flogging it.
(01 Jul 2023, 4:22 pm)citaro5284 wrote [ -> ]Dont think it was just GNE mind. Looking on Twitter yesterday I seen tweets from all the large operators in all parts of the country flogging it.
Presumably because operators would have only had written confirmation from the DfT on Friday…
One of these days, hopefully folk will begin to realise that there’s usually a reason for delayed customer comms.
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(20 Jul 2023, 1:03 pm)busmanT wrote [ -> ]Why complicate the already simple offer of £1 per single journey for all aged 21 and under?
Surely you can't be criticising Arriva for offering free travel for kids?
(20 Jul 2023, 1:03 pm)busmanT wrote [ -> ]Why complicate the already simple offer of £1 per single journey for all aged 21 and under?
Complicating what?
Making it even cheaper for a day out and incentivising travel for families doesn't sound overly complicated to me.
If there's adults with the kids. Kids are free.
If there's not. Kids pay £1.
Dead easy.
(20 Jul 2023, 2:44 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Complicating what?
Making it even cheaper for a day out and incentivising travel for families doesn't sound overly complicated to me.
If there's adults with the kids. Kids are free.
If there's not. Kids pay £1.
Dead easy.
I think it's a good thing, and Arriva should absolutely be credited for it, but I do share concerns around it becoming complicated.
When this was done last year, I recall all the major bus operators plus Metro committed to the same deal. So customers knew it to be the case A to B.
If it's not rolled out across the others now, then kids either go free or not depending on their post code, where they're going to, or which forms of transport their journey requires. What happens on the Coast Road for example, where your journey to town might be free for the kids, but you're charged £1 each on the way back?
Ideally, this will be rolled out across the board again, but then it seems a bit of a waste when they've spent money on the Get around for £1 marketing campaign.
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I’m all for simplifying fares but I don’t understand how this isn’t straight forward? As has been shared above if it’s an Arriva bus kids go free? Nothing to do with postcodes or local authority just who the operator is. Everyone knows who operates their bus service! Free for up to three kids is saving £6 on one journey round trip, £12 if there was a change of bus required. Massive difference.
The only one situation where it could be confusing is the coast road, 306/308- but do Arriva and GNE offer the same single fare structure on those services? Right now they’re capped at £2, but when that ends? Also the ticket acceptance applies to Day/Week ticket, singles don’t come into it. Therefore you’d to pay for your accompanying child on GNE 307/309 but not on Arriva 306/308.
(20 Jul 2023, 2:49 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]I think it's a good thing, and Arriva should absolutely be credited for it, but I do share concerns around it becoming complicated.
When this was done last year, I recall all the major bus operators plus Metro committed to the same deal. So customers knew it to be the case A to B.
If it's not rolled out across the others now, then kids either go free or not depending on their post code, where they're going to, or which forms of transport their journey requires. What happens on the Coast Road for example, where your journey to town might be free for the kids, but you're charged £1 each on the way back?
Ideally, this will be rolled out across the board again, but then it seems a bit of a waste when they've spent money on the Get around for £1 marketing campaign.
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I'm reckoning on 3 or 4 corridors that 'could lead' to confusion, across the entire region of thousands.
Stockton Road, Sunderland.
Coast Road, Newcastle.
Great North Road, Newcastle
Durham Road, Gateshead.
There may be another one or two I've missed. But either way...
If those corridors are enough to put a kybosh or dampener on something, because an operator has made a commercial decision to attract punters, go above and beyond the bare minimum and make travel even cheaper for families, then the whole world needs to stop and we all need to get off.
I agree, it would be lovely if everyone jumped on board. But that's up to the other operators to do. Not for ANE to stop.
(20 Jul 2023, 2:44 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Complicating what?
Making it even cheaper for a day out and incentivising travel for families doesn't sound overly complicated to me.
If there's adults with the kids. Kids are free.
If there's not. Kids pay £1.
Dead easy.
It's the sort of thinking that's seen the industry get to where it is.
Imagine thinking so little of your customers that you think they might get confused by kids under 11 being free, but having to pay £1 for 12-21 year olds.
Was on a Stagecoach X34 earlier, and they've got a notice up advertising the same kids go free offering as Arriva.
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(20 Jul 2023, 7:48 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]It's the sort of thinking that's seen the industry get to where it is.
Imagine thinking so little of your customers that you think they might get confused by kids under 11 being free, but having to pay £1 for 12-21 year olds.
"got a cracking Idea, that should lead to loads of customers and will be good PR. Kids travel free over the summer"
"nah mate, can't do it. Might lead to confusion and delay"
(21 Jul 2023, 3:46 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Was on a Stagecoach X34 earlier, and they've got a notice up advertising the same kids go free offering as Arriva.
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Two down...
GNE are not taking part in the kids go free on normal services, however kids under 11 will go free on services paid for by nexus e.g 79,81,82 sunderland connect 700 e.t.c when accompanied by an adult
(21 Jul 2023, 7:35 pm)N1cholas wrote [ -> ]GNE are not taking part in the kids go free on normal services, however kids under 11 will go free on services paid for by nexus e.g 79,81,82 sunderland connect 700 e.t.c when accompanied by an adult
I noted this on Page 85/86 of the Nexus Risk Register:
https://northeastca.gov.uk/wp-content/up...0713-1.pdf
Now it doesn't say 'all', but it'd be an odd situation to have one operator not taking part. By virtue of it appearing on their risk register, it also suggests that we're paying for it, rather than it being done out of kindness or whatever.
(21 Jul 2023, 8:13 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]I noted this on Page 85/86 of the Nexus Risk Register: https://northeastca.gov.uk/wp-content/up...0713-1.pdf
Now it doesn't say 'all', but it'd be an odd situation to have one operator not taking part. By virtue of it appearing on their risk register, it also suggests that we're paying for it, rather than it being done out of kindness or whatever.
The ‘Kids go free’ offer isn’t subsidised in any way for bus operators, it’s a commercial decision.
The idea of the scheme is that kids travelling free generates additional adult revenue which wouldn’t otherwise be taken.
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(21 Jul 2023, 3:46 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Was on a Stagecoach X34 earlier, and they've got a notice up advertising the same kids go free offering as Arriva.
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Stagecoach have been doing it for a good few years every time shool holidays come around. Think they need to be 11 or under and accompanied by an adult with a qualifying ticket.
(20 Jul 2023, 1:03 pm)busmanT wrote [ -> ]Why complicate the already simple offer of £1 per single journey for all aged 21 and under?
Probably because Arriva and Stagecoach also have a significant network offering in the region that doesn't sit within the TNE area and therefore not part of this 'simple offer'.
Probably much more simple to offer Kids Go Free everywhere.
I have the feeling that the Stagecoach Newcastle Dayrider is the cheapest adult day ticket valid in Newcastle. Any for Arriva or Go North East would cover a slightly wider area and be more expensive.
Not sure if this is the best palace for this but northern Ireland consulting on raising the free bus travel age to 66
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-66514156
also didn't realize people with a disability get only half fare travel rather then free travel over here?