North East Buses

36974 has just been towed past my house.

Entering holiday season, quite a number of cancellations across the GNE Riverside network today

There's 2 boards missing off the 21 and lots other cancellations at Riverside.

Allocations are all over the place too

73076 is having a ramp problem in front of Sunderland Hospital.

The driver put it down for someone in a wheelchair and now the bus is saying it isn't put back down so he can't close the doors etc

How's the driver situation at Arriva? I notice they're actively advertising for part time drivers, is this a new initiative or has it always been a thing?

(08 Jul 2026, 10:39 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]73076 is having a ramp problem in front of Sunderland Hospital.

The driver put it down for someone in a wheelchair and now the bus is saying it isn't put back down so he can't close the doors etc

A coin on the sensor on the floor used to do the trick (although im guessing this isnt a manufacture approved technique). All well until you go over a pot hole, the coin moves and the sensor thinks the ramp has been deployed then you come to a nice stop.

Eighton Lodge roundabout is closed this week for resurfacing from 8pm to 6am so no service between Coach and Horses and Allerdene Bridge in either direction

Nowt on GNE website or app and quite a few folk waiting at the Angel stop heading into town. This 9-5 customer care thing is horrendous

Temporary at Sunderland Hospital is causing chaos... every bus running that way is very late.

(27 Jul 2026, 12:11 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]Temporary at Sunderland Hospital is causing chaos... every bus running that way is very late.

X24 not helped by heavy congestion in Gateshead, either, due to the Park Lane Roundabout closure.

(27 Jul 2026, 12:46 pm)F114TML wrote [ -> ]X24 not helped by heavy congestion in Gateshead, either, due to the Park Lane Roundabout closure.

Yeah, every car seems to being pushed onto Gateshead High Street. Not ideal even for buses trying to get onto Jackson Street, never mind the Stagecoach expresses that just use the High Street.

(27 Jul 2026, 3:49 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]Yeah, every car seems to being pushed onto Gateshead High Street. Not ideal even for buses trying to get onto Jackson Street, never mind the Stagecoach expresses that just use the High Street.

From what's been said internally, they've left some diversion signs up from something else so traffic is just getting sent in circles around the town centre.

(27 Jul 2026, 3:49 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]Yeah, every car seems to being pushed onto Gateshead High Street. Not ideal even for buses trying to get onto Jackson Street, never mind the Stagecoach expresses that just use the High Street.

I don't know why buses aren't diverting away from the High Street? Given the circumstances, they'd be far better sticking to the bus priority along High Street West.

(27 Jul 2026, 7:49 pm)F114TML wrote [ -> ]From what's been said internally, they've left some diversion signs up from something else so traffic is just getting sent in circles around the town centre.

Bemuda has its Triangle. Gateshead has the Diversion Circle of Doom.

(27 Jul 2026, 8:52 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]I don't know why buses aren't diverting away from the High Street? Given the circumstances, they'd be far better sticking to the bus priority along High Street West.

The honest answer is no one expected the traffic to be as bad as it has been - unless you're going to Tesco or the high street itself, there's no reason for a car to drive up it - and that's still true, there is no access for cars to the Tyne Bridge.

I know Stagecoach are working with the council to see what can be done to help, with hopes it'll have eased by the end of the week.

Need signs up that say "No Access to Newcastle" really before they even come down Charles Street.

(28 Jul 2026, 1:12 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]Need signs up that say "No Access to Newcastle" really before they even come down Charles Street.

Oh it's alright, everyone's just started going down the bus lane now 

The traffic management around the closure of Charles Street could have been planned much better. Gateshead Council should have closed the road at the roundabout with Bensham Road and Prince Consort Road, rather than the section approaching Park Lane roundabout.

As it stands, traffic is being allowed to travel down Charles Street as normal, only to discover the road is closed ahead, leaving drivers with no option but to turn left onto High Street. This is creating unnecessary congestion and delays for motorists and public transport alike.

The disruption is also having a significant impact on bus services 53/54, 93/94 and X24/X34.

For the 53/54 and 93/94, would it not make more sense to divert via Sunderland Road, St James' Road and onto the Felling Bypass, before crossing onto Albany Road, serving Gateshead College, Saltmeadows Road and the Quayside, then rejoining their normal routes? The same diversion could operate in reverse towards Gateshead. The only question mark is whether there is a vehicle weight restriction on St James' Road Bridge adjacent to Gateshead Stadium Metro, as that would determine whether this diversion is suitable for double-deck buses.

For the X24 and X34, a more practical solution would be to divert along Sunderland Road into Gateshead and temporarily serve Gateshead Interchange in both directions under an agreement with Nexus. This would retain an important interchange for passengers while avoiding the worst of the congestion caused by the closure.

To help maintain a reasonable level of public transport during the works, it would also make sense to temporarily reinstate the S1 shuttle between Heworth and Gateshead, with an extension via Saltwell Road following the 53 route to provide additional capacity and alternative links while the closure remains in place.

These are the sort of practical, short-term measures that could reduce disruption for both passengers and motorists until Charles Street fully reopens and access via Park Lane down to the Tyne Bridge is restored to traffic.

(28 Jul 2026, 5:20 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]The traffic management around the closure of Charles Street could have been planned much better. Gateshead Council should have closed the road at the roundabout with Bensham Road and Prince Consort Road, rather than the section approaching Park Lane roundabout.

As it stands, traffic is being allowed to travel down Charles Street as normal, only to discover the road is closed ahead, leaving drivers with no option but to turn left onto High Street. This is creating unnecessary congestion and delays for motorists and public transport alike.

You couldn't do that, as High Street is the only access point into the Tesco car park.

(28 Jul 2026, 7:45 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]You couldn't do that, as High Street is the only access point into the Tesco car park.

You could, "Road closed, access to Tesco only". Not hard to put on a sign, although it wouldn't stop everyone.

(30 Jul 2026, 2:29 am)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]You could, "Road closed, access to Tesco only". Not hard to put on a sign, although it wouldn't stop everyone.

Yeah no arguments, probably better No Access To Tyne Bridge, Follow Diversion tbf. Haven't been down so not sure what's around.

(30 Jul 2026, 7:48 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]Yeah no arguments, probably better No Access To Tyne Bridge, Follow Diversion tbf. Haven't been down so not sure what's around.

From what I've heard, approaching from Bensham Bank there's redundent diversion signs off something else that point you down Charles Street.

(30 Jul 2026, 8:04 am)F114TML wrote [ -> ]From what I've heard, approaching from Bensham Bank there's redundent diversion signs off something else that point you down Charles Street.

Doesn't surprise me one bit that mind. Messy.

Assume since they've reopened Lambton Street again (or it says it has been anyway) some are doing the High Street  -> Tesco U-Turn -> Tyne Bridge rat run. Used to be quite a popular one in the past without the roundabout closure, nevermind with it.

Could they not fully open Lambton Street/Nelson Street both ways and then make High Street bus only (or no cars etc) both ways between the Lambton St & Swan St junctions.

Go North East providing a really poor service on the 307 and 309 at the minute (and maybe other services at Percy Main?). Loads of cancelled journeys over the last week or two, in particular big gaps in the evening.

Unsure what the issue is - but they seem to have lots of buses off the road so not sure if it's that, or driver related.

Either way it's gone downhill quite quickly recently. Only positive is all of the cancellations seem to be marked on the GNE App, way in advance too.

(10 Aug 2026, 9:39 pm)NEtransport wrote [ -> ]Go North East providing a really poor service on the 307 and 309 at the minute (and maybe other services at Percy Main?). Loads of cancelled journeys over the last week or two, in particular big gaps in the evening.

Unsure what the issue is - but they seem to have lots of buses off the road so not sure if it's that, or driver related.

Either way it's gone downhill quite quickly recently. Only positive is all of the cancellations seem to be marked on the GNE App, way in advance too.

This happened last year too across the summer, assume it's holiday related


There were quite a few hour long gaps out of cobalt last week

(11 Aug 2026, 11:58 am)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]This happened last year too across the summer, assume it's holiday related


There were quite a few hour long gaps out of cobalt last week

Really poor management if it's holiday related and not been fixed from problems the previous year. I'd be in all sorts of trouble if I messed up my staffing and customers noticed it.

Should be a bit easier now since GNE lost most of it's Nat Ex contracts and now has a bunch of spare coach drivers.

(10 Aug 2026, 9:39 pm)NEtransport wrote [ -> ]Go North East providing a really poor service on the 307 and 309 at the minute (and maybe other services at Percy Main?). Loads of cancelled journeys over the last week or two, in particular big gaps in the evening.

Unsure what the issue is - but they seem to have lots of buses off the road so not sure if it's that, or driver related.

Either way it's gone downhill quite quickly recently. Only positive is all of the cancellations seem to be marked on the GNE App, way in advance too.

Just moved to my first property and whilst the Metro is not 'perfect', it's way quicker and more reliable.

309 has been completely messed up ever since it started serving High Farm! 

Even before March 2019 when the 309 interworked with the 310 on a tight four hour cycle (PVRx16 every 15 mins) , it ran better than it does now and that's saying something!