North East bus cuts 'tsunami' put on hold – but it's too late for Newcastle and North Tyneside routes
A new government funding pledge has given some services a temporary reprieve, but cuts already planned for the end of this month will not be stopped
A “tsunami” of cuts to bus services for most of the North East is on hold for now – but passengers in Newcastle and North Tyneside will not be so lucky.
It has been expected that the region’s bus operators would be making major cutbacks to routes across the area, equating to up to 17% of their mileage, due to a funding crisis amid reduced passenger numbers caused by the pandemic. But many under-threat routes appear to have been given a temporary stay of execution, after a new government funding announcement earlier this month.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...GSl72OtkzA
Does this mean the cuts to Sunderland and Gateshead service won’t be going through until October?
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Seen this on the Sunderland echo site:
Expected ‘tsunami’ of bus cuts on hold for now, but North East travel chiefs warn post-pandemic pain is set to continue without more government cash
https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/tran...sh-3616431
However can't read it all, as I've hit my limit, so can someone please copy and paste it haha
(17 Mar 2022, 7:10 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]Seen this on the Sunderland echo site:
Expected ‘tsunami’ of bus cuts on hold for now, but North East travel chiefs warn post-pandemic pain is set to continue without more government cash
https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/tran...sh-3616431
However can't read it all, as I've hit my limit, so can someone please copy and paste it haha
As a journalist myself, I am always willing to help my fellow comrades access the wonders of digital journalism by climbing over the paywall to deliver the news upon request:
Expected ‘tsunami’ of bus cuts on hold for now, but North East travel chiefs warn post-pandemic pain is set to continue without more government cash
A “tsunami” of cuts to bus services for most of the North East is on hold for now – but passengers in Tyne and Wear are still expected to feel the pinch.
By Daniel Holland
Thursday, 17th March 2022, 5:40 pm
The region’s bus operators had predicted major cutbacks to routes equivalent to almost a fifth of their mileage after the coronavirus pandemic saw passenger numbers and revenue plummet.
But many under-threat routes appear to have won a stay of execution, after transport secretary Grant Shapps confirmed the government would extend emergency Covid grant funding, offering bus and light rail operators in England more than £150 million, propping them up until October.
On Tuesday (March 15), North East leaders were told the extra cash would allow Go North East, Stagecoach, and Arriva to press pause on many proposed expected in May.
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But Transport North East managing director Tobyn Hughes warned it was already too late to stop some planned cuts across the region and that passengers should expect significant service reductions come October, as ridership levels struggle to return to pre-Covid rates.
It is feared that the cuts, labelled the biggest change to local bus services for 35 years, will mean fewer early morning or late night services, reduced access to city centres and even see some outlying communities cut off entirely.
Mr Hughes told the North East Joint Transport Committee (JTC): “Having had discussions with local bus operators, we understand that the government announcement has led to local operators putting on hold any further reductions to bus services in the next few months.
“While they have been contemplating some, while the funding has been extended they are putting them on hold.”
The news comes after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham announced plans to cap bus fares in his area at £2 per journey, under a new franchise system that will see new powers handed to local authorities.
South Tyneside councillor Jim Foreman urged the JTC to pursue similar arrangements in the North East as private operators “only answer to one God and that is profit”.
However, any changes are impossible without a new devolution deal for the region.
JTC chair and Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon warned that without extra resources for public transport there will be a “tsunami of cuts” to bus services.
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(17 Mar 2022, 8:02 pm)Clifton Hignett III wrote [ -> ]As a journalist myself, I am always willing to help my fellow comrades access the wonders of digital journalism by climbing over the paywall to deliver the news upon request:
Thank you!
Interesting, as it looks like the cuts may not be bad as we think or none at all until at least October...
Also, never noticed, someone had already post the information from the chronicle site - my bad!
(25 Feb 2022, 6:11 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Nexus has today invited operators to tender for services across Sunderland, Washington and Gateshead.
An anticipated decision to award will be made by 30 March 2022, with contracts awarded on 12 April, with contracts commencing from 15 May.
These tenders do include some services which are currently operated by larger operators on a commercial basis, as well as amendments to existing secured services to accommodate some of these changes.
As with the March 2022 tenders, the tender documents which are now available on the e-portal must be treated as private and confidential and a specific line has been included again to instruct that details of the tender document must not be released other than on an ‘In Confidence’ basis to those who have legitimate need to know or whom they need to consult for the purpose of preparing this tender. This is to give operators time to undertake internal communications, so I'd like to ask that we respect that at this stage.
In to the last few days of companies bidding for the contracts...
Are the changes to commercial services still going ahead,(such as NEXUS taking over unprofitable routes) as I'm sure I read the government were continuing to fund bus companies till October 2022.
Anyone heard anything about these contracts?
What services are up for contracts?
(09 Apr 2022, 2:07 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]What services are up for contracts?
Only those operators on the Nexus tender list know until 10 days after the results are announced.
Wonder if GNE will go for 37/73/99
(09 Apr 2022, 6:39 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Wonder if GNE will go for 37/73/99
Let’s hope Sne keep the 99. I feel thst services should operate on the old pre deregulation setup. SNE town and suburban routes; GnE , district routes. Perfect system Back then. Bring back United buses too. The old PtE guide of 1985 is a good read.
(09 Apr 2022, 9:52 pm)Economic505 wrote [ -> ]Let’s hope Sne keep the 99. I feel thst services should operate on the old pre deregulation setup. SNE town and suburban routes; GnE , district routes. Perfect system Back then. Bring back United buses too. The old PtE guide of 1985 is a good read.
It only ever carries fresh air when I see it
Dan has confirmed on a Facebook post that Stagecoach has won the 8 (Sunderland to South Hylton) back from end of this month
Stagecoach has won the contract to run the evening journeys on the 8 from the end of this month
What will be allocated to the 8?
Wonder what other contracts has been giving out?
(05 May 2022, 5:23 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]Looking on VOSA, Looks like the 16 is down for a change on the 15th May
939 is too.
Start of some Stagecoach changes?
939 is a Nexus contract. Change says revised routing for the afternoon journeys
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(05 May 2022, 8:49 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]939 is a Nexus contract. Change says revised routing for the afternoon journeys
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I think that was for the change from 24th April - the new timetable from 8th May shows the 7am journey running 6:55, can't see any other changes.
Can't imagine there being many changes, they're just temporary (6 month I believe) until the Covid funding runs out again then the real changes will come no doubt, some no doubt brutal.