Good on City Transport for doing this in the short term, would've thought though Nexus would've at least came up with a plan to have Independent Operators from across the region step in to plug in gaps with an "Hourly Skeleton Service" like we seen down in Manchester not so long ago.
Even as temporary measure ask Arriva/Stagecoach to reduce frequencies on some services to free up resources to plug the gaps as to be honest some run virtually empty due how frequent services are, one idea off the back of someone mentioning MetroCentre-Newcastle you could have SNE extend the 6/7 to Central Station stopping at all stops in between.
I would also suggest due to severe overcrowding on the Metro as a result of the "GNE Strike" that Nexus set up a "Support Bus Service" between Heworth & Newcastle City Centre as I have personally witnessed extreme overcrowding on services particularly last Saturday after the Newcastle Match, I was lucky to even get off at Gateshead Metro as the train I was on cleared full platforms at both Monument & Central Station essentially resulting in two full Metrocar loads on just one train, I also seen as we departed Monument someone had been injured on the platform and was being attended to by paramedics probably as a result of the latter.
(07 Nov 2023, 10:32 pm)Malarkey wrote [ -> ]I would also suggest due to severe overcrowding on the Metro as a result of the "GNE Strike" that Nexus set up a "Support Bus Service" between Heworth & Newcastle City Centre as I have personally witnessed extreme overcrowding on services particularly last Saturday after the Newcastle Match, I was lucky to even get off at Gateshead Metro as the train I was on cleared full platforms at both Monument & Central Station essentially resulting in two full Metrocar loads on just one train, I also seen as we departed Monument someone had been injured on the platform and was being attended to by paramedics probably as a result of the latter.
Not sure that'll be possible now as there's problems at Nexus aswell with the engineers planning to go on strike and are currently on an over time ban. I know they're employed by Stadler but running bus corridors to get around that will be a complete grey area, if not just outright illegal.
(07 Nov 2023, 10:12 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote [ -> ]Ridiculous nobody has put a Metrocentre service on
Why, contingency is there with Northern Rail from Newcastle
67 GCT from parts of Gateshead
6/7 Stagecoach from West of Newcastle
There are plenty of areas that have nothing at all.
Ive said before ive staff unable to get to work from areas and they cannot afford not to work, but cant work from home
It was on news other day that businesses feel like they are back in lockdown and if things dont improve, may possibly close down
Apologies if you think im ranting and feel free to move to another topic
(07 Nov 2023, 10:00 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]I don't know mind, Stagecoach South Shields is a dodgy depot which is paid less than everywhere else as Newcastle has always been paid more and Stockton and Sunderland have both striked to narrow the gap. Not 100% sure if it's changed, but I don't believe it has. Latest applications still have it 50p than the other depots pretty much though.
It was just hypothetical, someone suggested taking on the GNE 20, so if the boot flew the opposite way and for whatever reason Stagecoach ended on strike, then I'm sure someone wouldn't mind doing the opposite as they done it to be sort of spat.
There's also the big problem that Arriva Northumbria is paid substantially more than Arriva Durham for doing the exact same job aswell.
I think the difference being if SNE or ANE did go on strike, it would likely be professionally handled by grown ups and resolved in a reasonable amount of time. Have either of those operators or their predecessors caused an indefinite strike like the clowns at GNE are presiding over and arguably perpetuating with their inflammatory messaging? I know there have been strikes of course but I can't recall anything on this scale with any of the operators, since probably the Northern strikes in the late 80s and even then don't think they dragged on like this.
GNE are leaving their network wide open for anyone to have a pretty low risk swipe at currently (and customer loyalty likely gained faster than would otherwise ever likely be feasible, helped of course by the current toxicity of the GNE "brand"). The fact no one is stepping in to 'compete' when the monopoliser is down shows the extent to which deregulation has utterly failed.
(07 Nov 2023, 11:27 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]I think the difference being if SNE or ANE did go on strike, it would likely be professionally handled by grown ups and resolved in a reasonable amount of time. Have either of those operators or their predecessors caused an indefinite strike like the clowns at GNE are presiding over and arguably perpetuating with their inflammatory messaging? I know there have been strikes of course but I can't recall anything on this scale with any of the operators, since probably the Northern strikes in the late 80s and even then don't think they dragged on like this.
GNE are leaving their network wide open for anyone to have a pretty low risk swipe at currently (and customer loyalty likely gained faster than would otherwise ever likely be feasible, helped of course by the current toxicity of the GNE "brand"). The fact no one is stepping in to 'compete' when the monopoliser is down shows the extent to which deregulation has utterly failed.
Aye fair points mind, but Arriva Yorkshire, who are technically the same management, had an indefinite strike last year which lasted 4 weeks and was a bit of a shambles.
https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-event...-pay-offer - That's the end one for it.
Didn't the Stagecoach Teesside strike last a couple weeks aswell, sure it did.
(07 Nov 2023, 11:55 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Aye fair points mind, but Arriva Yorkshire, who are technically the same management, had an indefinite strike last year which lasted 4 weeks and was a bit of a shambles.
https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-event...-pay-offer - That's the end one for it.
Didn't the Stagecoach Teesside strike last a couple weeks aswell, sure it did.
Not sure tbh - most of the strikes up here have seemed to be a week or two if that and don't forget we've already had two individual weeks and then a further almost two weeks of no service from GNE in the last 6 weeks, and plenty more to come it seems. Definitely feels like this is on a different scale, more amenable to competitors (if only there were any viable ones) getting a foothold.
Interesting thought that if talks have been unsuccessful is for Unite and GNE to compromise.
The compromisation would be is that members aka drivers will return to work and drive and operate buses but will be unable to accept cash or card payments or use the ticket machines button functions except to register a new service journey/duty route to enable real data for feeds etc for the benefit of customers and management to monitor timekeeping performance.
In brief....
No driver to accept any cash
No driver to accept card payments
If they arrive at the end destination 4 min late the bus leaves 4 min late on its next journey
Union members are allowed to place a sign over the ticket machine to state sorry this ticket machine is on strike today and your journey today on this service is free of charge
That is a compromise
(08 Nov 2023, 11:02 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote [ -> ]Interesting thought that if talks have been unsuccessful is for Unite and GNE to compromise.
The compromisation would be is that members aka drivers will return to work and drive and operate buses but will be unable to accept cash or card payments or use the ticket machines button functions except to register a new service journey/duty route to enable real data for feeds etc for the benefit of customers and management to monitor timekeeping performance.
In brief....
No driver to accept any cash
No driver to accept card payments
If they arrive at the end destination 4 min late the bus leaves 4 min late on its next journey
Union members are allowed to place a sign over the ticket machine to state sorry this ticket machine is on strike today and your journey today on this service is free of charge
That is a compromise
Unfortunately strikes like that are illegal in the UK
(08 Nov 2023, 11:02 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote [ -> ]Interesting thought that if talks have been unsuccessful is for Unite and GNE to compromise.
The compromisation would be is that members aka drivers will return to work and drive and operate buses but will be unable to accept cash or card payments or use the ticket machines button functions except to register a new service journey/duty route to enable real data for feeds etc for the benefit of customers and management to monitor timekeeping performance.
In brief....
No driver to accept any cash
No driver to accept card payments
If they arrive at the end destination 4 min late the bus leaves 4 min late on its next journey
Union members are allowed to place a sign over the ticket machine to state sorry this ticket machine is on strike today and your journey today on this service is free of charge
That is a compromise
Surely the strike now would be better for GNE. Not much of a compromise, we want paid but we're not taking any revenue.
Mind I can see why they're banned as it's a right black hole. New PS6's are coming out next week, right lads let's go on strike so we can go to work and sell PS6's without taking any cash to our mates. Just the same really, as stupid as that sounds.
(08 Nov 2023, 11:02 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote [ -> ]Interesting thought that if talks have been unsuccessful is for Unite and GNE to compromise.
The compromisation would be is that members aka drivers will return to work and drive and operate buses but will be unable to accept cash or card payments or use the ticket machines button functions except to register a new service journey/duty route to enable real data for feeds etc for the benefit of customers and management to monitor timekeeping performance.
In brief....
No driver to accept any cash
No driver to accept card payments
If they arrive at the end destination 4 min late the bus leaves 4 min late on its next journey
Union members are allowed to place a sign over the ticket machine to state sorry this ticket machine is on strike today and your journey today on this service is free of charge
That is a compromise
I think you've just described TfL Bus Drivers, which Go Ahead London pay upwards of £28 an hour!
What have the loadings been like?
(09 Nov 2023, 9:17 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]What have the loadings been like?
Dropped my OH off at Heworth for her to get it at half one as she lives in Washington. I took a photo of it coming out and it looked quite busy.
![[Image: 53318515464_b154ac8e0b.jpg]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318515464_b154ac8e0b.jpg)
City Transport Group 5323 / NK58 DVZ by
kieron mathews, on Flickr
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What replacement was CITY ALX400 doing, I passed it on the Felling-By-Pass saying
Seaham
Rail Replacement, I have no idea why it was just seaham, if its for Northern the train atleasts extends to Hartlepool
(12 Nov 2023, 6:07 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote [ -> ]Link doesn't work. Any information please?
Fixed. Try it now.
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(12 Nov 2023, 6:12 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Fixed. Try it now.
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Great. Thanks. Interesting service. Should have been linked with the c4 at Concord though.
(12 Nov 2023, 6:27 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote [ -> ]Great. Thanks. Interesting service. Should have been linked with the c4 at Concord though.
Why? It's a local service connecting the various villages and estates to local facilities situated within the Houghton/Hetton area, for those who may rely on the bus for that reason. Essentially performing the function of a taxibus/DRT.
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You thinking about a different City Transport?
https://find-and-update.company-informat...9/officers
For clarity:
There's two City Transports come up on Google, both registered in Newcastle - the one I linked and another one which has a Lloyd Jackson listed as a director. I have a friend who's supposed to be starting at City Transport soon and he keeps mentioning a guy called John or Jon who runs it - the only John/Jon listed works for the one I linked.
Not just a far right [insert pejorative term here] but a bloody nuisance with FOI requests, too, by the look of it.
Awful. There's a service I'll not be using then.
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Is their route 4 even continuing now that Go North East are back up and running?
(23 Dec 2023, 7:45 am)MetrolineGA1511 wrote [ -> ]Is their route 4 even continuing now that Go North East are back up and running?
No the last day of operation was last day of strike.
does anyone know if they actually made any profit from running it?
(24 Dec 2023, 9:48 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]does anyone know if they actually made any profit from running it?
I saw it once in the Galleries Car Park, probably around dinnertime (so either 1200 or 1300). I never noticed anyone getting on then and looked empty when it left.
(24 Dec 2023, 6:27 pm)MurdnunoC wrote [ -> ]I saw it once in the Galleries Car Park, probably around dinnertime (so either 1200 or 1300). I never noticed anyone getting on then and looked empty when it left.
I sat it a few times and had a healthy load each time. Dont forget if you seen it over lunchtime it got an hours break so perhaps it was hust starring or ending its break when you seen it
City are also doing a handful of day trips in January.
Beverley
Leeds
Northallerton
York
Listed on website so far