North East Buses

Can anyone remind the last Arriva ran Metro replacement contract. Its been a while. Id love to see Arriva do more Metro replacement

November 2019.

(29 Mar 2021, 1:49 am)MichealAaron wrote [ -> ]Can anyone remind the last Arriva ran Metro replacement contract. Its been a while. Id love to see Arriva do more Metro replacement

I imagine it's probably more staffing than anything to why they're not putting in for them at the minute.

(29 Mar 2021, 8:46 am)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]I imagine it's probably more staffing than anything to why they're not putting in for them at the minute.

They aren't on the framework to even bid for the planned Metro Replacement contracts anymore - they chose not to be.

To be fair Go North East does a good enough job as it is covering it, even when there's emergency replacements on or sudden closures a number of GNE routes shadow the Metro service usually accept tickets until replacement buses are in action or metro service resumes. Also GNE also works closely with other operators such as Stanley and Jim Hughes to provide extra vehicles if needed.

(29 Mar 2021, 1:49 am)MichealAaron wrote [ -> ]Can anyone remind the last Arriva ran Metro replacement contract. Its been a while. Id love to see Arriva do more Metro replacement

November 2019, and it was a disaster. They failed to supply enough buses, the Sunday afternoon was just chaos with christmas shoppers, and double deckers ex Bewick Street were full and standing on both decks. when darkness fell and after driver changes, two E400s got lost between Gateshead Interchange and Heworth! They have not bid for metro work since.

(09 Aug 2021, 6:20 am)54APhotography wrote [ -> ]November 2019, and it was a disaster. They failed to supply enough buses, the Sunday afternoon was just chaos with christmas shoppers, and double deckers ex Bewick Street were full and standing on both decks. when darkness fell and after driver changes, two E400s got lost between Gateshead Interchange and Heworth! They have not bid for metro work since.

These are the exact words in response from one of those Arriva drivers who worked that Sunday in response:

Nothing to do with the roadworks near the station and the fact it took me 4 hours to do half a trip....

Nexus are the ones to blame - timetable, as usual, a work of fiction…..
As for Arriva not bidding for any Metro work since - after that farce, would you?

Last time I saw them do metro replacement was 1st December 2019. Four Lane Ends to Airport

(09 Aug 2021, 8:29 am)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]As for Arriva not bidding for any Metro work since - after that farce, would you?

Arriva can't bid - the only operators that can are Go North East, JH Coaches and Stagecoach.

(09 Aug 2021, 9:48 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]Arriva can't bid - the only operators that can are Go North East, JH Coaches and Stagecoach.

Presumably that's because they're the only ones that choose to be able to bid, rather than being the only operators allowed to bid by Nexus?

(09 Aug 2021, 9:48 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]Arriva can't bid - the only operators that can are Go North East, JH Coaches and Stagecoach.

And that's why Arriva didn't bid in the first place....

Haven't seen stagecoach bid in a while

(09 Aug 2021, 9:51 am)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]Presumably that's because they're the only ones that choose to be able to bid, rather than being the only operators allowed to bid by Nexus?

There is a framework that operators need to be added to.

Arriva chose not to sign up to this framework - it'd be farcical to suggest that an issue on one day due to traffic congestion and roadworks would cause them to take this stance, probably more so that there's an enormous amount of work that goes into planning duties, allocating shifts, and ensuring drivers are suitably trained, before taking on such a job. As Arriva do them so infrequently, they probably haven't got drivers route learned, whereas because Go North East do them so regularly, there's a pool of drievrs that know the route so don't require any additional route learning prior.

(09 Aug 2021, 10:21 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]There is a framework that operators need to be added to.

Arriva chose not to sign up to this framework - it'd be farcical to suggest that an issue on one day due to traffic congestion and roadworks would cause them to take this stance, probably more so that there's an enormous amount of work that goes into planning duties, allocating shifts, and ensuring drivers are suitably trained, before taking on such a job. As Arriva do them so infrequently, they probably haven't got drivers route learned, whereas because Go North East do them so regularly, there's a pool of drievrs that know the route so don't require any additional route learning prior.

Jh seem to be getting a lot recently

Well they have the resources. They will have a number of school bus drivers who happily do an odd weekend of overtime doing the Metro Replacements.

Mind when there's an emergency replacement the framework goes out of the window and Nexus will try and get their hands on any bus they can.

A Line to Jh to Arriva to Gne anyone will do emergency. Sometimes it's A Line

(09 Aug 2021, 8:29 am)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]These are the exact words in response from one of those Arriva drivers who worked that Sunday in response:


Nexus are the ones to blame - timetable, as usual, a work of fiction…..
As for Arriva not bidding for any Metro work since - after that farce, would you?

It was a farce , dead right and given the stupid idea of serving Gateshead Stadium instead of the stop on Sunderland Road. I wasn't aware of any road works, but it was dark. I don't blame Arriva for not bidding again, but as a reluctant passenger you can image I was not at all amused!