(05 Jun 2023, 6:16 pm)Storx In fairness the buses are the least of the issues imo.

There's total gaps on how someone from Newcastle is meant to 

• Use the Metro towards Sunderland / South Shields.
  
• Get to West Jesmond / Ilford Road at all
  
• Information for people who aren't at the concerts and are affected
  

and similar at Sunderland for someone needing the Metro there.

Newcastle in particular is a major destination in it's own right and they've effectively just shut the Metro down with no information at all.

(06 Jun 2023, 3:54 pm)Unber43 i am so confused, if im in Newcastle when the concerts are on, how do I get out of central newcastle by the metro, it seems every station will be shut?

(05 Jun 2023, 10:16 pm)Ambassador The whole thing just shows how awful the transport infrastructure across Tyne and Wear really is. Two concerts at under 100,000 and they give up

Having seen how Edinburgh Trams handled Springsteen and then how TFGM coped with Elton John, Artic Monkeys and Coldplay across 3 venues on the same night it’s actually embarrassing how badly prepared  our network is for an event like this.

Terrifying to think this lot could actually be running the whole show when regional devolution steps in. I think I’d prefer a MG and Roger French combo over NECA and Nexus.

(09 Jun 2023, 2:16 pm)itsadam Which depot is running the Sam Fender buses? They've practically cancelled the entire timetable for the 21 this evening

(09 Jun 2023, 2:19 pm)Michael I would of said Riverside, bigger depot and more deckers than other depots.

(09 Jun 2023, 2:16 pm)itsadam Which depot is running the Sam Fender buses? They've practically cancelled the entire timetable for the 21 this evening

(09 Jun 2023, 2:23 pm)Andreos1 You got the list of cancelled runs?

(09 Jun 2023, 2:22 pm)itsadam That was my first guess. I'm so pi**ed off, they're prioritising Sam Fender. In all fairness, the 21 has been quite bad lately but today's by far the worst it's been.

(09 Jun 2023, 12:51 pm)Adrian I'm not one for jumping to the defence of Nexus, but they're only playing with the hand they're dealt here.

As you well know, we live in a deregulated bus market that is supposed to increase competition. The only problem with that, is when there's a chance to think outside of the box, on the most part it doesn't happen, unless Nexus find a pot of money to throw at it.

I'm a loss as to why when there's sold out gigs at the two biggest stadiums in our region, bus operators by large insist on running their usual evening service. Drifter60 has highlighted above that Fender is due off stage 22.50-23.00, yet that Peterlee bound, and the following Houghton bound X1 would have left before that. That's just one example, but there are many others.

What about Park and Ride services? You've got huge car parks sitting empty most evenings. If the SF1 is running to Kingston Park, surely something could have been worked out with the site management to allow use for park and ride. Same with utilising the Metrocentre, Galleries, Wessington Way, etc.

For me, it highlights yet another reason why we need an integrated network.

(09 Jun 2023, 2:16 pm)itsadam Which depot is running the Sam Fender buses? They've practically cancelled the entire timetable for the 21 this evening

(09 Jun 2023, 2:25 pm)Michael Angel 21

The following full journeys will not operate  

from Newcastle: 15:00, 16:52, 17:32, 19:14, 20:26, 21:26, 23:26
from Chester-le-Street: 15:54, 17:49, 18:23, 19:44, 22:27
The following journeys will start from Gateshead

from Newcastle: 20:36
The following journeys will only run as far as Gateshead

from Chester-le-Street: 20:44 

---

Ye, wonder why they couldn't put shuttles on for P!NK too or extend some of the services to run later...... same as Stagecoach Sunderland - buses finish at normal times.

(09 Jun 2023, 5:21 pm)Storx There's no shuttle buses tonight for Sam Fender... that's Saturday only.

There does seem to be a Shuttle for the Blaydon Races though as I've passed numerous Omnidekka's along Sandy Lane from Percy Main avoiding the LEZ by going all the way around.

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/gnel-6168?date=2023-06-09#journeys/436691670 - There's one tracking there.

It's more likely people are either doing the Blaydon Race or are at Sam Fender and when you rely on overtime from driver's only one thing will happen.

(09 Jun 2023, 5:36 pm)Thomas12 Pretty sure those Omnidekkas are Euro 6 compliant - they're used regularly on the 1. 

I'd imagine they went that way to avoid the horrific traffic along the Coast Road tonight.

(09 Jun 2023, 2:31 pm)Ambassador I do think Nexus have panicked as well. There is no reason why 2 events should cause this much chaos but I'd argue that Stadium of Light in particular needs a much better travel plan for its gigs and that should be looked at going forward.

We aren't talking huge crowds, Newcastle is just over its usual capacity for home games and there's actually less people in the city than when Loosefest was on at Exhibition Park at the same time Newcastle played at home earlier this season. If they can't figure a way to safely operate between 2 sites that are 14 miles away then god help us all. 

Having seen the state of some people in town already, I wouldn't fancy driving a bus post-gig tonight (but then looking at their cancellations tonight - doesn't look like that many fancied driving pre-gig either!)