(20 Apr 2021, 5:58 am)Dan The change to the 26 was a permanent change - in this press release, Go North East stated which of the changes from 1 June were permanent.

The 13 and X7 remain as temporary changes until demand increases - it's better that the resource (vehicle and driver) from these services goes into something which is more advantageous, which, in the wider context of NEbus and operators working together collaboratively, may be operating duplicate services on behalf of Arriva or Stagecoach. Of course if that demand doesn't increase, there may not be a requirement for these services to return. We're in a bit of an unknown state at the moment.

(20 Apr 2021, 11:16 am)cbma06 Are passengers allowed to stand in the aisle in the bus? Thought under social distancing it wouldn’t be allowed, passengers would be in close contact if there get out of the seat to walk along the aisle to get off the bus


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(20 Apr 2021, 7:15 pm)BeachBoy99 Obviously, standing isn't permitted in the current climate; however, I think the driver let extra people on out of courtesy. Not doing so would have left umpteen people stranded at the bus stop for at least half an hour (when the next 55 was due). Any decent driver would feel guilty doing that — particularly when it was primarily elderly people who were waiting for the bus — so it's understandable. Not a big deal, really — everyone was wearing masks, and most of the people who boarded were those who have likely had the vaccine.

(20 Apr 2021, 7:15 pm)BeachBoy99 Obviously, standing isn't permitted in the current climate; however, I think the driver let extra people on out of courtesy. Not doing so would have left umpteen people stranded at the bus stop for at least half an hour (when the next 55 was due). Any decent driver would feel guilty doing that — particularly when it was primarily elderly people who were waiting for the bus — so it's understandable. Not a big deal, really — everyone was wearing masks, and most of the people who boarded were those who have likely had the vaccine.

(20 Apr 2021, 8:15 pm)cbma06 So the driver didn’t put health and safety first since we are in a pandemic, if you say passengers have had the vaccine so you must mean the elderly, even if the passenger has had the 1st or both doses you can still catch the virus specially in close contact on the bus, wearing face masks doesn’t mean you are invincible unless you probably wearing the proper masks, which the general public are unable to purchase


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(20 Apr 2021, 8:15 pm)cbma06 So the driver didn’t put health and safety first since we are in a pandemic, if you say passengers have had the vaccine so you must mean the elderly, even if the passenger has had the 1st or both doses you can still catch the virus specially in close contact on the bus, wearing face masks doesn’t mean you are invincible unless you probably wearing the proper masks, which the general public are unable to purchase


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(20 Apr 2021, 9:21 pm)L469 YVK Will the 309/310/311 PVR go back up to 16?

(20 Apr 2021, 9:38 pm)Michael I thought it was?, all the buses are running every 20 minutes again.

(21 Apr 2021, 6:38 am)big mac Another service that hasn't reverted to "normal" is the 56 which is still a 15 minute frequency, rather than every 12 minutes pre-covid.  Is that permanent?

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(21 Apr 2021, 6:38 am)big mac Another service that hasn't reverted to "normal" is the 56 which is still a 15 minute frequency, rather than every 12 minutes pre-covid.  Is that permanent?

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(21 Apr 2021, 7:24 am)streetdeckfan And the X66, I wonder if it's permanently back to just running between Gateshead and Metrocentre.
I don't think the bingo club will be happy if they can't get the bus from M&S anymore!

Was the route around the Metrocentre subsidised by Intu or were GNE running that part commercially?

(21 Apr 2021, 10:48 am)deanmachine It's on the side of the new CityRider branding as every 15 mins, and they've reduced the PVR with some of the buses going to other depots. Pretty permanent.

(21 Apr 2021, 12:29 pm)pbjd Car Parks were cut due to loss of payment from intu/wwhoever owns it now.

X66 was every 7.5 before lockdown v3 but still every 10 now I believe.

(21 Apr 2021, 12:01 am)OrangeArrow49 Are there any changes for the 74 in the near future? Recently a Tynedale Links Optare Solo has been passing Cowgate, but not sure where it comes from, maybe a timetable change for the 74? I see it an hour before the 74 is due (13:15, and the 74 due at 14:20). Surprised the 74 is still running. GNE keeping the contract for the long term?

(21 Apr 2021, 7:04 pm)xpm Nope no changes, although 721 and 723 are both currently on loan elsewhere at the moment.

(21 Apr 2021, 7:18 pm)OrangeArrow49 Thank you for the reply. 

It was 668 I saw yesterday passing Cowgate.

wouldn’t necessarily tie up with the time you mentioned, but also a morning and afternoon scholars run in town.  Ticket machine wouldn’t necessarily tally as it was set to 671 until it was corrected today.