North East Buses
Disruptions and driver shortages - Printable Version

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RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - 54APhotography - 17 Sep 2022

(16 Sep 2022, 4:56 pm)Unber43 What a joke GNE 

Delays/Cancellation all bloody day. These changes definitely did not improve reliability if anything they've made it worse.

Entire GNE Network needs re-scheduling. 

65, X1, 4, 21, X21, 60, 25. 

They're all over the place. 

65 has been moved to Seaham for changeovers however why didn't they bring a bus which they could just take straight on the route as they're all late.
I would say the entire timetabling of services could do with change. Few buses connect now with the cuts to services. It's a massive task, but one which would perhaps alleviate some of the frustration.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Ambassador - 17 Sep 2022

Jesus the 21 on a match day is a dictionary definition of a route that cannot cope and needs support that it won’t get in the current climate.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Adrian - 17 Sep 2022

(17 Sep 2022, 5:21 pm)Ambassador Jesus the 21 on a match day is a dictionary definition of a route that cannot cope and needs support that it won’t get in the current climate.

The queue for it at Gateshead Interchange was quite big when I was there later this afternoon. Unless they were turning one at Gateshead, those waiting for the Southbound journeys might as well have started walking then.

Notably the 82 I used went out almost full to seating capacity, with only a couple seats spare. Only 4 got off at Wrekenton but quite a few ended up getting off between the Coach and Horses and where it comes back on to Durham Road at the shops. Not bad for a secured service!


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Andreos1 - 17 Sep 2022

(17 Sep 2022, 11:43 am)54APhotography I would say the entire timetabling of services could do with change. Few buses connect now with the cuts to services. It's a massive task, but one which would perhaps alleviate some of the frustration.

It should have been done years ago.

This latest lot of changes could have done something that wasn't done during the previous revisions, the ones before them or the times... Well you get the gist.

Wasted opportunity. Again.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Malarkey - 17 Sep 2022

Noticed today some of these "Agency Drivers" that GNE have brought in to cover the additional contracts they are operating, most noticeably Metro Replacements 900/X900 are using Drivers from Abellio London as two of the drivers I seen today both were wearing Abellio uniform, must be costing Go North East a significant amount of money for their wages/accommodation for the next 3 months.

Elsewhere the 21/X21 is just an utter joke with the amount of Angel/XLines X21's parked up in Gateshead Interchange at various points of the day due to services being cut short at Gateshead, feel sorry for those who are then left like waiting excessive periods time to end up like a tinned sardine on a bus that is then way beyond capacity, echoing the points of others the timetables across multiple routes are just not fit for purpose as they don't have enough running time and layover periods are tighter than nuns you know what causing service cancellations left, right and centre as the drivers physically can't do anything to keep to time due to elements such as the A1 Works impacting the 21/X21 at Peak Times.

Don't even get me started on Riversides Depot Allocator.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 17 Sep 2022

(17 Sep 2022, 8:16 pm)Malarkey Noticed today some of these "Agency Drivers" that GNE have brought in to cover the additional contracts they are operating, most noticeably Metro Replacements 900/X900 are using Drivers from Abellio London as two of the drivers I seen today both were wearing Abellio uniform, must be costing Go North East a significant amount of money for their wages/accommodation for the next 3 months.

Elsewhere the 21/X21 is just an utter joke with the amount of Angel/XLines X21's parked up in Gateshead Interchange at various points of the day due to services being cut short at Gateshead, feel sorry for those who are then left like waiting excessive periods time to end up like a tinned sardine on a bus that is then way beyond capacity, echoing the points of others the timetables across multiple routes are just not fit for purpose as they don't have enough running time and layover periods are tighter than nuns you know what causing service cancellations left, right and centre as the drivers physically can't do anything to keep to time due to elements such as the A1 Works impacting the 21/X21 at Peak Times.

Don't even get me started on Riversides Depot Allocator.
Riverside, Deptford, Washington allocations are all, all over the place.

Yes there may have been a case for drivers only familiarised on certain vehciles but its beyond a joke now with allocations.

I had a quick check over the last two days and there has been

87 Delayed/Operational Issue Service Gaps (45 mins delays on 25, 30 65's)

10 Breakdowns

These don't even include when X1/21/60/4's go NIS due to late running which has been happening a lot, and they weren't put on Twitter


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Andreos1 - 17 Sep 2022

(17 Sep 2022, 8:16 pm)Malarkey Noticed today some of these "Agency Drivers" that GNE have brought in to cover the additional contracts they are operating, most noticeably Metro Replacements 900/X900 are using Drivers from Abellio London as two of the drivers I seen today both were wearing Abellio uniform, must be costing Go North East a significant amount of money for their wages/accommodation for the next 3 months. 

Elsewhere the 21/X21 is just an utter joke with the amount of Angel/XLines X21's parked up in Gateshead Interchange at various points of the day due to services being cut short at Gateshead, feel sorry for those who are then left like waiting excessive periods time to end up like a tinned sardine on a bus that is then way beyond capacity, echoing the points of others the timetables across multiple routes are just not fit for purpose as they don't have enough running time and layover periods are tighter than nuns you know what causing service cancellations left, right and centre as the drivers physically can't do anything to keep to time due to elements such as the A1 Works impacting the 21/X21 at Peak Times.

Don't even get me started on Riversides Depot Allocator.

It must be paying well though?
To tender for a taxpayer funded contract and then recruit drivers from elsewhere (even with any associated overheads) and make a loss... Well that's commercial suicide.

I'm sure everything is costed out well and GNE are making a fair few quid out of this arrangement.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Adrian - 17 Sep 2022

(17 Sep 2022, 8:16 pm)Malarkey Noticed today some of these "Agency Drivers" that GNE have brought in to cover the additional contracts they are operating, most noticeably Metro Replacements 900/X900 are using Drivers from Abellio London as two of the drivers I seen today both were wearing Abellio uniform, must be costing Go North East a significant amount of money for their wages/accommodation for the next 3 months.

Elsewhere the 21/X21 is just an utter joke with the amount of Angel/XLines X21's parked up in Gateshead Interchange at various points of the day due to services being cut short at Gateshead, feel sorry for those who are then left like waiting excessive periods time to end up like a tinned sardine on a bus that is then way beyond capacity, echoing the points of others the timetables across multiple routes are just not fit for purpose as they don't have enough running time and layover periods are tighter than nuns you know what causing service cancellations left, right and centre as the drivers physically can't do anything to keep to time due to elements such as the A1 Works impacting the 21/X21 at Peak Times.

Don't even get me started on Riversides Depot Allocator.

Maybe so, but I'd be very surprised if it wasn't factored into the price they've given Nexus to run the service.

It's a big piece of work. Given operators are struggling getting drivers to cover their normal work, they've clearly had to look further afield to cover this contract. Whilst I'm personally not a fan of using agency workers, I think it's good that GNE have clearly put a well-thought out plan in place to cover this. I was at Heworth for a bit earlier, and it seemed to be running like clockwork; even with the match traffic.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Ambassador - 17 Sep 2022

Yes those agency drivers are erm….well, an experience.

Pleasing to see the 82 doing well, I’ve used it a few times.

Re-the 21. It was running in 4s pre match and leaving Low Fell standing. The cannon looked like Eldon square bus station! The poor X12 was again full and standing from Allerdene. Post match, even at 6.30pm was just as bad, 3 angels filled up across 3 stands at ES leaving other city stops and Gateshead wanting….

In a fully staffed world you’d have 21s running to the Angel and back to pick up the slack from Durham Road. Alas in our current world we’ve got empty Angels in Gateshead and Streetlites running a service…


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Jack Gill - 18 Sep 2022

GNE's short notice cancellations have finally returned.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 18 Sep 2022

(18 Sep 2022, 9:14 am)Jack Gill GNE's short notice cancellations have finally returned.
Seems to only be washington today.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Drifter60 - 18 Sep 2022

I’m not sure these short notice cancellations really make any sense. For instance the 20 today:

Prince Bishops 20:
The following full journeys will not operate 
From Durham: 10:04, 15:04, 16:04, 17:14
From Langley Park: 10:37, 15:37, 16:37, 17:47

But how come there’s no journeys cancelled from Sunderland listed?

EDIT: before replying I’ve worked this one out I believe. Washington operate the Langley to Durham shorts on Sundays. But how confusing is that information on a public facing platform? It didn’t make much sense to me, let alone other passengers. You’d also be led to believe that Sunderland to Durham is running perfectly fine, which probably isn’t the case either.

Also the fact there’s a three hour gap in buses to/from Langley Park is a disgrace also.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 18 Sep 2022

(18 Sep 2022, 4:37 pm)Drifter60 I’m not sure these short notice cancellations really make any sense. For instance the 20 today:

Prince Bishops 20:
The following full journeys will not operate 
From Durham: 10:04, 15:04, 16:04, 17:14
From Langley Park: 10:37, 15:37, 16:37, 17:47

But how come there’s no journeys cancelled from Sunderland listed?

EDIT: before replying I’ve worked this one out I believe. Washington operate the Langley to Durham shorts on Sundays. But how confusing is that information on a public facing platform? It didn’t make much sense to me, let alone other passengers. You’d also be led to believe that Sunderland to Durham is running perfectly fine, which probably isn’t the case either.

Also the fact there’s a three hour gap in buses to/from Langley Park is a disgrace also.
The 17:47 from Langley Park is the last service to Durham.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - deanmachine - 18 Sep 2022

(18 Sep 2022, 4:37 pm)Drifter60 I’m not sure these short notice cancellations really make any sense. For instance the 20 today:

Prince Bishops 20:
The following full journeys will not operate 
From Durham: 10:04, 15:04, 16:04, 17:14
From Langley Park: 10:37, 15:37, 16:37, 17:47

But how come there’s no journeys cancelled from Sunderland listed?

EDIT: before replying I’ve worked this one out I believe. Washington operate the Langley to Durham shorts on Sundays. But how confusing is that information on a public facing platform? It didn’t make much sense to me, let alone other passengers. You’d also be led to believe that Sunderland to Durham is running perfectly fine, which probably isn’t the case either.

Also the fact there’s a three hour gap in buses to/from Langley Park is a disgrace also.

Does seem quite mad that Deptford don't run all the way to Langley Park on a Sunday, never made any sense to me, even when it was the X20. Must make sense to someone in Bensham though.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Andreos1 - 18 Sep 2022

(18 Sep 2022, 4:37 pm)Drifter60 I’m not sure these short notice cancellations really make any sense. For instance the 20 today:

Prince Bishops 20:
The following full journeys will not operate 
From Durham: 10:04, 15:04, 16:04, 17:14
From Langley Park: 10:37, 15:37, 16:37, 17:47

But how come there’s no journeys cancelled from Sunderland listed?

EDIT: before replying I’ve worked this one out I believe. Washington operate the Langley to Durham shorts on Sundays. But how confusing is that information on a public facing platform? It didn’t make much sense to me, let alone other passengers. You’d also be led to believe that Sunderland to Durham is running perfectly fine, which probably isn’t the case either.

Also the fact there’s a three hour gap in buses to/from Langley Park is a disgrace also.

#missingpurplestreetlites


Short notice cancellations - itsadam - 19 Sep 2022

I don't know if anyone else has noticed but they've started listing their short notice cancellations again. They did it for Sunday missed out today and the ones they've got now are for tomorrow


RE: Short notice cancellations - Ambassador - 19 Sep 2022

Copy and paste with no proofreading on the page do we think….

After 3pm, please add any additional cancelled journeys in red and highlight any journeys you’ve managed to cover in green.  

Very professional…..nearly as professional as not running an up to every 10 minute service for 45 minutes..seriously why is the point of Newcastle to Gateshead Angel runs?!


RE: Short notice cancellations - BusLoverMum - 19 Sep 2022

Glad they have. Eldest starts a new course in the morning and the bus he was going to catch is bloody cancelled.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Ambassador - 22 Sep 2022

Wasn’t sure where to put this but I’d like to report an anti GNE tree, it may be one of Malarkey’s or even Andreos tree variants.

See, GNE can’t serve High Street West at Gateshead because of a tree blocking the road,

However…this tree doesn’t seem to be attacking Arriva or JH Coaches who still serve the route.

I really hope this anti GNE tree can be restrained.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - streetdeckfan - 22 Sep 2022

(22 Sep 2022, 10:14 pm)Ambassador Wasn’t sure where to put this but I’d like to report an anti GNE tree, it may be one of Malarkey’s or even Andreos tree variants.

See, GNE can’t serve High Street West at Gateshead because of a tree blocking the road,

However…this tree doesn’t seem to be attacking Arriva or JH Coaches who still serve the route.

I really hope this anti GNE tree can be restrained.

You sure it's not just Unber standing at the side with a twig so they can complain about them going the wrong way?
Then again, that assumes they can manage to look away from Bustimes for more than 10 seconds