North East Buses
Disruptions and driver shortages - Printable Version

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RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 13 Dec 2023

Change that stupid bus link thing after Gateshead, have it as like a slip road, turn one way of the Tyne Bridge into a bus lane, and make the redheugh one lane either side bus lanes, then have a bus lane heading towards Eldon Square


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Storx - 13 Dec 2023

(13 Dec 2023, 1:59 pm)Unber43 Change that stupid bus link thing after Gateshead, have it as like a slip road, turn one way of the Tyne Bridge into a bus lane, and make the redheugh one lane either side bus lanes, then have a bus lane heading towards Eldon Square

Putting a bus lane on the Redheugh Bridge and Tyne Bridge would make the delays worse as the traffic would be backing up into Teams / Low Fell / Gateshead / Felling Bypass / Bensham.

Bus lanes aren't the answer and quite often make things worse than they ever were, unless it's done by adding an additional lane.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Rob44 - 13 Dec 2023

(13 Dec 2023, 1:42 pm)Storx If we're going on the X1, there's a debate whether it should exist at all. If you're removing the Gateshead to Newcastle link, then surely it would be better to send the express bus towards Heworth and change there - there's a bus lane pretty much the whole journey there and save the resources of buses travelling non stop through Wrekenton etc. Combined with the existing 4, you'd have a very frequent service between Washington and Heworth of at least every 10 minutes.

The same argument could be made for the 27 and 57 aswell but you'd need proper integration for that and a much improved interchange at Heworth rather than a few bus stops outside in the cold.

the x1 serves wreckenton and qe hospital remember. Ive seen people let the 56 and 57 go by  knowing an x1 was behind. Also always a few getting off with me when im on a half day heading toward qe - unless they get dropped off and heworth and have to get the 93 up to qe?


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Storx - 13 Dec 2023

(13 Dec 2023, 2:06 pm)Rob44 the x1 serves wreckenton and qe hospital remember. Ive seen people let the 56 and 57 go by  knowing an x1 was behind. Also always a few getting off with me when im on a half day heading toward qe - unless they get dropped off and heworth and have to get the 93 up to qe?

Aye of course, could always just change onto the 56 at Concord though, I know it's not ideal but nothing will be. Is it better to have a 7.5 minute (roughly) to Heworth so people going to Gateshead and Newcastle (most) get a quicker and easier interchange or splitting it 15/20 for the few going to the QE and Wrekenton. I don't know, someone else would have to answer that tbh.

Always going to be a loser somewhere tbh. I'd probably say the 21, 53, 54, 56 and X21 should be the only services crossing the water from Gateshead really.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 13 Dec 2023

Or could Network Rail not just keep High Level Bridge open for buses and transfering trains like LNER Middlesbrough dead run, or GCT on a night.

And the Northern trains can just go in over King Edward Bridge, and reverse

(13 Dec 2023, 2:16 pm)Storx Aye of course, could always just change onto the 56 at Concord though, I know it's not ideal but nothing will be. Is it better to have a 7.5 minute (roughly) to Heworth so people going to Gateshead and Newcastle (most) get a quicker and easier interchange or splitting it 15/20 for the few going to the QE and Wrekenton. I don't know, someone else would have to answer that tbh.

Always going to be a loser somewhere tbh. I'd probably say the 21, 53, 54, 56 and X21 should be the only services crossing the water from Gateshead really.
Or maybe all that traffic try to get it onto public transport and have loads of services including the 5152 enter Newcastle


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Storx - 13 Dec 2023

(13 Dec 2023, 2:49 pm)Unber43 Or could Network Rail not just keep High Level Bridge open for buses and transfering trains like LNER Middlesbrough dead run, or  GCT on a night.

And the Northern trains can just go in over King Edward Bridge, and reverse

Or maybe all that traffic try to get it onto public transport and have loads of services including the 5152 enter Newcastle

Won't make a different though you'll just make both worse. You don't make public transport better by making cars worse. If the journey you want doesn't exist then whatever you do won't make a different. Most people using the Redheugh Bridge, in particular, won't be from Gateshead they'll be from places like Langley Park or Heaton.

In an ideal world people from places like Langley Park shouldn't be in a car but they shouldn't be on a bus either as it's just too far. There is a railway line that runs through CLS which the 725 passes though.... But it has 1 train every 2 hours...


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - L469 YVK - 14 Dec 2023

A bad night on the Coast Road with extreme delays. Thoughts go out to people caught up in the collision Sad


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Ambassador - 14 Dec 2023

(14 Dec 2023, 7:32 pm)L469 YVK A bad night on the Coast Road with extreme delays. Thoughts go out to people caught up in the collision Sad

Yes looked rather awful on the incredibly late running 22X I was on 

Stagecoach and Arriva updated socials proactively.

GNEs dismal social performance continued with no update. The app updated an hour after the event


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 14 Dec 2023

Yeah the delays looked awful, some buses upto 50 mins late, one just ran dead from Percy Main to North Sheilds after running from Byth to try and make up time.

GNE defo need a social media presence again FB & Twitter


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Ambassador - 16 Dec 2023

Yes they’re back

It’s Matchday rants!

20 minute angelic gaps have returned! The lovely people at arriva are filling the gaps with a somewhat rammed selection of x12s


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Ambassador - 16 Dec 2023

Post match…..I assume the service team don’t work nights….

There was no 21 for half an hour then two turned up both Durham bound and lightly loaded

Chased each other the whole way. Utter incompetence


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - deanmachine - 16 Dec 2023

Nothing's actually been said to us drivers officially, but I've heard from some places that they've cut right back on the SDC staff, it does seem like it takes an age to get in touch with them at the minute, but idk if it's because there's less of them there or what.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - omnicity4659 - 17 Dec 2023

Eldon Square was completely empty on the tarmac at regular points throughout tonight.

Resorted to walking back to MetroCentre as I got sick of waiting for something to turn up. Shambles of a service.

Looked like there was a 90 minute gap in Hexham 10s at one point.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Ambassador - 17 Dec 2023

There’s clearly a lot of short notice service cancellations they’re just plain lying about or not acknowledging

Utter contempt for a customer base they’ve already abandoned for months this year. Just tell us the truth so we can make alternative plans


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Andreos1 - 17 Dec 2023

(17 Dec 2023, 1:04 am)Ambassador There’s clearly a lot of short notice service cancellations they’re just plain lying about or not acknowledging

Utter contempt for a customer base they’ve already abandoned for months this year. Just tell us the truth so we can make alternative plans

I'd hope all this missing mileage is being reported to the powers that be such as Dft or at Harehills, because for all the contempt they're showing to the public, I'd hate for any fraud or deceit to be happening at a higher level.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 17 Dec 2023

Is the short term cancellations even on the website anymore?


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - F114TML - 17 Dec 2023

In fairness, there's not a lot of notice they can give the public if a bus is regulated, as it tends to be very short notice for the driver. They probably only make the decision about half an hour before it actually happens, if that.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 17 Dec 2023

In Germany for layovers they use the 8/2 rule (8 mins of driving time = 2 mins layover) ofc there are limits such as a dead 2 hour route isn't going to get like 20 mins layover either side, but i think this would be a good idea


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Andreos1 - 17 Dec 2023

(17 Dec 2023, 11:52 am)F114TML In fairness, there's not a lot of notice they can give the public if a bus is regulated, as it tends to be very short notice for the driver. They probably only make the decision about half an hour before it actually happens, if that.

Nowt a bit of inexpensive PowerBI/automation couldn't fix within seconds.
Very little human intervention needs.


RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 18 Dec 2023

So many missing boards today.