Today I travelled on 6 buses, three of them were Versas (6, 12A and X85) for journeys Whickham to Metrocentre, Blaydon to Newcastle and Newcastle to Denton Burn. I like Versas. For Whickham I got the X31 and the journey was much better. As usual the 74 was an Optare Solo, and Solos are not the best.
Hopefully the 684 will get upgraded in the future.
One bus per hour is not a good level of service.
It’s not but probably all it merits. The network has lost a generation of passengers who have either been at home, use cars or just don’t see buses as reliable (not even taking into account a generation of school kids who’ve missed whole years of school and those early days of freedom)
Parents won’t put their nearest and dearest on a bus, commuters can’t rely on them and those that stick in aren’t rewarded, leisure travellers are turning to taxis, OAPs are staying local and ticketing is still restrictive and poor value…all added in with budget cuts and a government that doesn’t care about buses all that much. It’s much like the rail industry but minus the bonus of rail which has seen a switch from mid week commuter peaks to weekend peaks
More to come…
I enjoyed my journeys today, but was disappointed to miss the 49 to Blaydon due to getting the 6 from Whickham, and subsequently learning the 49A doesn't serve Blaydon (then finding out it does, but a different bit of it!) and I didn't get to ride the 643 from Whickham to Metrocentre due to its hourly timetable (only missed it by about 5 minutes or so, I'd like to go on that soon). My 10B to Blaydon from the Metrocentre was an older bus I think and not branded for the service, but was a good journey regardless.
Definitely think it's time for the 74 to get new buses, even if remaining a minibus operation. Be interesting to see if the 74 can survive much longer.
(12 Jan 2022, 9:27 pm)Wybus Has the X1 really seen such a reduction in passenger numbers, or is this another case where they need buses elsewhere so have been forced to reduce the frequency. In my experience it’s never what you might call quiet.Its gets really busy, so i think its probably just resource management. An alternative service even just to Washington would help, but at the moment its just pdfs in the suggestions thread.
(12 Jan 2022, 9:27 pm)Wybus Has the X1 really seen such a reduction in passenger numbers, or is this another case where they need buses elsewhere so have been forced to reduce the frequency. In my experience it’s never what you might call quiet.Its gets really busy, so i think its probably just resource management. An alternative service even just to Washington would help, but at the moment its just pdfs in the suggestions thread.
(29 Dec 2021, 9:59 am)Dan The X9 and the X85 are all ‘recent’ developments and built upon the existing foundations to deliver growth.
Crikey, nearly 2 hours from Middlesbrough to Newcastle on the X10, not an attractive prospect. Hopefully the passengers saved from serving both are greater than those put off by the convoluted journey around Teesside.
(29 Dec 2021, 9:59 am)Dan The X9 and the X85 are all ‘recent’ developments and built upon the existing foundations to deliver growth.
(12 Jan 2022, 10:10 am)streetdeckfan I love how there's absolutely no mention of the huge downgrade in vehicles on the X84, sorry 684
(12 Jan 2022, 10:10 am)streetdeckfan I love how there's absolutely no mention of the huge downgrade in vehicles on the X84, sorry 684
(13 Jan 2022, 8:35 am)Adrian It's all about positive language, isn't it?
On the X9/X10 bit, I wonder if 'high-specification nearly new double-deck buses' are an upgrade or downgrade on 'luxury coaches'?
(13 Jan 2022, 8:35 am)Adrian It's all about positive language, isn't it?
On the X9/X10 bit, I wonder if 'high-specification nearly new double-deck buses' are an upgrade or downgrade on 'luxury coaches'?
(13 Jan 2022, 8:35 am)Adrian It's all about positive language, isn't it?
"From 30 January, we will be implementing some service changes to better match service capacity to long-term demand expectations, and continuing our work to adjust schedules in response to new traffic congestion issues." is a lot of waffle for saying "we're cutting some services because no one is using them"
I thought that the long-term demand expectation was 10% growth on the 2019 baseline by March 2024, with a further 10% growth on the 2019 baseline by March 2025? Or at least that is the target in the BSIP, unless something revised is going to be communicated. There's little point of having a target if you're conceding to it before it's even started.
On the X9/X10 bit, I wonder if 'high-specification nearly new double-deck buses' are an upgrade or downgrade on 'luxury coaches'?
(13 Jan 2022, 8:35 am)Adrian It's all about positive language, isn't it?
"From 30 January, we will be implementing some service changes to better match service capacity to long-term demand expectations, and continuing our work to adjust schedules in response to new traffic congestion issues." is a lot of waffle for saying "we're cutting some services because no one is using them"
I thought that the long-term demand expectation was 10% growth on the 2019 baseline by March 2024, with a further 10% growth on the 2019 baseline by March 2025? Or at least that is the target in the BSIP, unless something revised is going to be communicated. There's little point of having a target if you're conceding to it before it's even started.
On the X9/X10 bit, I wonder if 'high-specification nearly new double-deck buses' are an upgrade or downgrade on 'luxury coaches'?
(11 Jan 2022, 10:40 pm)peter New timetables now up on the GNE site
-Hexham interworkings aren't immediately obvious - looks like the 680/684/688 will interwork in a roundabout sort of way, as well as the 686/687/689.
-The 55/X20 are now equally spaced from Sunderland, while on the X1 the :19 journeys will extend to Dalton Park and the :49 journeys to Peterlee.
-Looks like the 10/10A/10B will all interwork as opposed to the 10 being standalone
-Overall looks to be nothing that we didn't already know about
(11 Jan 2022, 10:40 pm)peter New timetables now up on the GNE site
-Hexham interworkings aren't immediately obvious - looks like the 680/684/688 will interwork in a roundabout sort of way, as well as the 686/687/689.
-The 55/X20 are now equally spaced from Sunderland, while on the X1 the :19 journeys will extend to Dalton Park and the :49 journeys to Peterlee.
-Looks like the 10/10A/10B will all interwork as opposed to the 10 being standalone
-Overall looks to be nothing that we didn't already know about
(13 Jan 2022, 10:14 am)streetdeckfan Unless they're going to let you have a shit in the bins, I think it's probably a downgradeNot like they let you have a shit anyway, toilet is either locked out of use or there's no toilet roll.
(13 Jan 2022, 10:14 am)streetdeckfan Unless they're going to let you have a shit in the bins, I think it's probably a downgradeNot like they let you have a shit anyway, toilet is either locked out of use or there's no toilet roll.
Theres a lot of GNE changes on VOSA I assume most of its to do with the reintroduction of a full saturday timetable.
But why does the 25 only say Langley Park to Chester-Le-Street.
With the 311 being dropped, will GNE take a BSIP approach by moving the evening 309 journeys ex Newcastle back to xx:45 / xx:50 to keep some sort of a combined frequency with the 308 also running at xx:12? I know the 20/40 interworking pattern with the 310 gives more breathing room but could be do-able with both 309 trips with a running time of 59 mins ex Blyth and 58 mins ex Newcastle.
309 Ex Blyth: 18:35 (1hr 5 mins), 19:40 (1hr), 20:46 (59 mins), 21:46 (59 mins), 22:51 (New York only)
309 Ex Newcastle: 19:45, 20:45, 21:50, 22:50
310 Ex North Shields (46 mins): 19:29, 20:29, 21:29, 22:29, 23:09 (Norham Road only)
310 Ex Newcastle (46 mins): 20:20, 21:20, 22:20, 23:25 (Verne Road only)
From Monday 14 March, following customer feedback, we will be making minor changes to the capacity and times of services X85 and 687.
Service 687
Weekday journeys from Hexham at 5.50am, 6.50am and 7.50am will be retimed to run 10 minutes earlier.
Weekday journeys from Newbrough at 6.12am, 7.12am and 8.12am will also be retimed to run 10 minutes earlier.
Service X85
The morning journey on service X85 will be retimed to run around 9 minutes earlier than it does currently, and will additionally serve Hellpool Lane and Whetstone Bridge Road.
These changes allow us to provide a larger vehicle on the X85, following customer requests, as well as making the 7.02am journey from Newbrough the same bus as the X85 for passengers travelling through from Newbrough to Newcastle.
*new timetables are on GNE's website
(03 Mar 2022, 5:33 pm)Jimmi From Monday 14 March, following customer feedback, we will be making minor changes to the capacity and times of services X85 and 687.Wonder if it i'll be a double decker or not.
Service 687
Weekday journeys from Hexham at 5.50am, 6.50am and 7.50am will be retimed to run 10 minutes earlier.
Weekday journeys from Newbrough at 6.12am, 7.12am and 8.12am will also be retimed to run 10 minutes earlier.
Service X85
The morning journey on service X85 will be retimed to run around 9 minutes earlier than it does currently, and will additionally serve Hellpool Lane and Whetstone Bridge Road.
These changes allow us to provide a larger vehicle on the X85, following customer requests, as well as making the 7.02am journey from Newbrough the same bus as the X85 for passengers travelling through from Newbrough to Newcastle.
(03 Mar 2022, 5:33 pm)Jimmi From Monday 14 March, following customer feedback, we will be making minor changes to the capacity and times of services X85 and 687.Wonder if it i'll be a double decker or not.
Service 687
Weekday journeys from Hexham at 5.50am, 6.50am and 7.50am will be retimed to run 10 minutes earlier.
Weekday journeys from Newbrough at 6.12am, 7.12am and 8.12am will also be retimed to run 10 minutes earlier.
Service X85
The morning journey on service X85 will be retimed to run around 9 minutes earlier than it does currently, and will additionally serve Hellpool Lane and Whetstone Bridge Road.
These changes allow us to provide a larger vehicle on the X85, following customer requests, as well as making the 7.02am journey from Newbrough the same bus as the X85 for passengers travelling through from Newbrough to Newcastle.
March service changes now live: https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/service-ch...e-27-march
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