Go North East: Service Suggestions v2
Go North East: Service Suggestions v2
X21 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Low Fell - Chester-Le-Street - Durham - Spennymoor - Bishop Auckland - West Auckland - Staindrop - Barnard Castle
Extended Hourly from West Auckland to Barnard Castle
25 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Low Fell - Wrekenton - Barley Mow - Chester-Le-Street - Waldridge Park - Edmondsley - Sacriston - Langley Park - Esh Whinning - East Hedleyhope - Tow Law - Crook
Extended Hourly from Langley Park to Tow Law & Crook
X72 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Lobley Hill - Tanfield Village - Tantobie - Dipton - Annfield Plain - Stanley - Quaking Houses - Lanchester - East Hedleyhope - Tow Law - Crook
Extended Hourly from Stanley to Tow Law & Crook whilst also merging with Service 30 which would be withdrawn.
M1: Washington Galleries to Winlaton via Team Valley, Lobley Hill, Dunston, Metrocentre, Swalwell, Blaydon, Hole-In-The Wall & Parkhead Estate (Hourly or Half Hourly, Not Sure Yet).
M2: Chester-Le-Street to Clara Vale via Birtley, Lamesley, Team Valley, Dunston, Metrocentre, Blaydon, Crookhill, Ryton, Crawcrook (Hourly or Half Hourly, Not Sure Yet).
M3: Fellside Park to Winlaton Mill via Whickham, Swalwell, Metrocentre, Blaydon, Heddon View, Black Lane & Winlaton (Hourly or Half Hourly, Not Sure Yet).
Was bored and seen someone mention Team Valley before so thought how you could improve links to it all day.
1 - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead (Hourly)
1A - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead extended to Kibblesworth via 29 route (Hourly)
1B - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead extended to Ouston via 28 route but then loops round Urpeth Grange instead of continuing to Chester Le Street (replaced partially by X32) (Hourly)
28 - Withdrawn (replaced partially by 1B)
28A - Withdrawn (replaced partially by 1A / X32)
29 - Withdrawn (replaced by 1A)
X30 - Reduced to hourly
X31 - No change but works every 30 minutes with X30.
X32 - Stanley -> Beamish -> Pelton -> Perkinsville -> Ouston -> Lamesley -> Team Valley -> NON STOP -> Gateshead -> Newcastle (Every 30 minutes)
34 - Revert to old route missing Pelton.
91 - Withdrawn (replaced by X32)
93/94 - Withdraw peak extras (replaced by X32).
It has a few benefits such as:
Service between Newcastle / Stanley and Team Valley all day (X32)
New bus from Urpeth Grange to Birtley / Newcastle (1B)
Hourly bus link from Byker and beyond to the QE Hospital (1B)
Restores link between Stanley and Gateshead (X32)
Passengers on 29 route now have a service to Newcastle (1A)
Removal of the clearly unprofitable (28/28A South of Ouston).
Quicker service on the 93/94 to take pressure off them between Gateshead and Team Valley.
Removal of peak extras on 93/94.
Losses to be balanced:
Kibblesworth to Birtley with the 28A
Pelton to Chester Le Street to Birtley and the QE on the 28
Reduction of X30/X31 but other benefits brought with the X32.
(02 Oct 2021, 9:48 pm)idiot Well today I walked down to Deptford for some work. And it got me thinkingas it was raining..They could, they did a similar thing with the V11, however I think the Staff Shuttle for Deptford actually goes into the Bus Depot which the V11 to my knowledge didn't. Or they could register it as a free bus, wouldn't make a difference either way.
Which got me thinking- why don't they register the staff shuttle as a circular and any passenger would be a bonus
(02 Oct 2021, 9:48 pm)idiot Well today I walked down to Deptford for some work. And it got me thinkingas it was raining..They could, they did a similar thing with the V11, however I think the Staff Shuttle for Deptford actually goes into the Bus Depot which the V11 to my knowledge didn't. Or they could register it as a free bus, wouldn't make a difference either way.
Which got me thinking- why don't they register the staff shuttle as a circular and any passenger would be a bonus
i would love to see a service from Consett to South Shields. can be a quick express if you take the quick way to Chester-Le-Street.
heres how i would set it out:
Consett - Leadgate - Annfield Plain - Stanley - Chester-Le-Street - A194 to Tyne Dock - Westoe - South Shields Interchange.
could work well for locals like me who use to get the Coach on a trip to South Shields in the summer holiday period. could work well this service during summer times. can save people time to not go to Durham, Gateshead or even Sunderland to catch the bus to Shields.
i dont know what number i would give it tho. probably the X8 or something
(29 Sep 2021, 4:49 pm)Storx Was bored and seen someone mention Team Valley before so thought how you could improve links to it all day.
1 - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead (Hourly)
1A - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead extended to Kibblesworth via 29 route (Hourly)
1B - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead extended to Ouston via 28 route but then loops round Urpeth Grange instead of continuing to Chester Le Street (replaced partially by X32) (Hourly)
28 - Withdrawn (replaced partially by 1B)
28A - Withdrawn (replaced partially by 1A / X32)
29 - Withdrawn (replaced by 1A)
X30 - Reduced to hourly
X31 - No change but works every 30 minutes with X30.
X32 - Stanley -> Beamish -> Pelton -> Perkinsville -> Ouston -> Lamesley -> Team Valley -> NON STOP -> Gateshead -> Newcastle (Every 30 minutes)
34 - Revert to old route missing Pelton.
91 - Withdrawn (replaced by X32)
93/94 - Withdraw peak extras (replaced by X32).
It has a few benefits such as:
Service between Newcastle / Stanley and Team Valley all day (X32)
New bus from Urpeth Grange to Birtley / Newcastle (1B)
Hourly bus link from Byker and beyond to the QE Hospital (1B)
Restores link between Stanley and Gateshead (X32)
Passengers on 29 route now have a service to Newcastle (1A)
Removal of the clearly unprofitable (28/28A South of Ouston).
Quicker service on the 93/94 to take pressure off them between Gateshead and Team Valley.
Removal of peak extras on 93/94.
Losses to be balanced:
Kibblesworth to Birtley with the 28A
Pelton to Chester Le Street to Birtley and the QE on the 28
Reduction of X30/X31 but other benefits brought with the X32.
(29 Sep 2021, 4:49 pm)Storx Was bored and seen someone mention Team Valley before so thought how you could improve links to it all day.
1 - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead (Hourly)
1A - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead extended to Kibblesworth via 29 route (Hourly)
1B - Current route between Whitley Bay and Gateshead extended to Ouston via 28 route but then loops round Urpeth Grange instead of continuing to Chester Le Street (replaced partially by X32) (Hourly)
28 - Withdrawn (replaced partially by 1B)
28A - Withdrawn (replaced partially by 1A / X32)
29 - Withdrawn (replaced by 1A)
X30 - Reduced to hourly
X31 - No change but works every 30 minutes with X30.
X32 - Stanley -> Beamish -> Pelton -> Perkinsville -> Ouston -> Lamesley -> Team Valley -> NON STOP -> Gateshead -> Newcastle (Every 30 minutes)
34 - Revert to old route missing Pelton.
91 - Withdrawn (replaced by X32)
93/94 - Withdraw peak extras (replaced by X32).
It has a few benefits such as:
Service between Newcastle / Stanley and Team Valley all day (X32)
New bus from Urpeth Grange to Birtley / Newcastle (1B)
Hourly bus link from Byker and beyond to the QE Hospital (1B)
Restores link between Stanley and Gateshead (X32)
Passengers on 29 route now have a service to Newcastle (1A)
Removal of the clearly unprofitable (28/28A South of Ouston).
Quicker service on the 93/94 to take pressure off them between Gateshead and Team Valley.
Removal of peak extras on 93/94.
Losses to be balanced:
Kibblesworth to Birtley with the 28A
Pelton to Chester Le Street to Birtley and the QE on the 28
Reduction of X30/X31 but other benefits brought with the X32.
(03 Oct 2021, 2:39 pm)KingSlayerRBLX i would love to see a service from Consett to South Shields. can be a quick express if you take the quick way to Chester-Le-Street.I've mentioned somewhere in the bygone era that this used to exist back in the 90s. It used to run from Stanley to South Shields on a morning then take the folk of Shields amd Washington to Beamish. Return from Beamish in the afternoon back to Shields then do fhe return from Shields back to Stanley. It was popular at the time, but whether South Shields is still the attraction is was 20 odd years ago is another thing.
heres how i would set it out:
Consett - Leadgate - Annfield Plain - Stanley - Chester-Le-Street - A194 to Tyne Dock - Westoe - South Shields Interchange.
could work well for locals like me who use to get the Coach on a trip to South Shields in the summer holiday period. could work well this service during summer times. can save people time to not go to Durham, Gateshead or even Sunderland to catch the bus to Shields.
i dont know what number i would give it tho. probably the X8 or something
(03 Oct 2021, 2:39 pm)KingSlayerRBLX i would love to see a service from Consett to South Shields. can be a quick express if you take the quick way to Chester-Le-Street.I've mentioned somewhere in the bygone era that this used to exist back in the 90s. It used to run from Stanley to South Shields on a morning then take the folk of Shields amd Washington to Beamish. Return from Beamish in the afternoon back to Shields then do fhe return from Shields back to Stanley. It was popular at the time, but whether South Shields is still the attraction is was 20 odd years ago is another thing.
heres how i would set it out:
Consett - Leadgate - Annfield Plain - Stanley - Chester-Le-Street - A194 to Tyne Dock - Westoe - South Shields Interchange.
could work well for locals like me who use to get the Coach on a trip to South Shields in the summer holiday period. could work well this service during summer times. can save people time to not go to Durham, Gateshead or even Sunderland to catch the bus to Shields.
i dont know what number i would give it tho. probably the X8 or something
(03 Oct 2021, 3:04 pm)ifm001 I've mentioned somewhere in the bygone era that this used to exist back in the 90s. It used to run from Stanley to South Shields on a morning then take the folk of Shields amd Washington to Beamish. Return from Beamish in the afternoon back to Shields then do fhe return from Shields back to Stanley. It was popular at the time, but whether South Shields is still the attraction is was 20 odd years ago is another thing.
(03 Oct 2021, 3:04 pm)ifm001 I've mentioned somewhere in the bygone era that this used to exist back in the 90s. It used to run from Stanley to South Shields on a morning then take the folk of Shields amd Washington to Beamish. Return from Beamish in the afternoon back to Shields then do fhe return from Shields back to Stanley. It was popular at the time, but whether South Shields is still the attraction is was 20 odd years ago is another thing.
"The Arnison Centre has similar potential imo. If not more than Dalton Park, based on the proximity of a number of key employment sites.
That's assuming operators look beyond the traditional bus to/from the city centre and Chester le Street corridor..."
I'm not sure where else the buses from there could go. There's already the arriva 62 and 64, plus GNE X20, 21 and 50. I suppose something could hare along the A167 to give Whitesmocks, Nevilles Cross, Merryoaks and the Arriva land south of the city a direct link but the buses that already go that way never pick up much as, presumably, it's all relatively affluent.
(03 Oct 2021, 7:20 pm)BusLoverMum "The Arnison Centre has similar potential imo. If not more than Dalton Park, based on the proximity of a number of key employment sites.GNE 7 County Ranger, Consett - Stanley - Quaking Houses - Burhope - Pity Me - Arnsion Centre - Durham
That's assuming operators look beyond the traditional bus to/from the city centre and Chester le Street corridor..."
I'm not sure where else the buses from there could go. There's already the arriva 62 and 64, plus GNE X20, 21 and 50. I suppose something could hare along the A167 to give Whitesmocks, Nevilles Cross, Merryoaks and the Arriva land south of the city a direct link but the buses that already go that way never pick up much as, presumably, it's all relatively affluent.
(03 Oct 2021, 7:20 pm)BusLoverMum "The Arnison Centre has similar potential imo. If not more than Dalton Park, based on the proximity of a number of key employment sites.GNE 7 County Ranger, Consett - Stanley - Quaking Houses - Burhope - Pity Me - Arnsion Centre - Durham
That's assuming operators look beyond the traditional bus to/from the city centre and Chester le Street corridor..."
I'm not sure where else the buses from there could go. There's already the arriva 62 and 64, plus GNE X20, 21 and 50. I suppose something could hare along the A167 to give Whitesmocks, Nevilles Cross, Merryoaks and the Arriva land south of the city a direct link but the buses that already go that way never pick up much as, presumably, it's all relatively affluent.
(03 Oct 2021, 7:20 pm)BusLoverMum "The Arnison Centre has similar potential imo. If not more than Dalton Park, based on the proximity of a number of key employment sites.
That's assuming operators look beyond the traditional bus to/from the city centre and Chester le Street corridor..."
I'm not sure where else the buses from there could go. There's already the arriva 62 and 64, plus GNE X20, 21 and 50. I suppose something could hare along the A167 to give Whitesmocks, Nevilles Cross, Merryoaks and the Arriva land south of the city a direct link but the buses that already go that way never pick up much as, presumably, it's all relatively affluent.
(03 Oct 2021, 7:20 pm)BusLoverMum "The Arnison Centre has similar potential imo. If not more than Dalton Park, based on the proximity of a number of key employment sites.
That's assuming operators look beyond the traditional bus to/from the city centre and Chester le Street corridor..."
I'm not sure where else the buses from there could go. There's already the arriva 62 and 64, plus GNE X20, 21 and 50. I suppose something could hare along the A167 to give Whitesmocks, Nevilles Cross, Merryoaks and the Arriva land south of the city a direct link but the buses that already go that way never pick up much as, presumably, it's all relatively affluent.
(03 Oct 2021, 3:00 pm)Andreos1 I'm firmly of the belief that if operators really want to push ahead with a 'hub and spoke' model, they need to consider alternatives to the town and city centres they force on passengers now and start to consider alternatives.
Not only do people not work in the town and city centres, like they did in the past. We've seen the growth in out of town business and retail parks.
Quite often those who work or visit there, can't get public transport to those places. Or if they can, it's usually very limited.
If operators are going to think outside the box and do something different - not too different (we know how much they struggle with change...), why don't they consider creating new hubs and as a result, new spokes.
Could the 'bus station' at Team Valley be improved, so that becomes a hub? They could operate routes to/from there, from places people actually live. Not somewhere that's a current hub, is well out of the general direction and would add 30/45mins on to an average morning commute.
Dalton Park is seeing an upturn in people using the bus and could easily increase its potential market share and footfall, by making that investment and encouraging people to use the bus to get there from a wide variety of locations (not just Seaham or Sunderland which has traditionally always been the case for bus users).
The Arnison Centre has similar potential imo. If not more than Dalton Park, based on the proximity of a number of key employment sites.
That's assuming operators look beyond the traditional bus to/from the city centre and Chester le Street corridor...
I'd argue these retail and business parks are the new town and city centres and I think it is time operator's looked at them in that way.
The GNE express network clearly has a focus in/out of Newcastle. A quick look at the map would indicate it is the hub of the network. I'm not sure needs to be the main/focus/central hub of a series of duplicated routes and services. Particularly when so many of the routes/services skirt the edges of other potential hubs.
(03 Oct 2021, 3:00 pm)Andreos1 I'm firmly of the belief that if operators really want to push ahead with a 'hub and spoke' model, they need to consider alternatives to the town and city centres they force on passengers now and start to consider alternatives.
Not only do people not work in the town and city centres, like they did in the past. We've seen the growth in out of town business and retail parks.
Quite often those who work or visit there, can't get public transport to those places. Or if they can, it's usually very limited.
If operators are going to think outside the box and do something different - not too different (we know how much they struggle with change...), why don't they consider creating new hubs and as a result, new spokes.
Could the 'bus station' at Team Valley be improved, so that becomes a hub? They could operate routes to/from there, from places people actually live. Not somewhere that's a current hub, is well out of the general direction and would add 30/45mins on to an average morning commute.
Dalton Park is seeing an upturn in people using the bus and could easily increase its potential market share and footfall, by making that investment and encouraging people to use the bus to get there from a wide variety of locations (not just Seaham or Sunderland which has traditionally always been the case for bus users).
The Arnison Centre has similar potential imo. If not more than Dalton Park, based on the proximity of a number of key employment sites.
That's assuming operators look beyond the traditional bus to/from the city centre and Chester le Street corridor...
I'd argue these retail and business parks are the new town and city centres and I think it is time operator's looked at them in that way.
The GNE express network clearly has a focus in/out of Newcastle. A quick look at the map would indicate it is the hub of the network. I'm not sure needs to be the main/focus/central hub of a series of duplicated routes and services. Particularly when so many of the routes/services skirt the edges of other potential hubs.
(03 Oct 2021, 7:58 pm)Storx Yeah I totally agree if I had to be honest, but then again if we were a real innovate country then there arguably should be a tram/metro line to Team Valley. Then you could connect the buses to the new Team Valley line at the South end and get arid of half of the buses heading anywhere near Newcastle, 28/28/29 for example.I think the Hub and Spoke method does work. But to be honest what else would they use.
Would work for the P&R which has been rumoured in the area for ages aswell.
If you used the Hexham line I don't see even why it would cost that much, you could easily bridge it off using the abandoned bridge on Bensham Bank and then just run along the side, or the through the middle of Kingsway. Shame we're not innovate like that; The Metro Centre is another prime one and there's already a railway line there sitting to be used and get arid of the likes of 6 going to Newcastle with proper connections to the tram/metro.
I know some will say, 'but it's quicker to bus it all the way' but if we're serious about climate change they shouldn't be there and it works in pretty much every other country in Europe. It's mental how far behind our public transport is imo.
It's how a Hub and Spoke network really should work, with a hub based around a faster type of transport (train / tram / guided busway) at that point rather than like you said being in random towns no-one wants to go to.
(03 Oct 2021, 7:58 pm)Storx Yeah I totally agree if I had to be honest, but then again if we were a real innovate country then there arguably should be a tram/metro line to Team Valley. Then you could connect the buses to the new Team Valley line at the South end and get arid of half of the buses heading anywhere near Newcastle, 28/28/29 for example.I think the Hub and Spoke method does work. But to be honest what else would they use.
Would work for the P&R which has been rumoured in the area for ages aswell.
If you used the Hexham line I don't see even why it would cost that much, you could easily bridge it off using the abandoned bridge on Bensham Bank and then just run along the side, or the through the middle of Kingsway. Shame we're not innovate like that; The Metro Centre is another prime one and there's already a railway line there sitting to be used and get arid of the likes of 6 going to Newcastle with proper connections to the tram/metro.
I know some will say, 'but it's quicker to bus it all the way' but if we're serious about climate change they shouldn't be there and it works in pretty much every other country in Europe. It's mental how far behind our public transport is imo.
It's how a Hub and Spoke network really should work, with a hub based around a faster type of transport (train / tram / guided busway) at that point rather than like you said being in random towns no-one wants to go to.
(03 Oct 2021, 8:03 pm)Keeiajs I think the Hub and Spoke method does work. But to be honest what else would they use.
What routes would you put that does't use Hub & Spoke, which will makes its money. It is okay to say that this route could go from X-Y-Z-W. But if it doesnt make any money.
(03 Oct 2021, 8:03 pm)Keeiajs I think the Hub and Spoke method does work. But to be honest what else would they use.
What routes would you put that does't use Hub & Spoke, which will makes its money. It is okay to say that this route could go from X-Y-Z-W. But if it doesnt make any money.
(03 Oct 2021, 8:32 pm)Storx Hub and spoke only really works if your connecting to something faster imo.Well I could see more smaller hubs at like Langley Park, Lanchester, Seaham, Team Valley, Blaydon.
The 4 is a good example of a bus that works, you get the 4 from Concord to Heworth then get off and get on the faster Metro to finish the rest of the journey. The 19 is another you get the bus from Cobalt to Northumberland Park / Percy Main / The Ferry then change to a faster transport to get somewhere.
When you starting doing a hub and spoke networks to the wrong places when reality most people are travelling elsewhere it doesn't work. Chester Le Street / Birtley to Team Valley is a prime example of that. If using hubs you have to travel all the way to Gateshead then change back unless you want to walk and stand at random bus stops at Low Fell then the bus becomes very unattractive. That's the 'quickest' time using hubs - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.85789...00!3e3!5i2, it's way too slow and people going shopping from CLS do and will go to Team Valley rather than Low Fell which there's 10 buses an hour to.
It's similar from the likes of Washington using hubs rather than bus stops in the middle of nowhere - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.88758...00!3e3!5i1
Or you could just drive in 10 - 15 minutes and cause the congestion every morning on the A1 via the Angel.
(03 Oct 2021, 8:32 pm)Storx Hub and spoke only really works if your connecting to something faster imo.Well I could see more smaller hubs at like Langley Park, Lanchester, Seaham, Team Valley, Blaydon.
The 4 is a good example of a bus that works, you get the 4 from Concord to Heworth then get off and get on the faster Metro to finish the rest of the journey. The 19 is another you get the bus from Cobalt to Northumberland Park / Percy Main / The Ferry then change to a faster transport to get somewhere.
When you starting doing a hub and spoke networks to the wrong places when reality most people are travelling elsewhere it doesn't work. Chester Le Street / Birtley to Team Valley is a prime example of that. If using hubs you have to travel all the way to Gateshead then change back unless you want to walk and stand at random bus stops at Low Fell then the bus becomes very unattractive. That's the 'quickest' time using hubs - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.85789...00!3e3!5i2, it's way too slow and people going shopping from CLS do and will go to Team Valley rather than Low Fell which there's 10 buses an hour to.
It's similar from the likes of Washington using hubs rather than bus stops in the middle of nowhere - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.88758...00!3e3!5i1
Or you could just drive in 10 - 15 minutes and cause the congestion every morning on the A1 via the Angel.