Disruptions and driver shortages
Disruptions and driver shortages
There were 8 21s in Newcastle City Centre at one stage if Bustimes was to be believed. 6325, as an example, ended up 71 minutes late at Gateshead Interchange on its 17:12 to Brandon.
The Service Delivery Centre is brought up on here frequently. Situations such as this is where they should earn their money but, judging by posts on here & on social media, for whatever reason it seems like they keep failing to do so.
Edit: A bit more hunting on Bustimes, the X1s look to have been equally bad. 6362 seems to have started it's 16:53 X1 into Newcastle about 36 minutes late, having been slammed into town on it's last trip. It got to Gateshead Interchange at 18:30 (41L) heading into town, and it should have been the 18:21 from there back to Peterlee. It was sent into town, and apparently left Eldon Square at 19:12, 71 minutes after it was due to do so. Passenger loadings and numbers waiting in Eldon Square obviously play a part, but outside looking in (which is, to a lesser extent, what passengers do) it seems mental that a bus, on a frequent route, which was over 40 minutes late and guaranteed to lose more time wasn't turned at an interchange point with passengers exchanged.