Northumberland County Council Tenders - April 2022
Northumberland County Council Tenders - April 2022
(26 Mar 2022, 9:09 pm)Dan Northumberland County Council are currently tendering this service, as well as Rural Link’s town services in Morpeth.
From memory the 58 starts on 10 April (or thereabouts) with contract award next week, and the Morpeth services towards the end of April.
All require contactless-enabled ticket machines. One of the Morpeth services required a bus with 44 seats, which likely rules Rural Link out of providing that one - imagine Arriva will be keen to win it.
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(26 Mar 2022, 9:09 pm)Dan Northumberland County Council are currently tendering this service, as well as Rural Link’s town services in Morpeth.
From memory the 58 starts on 10 April (or thereabouts) with contract award next week, and the Morpeth services towards the end of April.
All require contactless-enabled ticket machines. One of the Morpeth services required a bus with 44 seats, which likely rules Rural Link out of providing that one - imagine Arriva will be keen to win it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(03 Apr 2022, 9:38 pm)peter During summer, the frequency of the X18 north of Alnwick through to Berwick increases from every four hours to every two hours. Usually operated by Arriva as a through service, now operated by Travelsure so a. will no longer be a through service to Newcastle and b. will no longer operate with a double decker.
(04 Apr 2022, 11:00 am)peter Rural Link's T1A/T1C and S1 cancelled on VOSA presumably pending re-award
(03 Apr 2022, 9:38 pm)peter During summer, the frequency of the X18 north of Alnwick through to Berwick increases from every four hours to every two hours. Usually operated by Arriva as a through service, now operated by Travelsure so a. will no longer be a through service to Newcastle and b. will no longer operate with a double decker.
(04 Apr 2022, 11:00 am)peter Rural Link's T1A/T1C and S1 cancelled on VOSA presumably pending re-award
(04 Apr 2022, 8:05 pm)busmanT Presumably Arriva have decided that they can't provide the summer extra frequency commercially (or haven't the drivers)
(04 Apr 2022, 8:05 pm)busmanT Presumably Arriva have decided that they can't provide the summer extra frequency commercially (or haven't the drivers)
(04 Apr 2022, 8:31 pm)Storx They lost 2 Streetlites and 3 Omnicity's to be replaced by 2 Pulsars and they've gained the 1/2 with 8 Pulsars and no spares to run them.
(04 Apr 2022, 8:31 pm)Storx They lost 2 Streetlites and 3 Omnicity's to be replaced by 2 Pulsars and they've gained the 1/2 with 8 Pulsars and no spares to run them.
(05 Apr 2022, 4:33 am)mb134 IIRC the 2 Streetlites were ultimately replaced by 7411 and 1407. From memory it seemed that it was only really 4659 that wasn't directly replaced, though 2x Pulsars (1408/11) are likely more reliable/available than 3x Scanias anyway.
I'd imagine it's more likely due to driver availability or funding, or a combination.
(05 Apr 2022, 4:33 am)mb134 IIRC the 2 Streetlites were ultimately replaced by 7411 and 1407. From memory it seemed that it was only really 4659 that wasn't directly replaced, though 2x Pulsars (1408/11) are likely more reliable/available than 3x Scanias anyway.
I'd imagine it's more likely due to driver availability or funding, or a combination.
(05 Apr 2022, 10:33 am)Storx Doesn't 1407 form part of the 1/2 allocation when it moved to Blyth for a bit when the PVR went down at Ashington during Covid. Blyth didn't really need it though because of the X10/X11 reduction and having spare MAX Pulsars which were used instead which would mean one of Streetlite's effectively didn't get replaced. Must admit I totally forgot about 7411 moving up but it's probably worse or as bad as the Omnicity's.
(05 Apr 2022, 10:33 am)Storx Doesn't 1407 form part of the 1/2 allocation when it moved to Blyth for a bit when the PVR went down at Ashington during Covid. Blyth didn't really need it though because of the X10/X11 reduction and having spare MAX Pulsars which were used instead which would mean one of Streetlite's effectively didn't get replaced. Must admit I totally forgot about 7411 moving up but it's probably worse or as bad as the Omnicity's.
(05 Apr 2022, 9:15 pm)mb134 The 8 that moved for the 1/2 were: 1409, 1429, 1432, 1461, 1462, 1463, 1475, and 1497.
1407 from memory transferred back when the 35 PVR increased back up to 5 from 3 late last year (the other vehicle being freed up from the seasonal X18 which ended on the same date).
(05 Apr 2022, 9:15 pm)mb134 The 8 that moved for the 1/2 were: 1409, 1429, 1432, 1461, 1462, 1463, 1475, and 1497.
1407 from memory transferred back when the 35 PVR increased back up to 5 from 3 late last year (the other vehicle being freed up from the seasonal X18 which ended on the same date).
(04 Apr 2022, 8:05 pm)busmanT Presumably Arriva have decided that they can't provide the summer extra frequency commercially (or haven't the drivers).
Any word on who has won he 58 in Cramlington? as Arriva have cancelled it from this coming weekend.
(04 Apr 2022, 8:05 pm)busmanT Presumably Arriva have decided that they can't provide the summer extra frequency commercially (or haven't the drivers).
Any word on who has won he 58 in Cramlington? as Arriva have cancelled it from this coming weekend.
Yeah I have seen Phoenix doing the 58 this week. They have been using their Fiat Bluebird buses on there.
(13 Apr 2022, 7:21 pm)Arriva7446 Yeah I have seen Phoenix doing the 58 this week. They have been using their Fiat Bluebird buses on there.Slightly improved Saturday timetable on the 58
(13 Apr 2022, 7:21 pm)Arriva7446 Yeah I have seen Phoenix doing the 58 this week. They have been using their Fiat Bluebird buses on there.Slightly improved Saturday timetable on the 58
416
Morpeth - St George's Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
417
Morpeth - Northgate Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
436
Morpeth Chantry School - St Mary's Lodge
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
(14 Apr 2022, 4:14 pm)GuyParkRoyal 416
Morpeth - St George's Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
417
Morpeth - Northgate Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
436
Morpeth Chantry School - St Mary's Lodge
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
(14 Apr 2022, 4:14 pm)GuyParkRoyal 416
Morpeth - St George's Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
417
Morpeth - Northgate Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
436
Morpeth Chantry School - St Mary's Lodge
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
(14 Apr 2022, 4:22 pm)omnicity4659 T1A becomes 417, T1B becomes 416 and S1 becomes 436.
Would be interesting to see how much money is being spaffed away on these fresh air carts, especially the 416 where the only passenger is dust...
417 to Lancaster Park/Northgate could have been covered by an extension of the 35. Perhaps alternate 35 arrivals to send one hourly off to Stannington as well...
(14 Apr 2022, 4:22 pm)omnicity4659 T1A becomes 417, T1B becomes 416 and S1 becomes 436.
Would be interesting to see how much money is being spaffed away on these fresh air carts, especially the 416 where the only passenger is dust...
417 to Lancaster Park/Northgate could have been covered by an extension of the 35. Perhaps alternate 35 arrivals to send one hourly off to Stannington as well...
(14 Apr 2022, 4:14 pm)GuyParkRoyal 416Timetables on Nexus' website now: https://www.nexus.org.uk/bus/updates?ope...le-updates
Morpeth - St George's Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
417
Morpeth - Northgate Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
436
Morpeth Chantry School - St Mary's Lodge
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
(14 Apr 2022, 4:14 pm)GuyParkRoyal 416Timetables on Nexus' website now: https://www.nexus.org.uk/bus/updates?ope...le-updates
Morpeth - St George's Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
417
Morpeth - Northgate Hospital
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
436
Morpeth Chantry School - St Mary's Lodge
Operated by Rural Link
New Service Sunday, 24 April 2022
(14 Apr 2022, 5:15 pm)busmanT The new pattern is to be worked by 1 bus rather than 2, so a big saving to Northumberland County Council there.
Any extension of the 35 would need Arriva to agree a price with Northumberland CC - assuming that Arriva are interested in such things, given the current driver shortage.
(14 Apr 2022, 5:15 pm)busmanT The new pattern is to be worked by 1 bus rather than 2, so a big saving to Northumberland County Council there.
Any extension of the 35 would need Arriva to agree a price with Northumberland CC - assuming that Arriva are interested in such things, given the current driver shortage.
(14 Apr 2022, 5:50 pm)omnicity4659 So it does, hadn't had the chance to check the timetables yet.
Lancaster Park and Northgate estates suffer from their own developers' incompetence, Lancaster Park itself could've been a useful loop but it's been severed halfway. Similar happens again at Northgate, where The Meadows and St Andrews Gardens aren't linked together to create a loop from Geranium Drive to Fennel Way - it would've been perfect for bus services - and enough people to justify Newcastle through services to both too.
The whole Morpeth bus network needs a rethink, because the 2/35/X14/X15/X18 are barely tapping into any potential customers who have been left with these 41x routes.
(14 Apr 2022, 5:50 pm)omnicity4659 So it does, hadn't had the chance to check the timetables yet.
Lancaster Park and Northgate estates suffer from their own developers' incompetence, Lancaster Park itself could've been a useful loop but it's been severed halfway. Similar happens again at Northgate, where The Meadows and St Andrews Gardens aren't linked together to create a loop from Geranium Drive to Fennel Way - it would've been perfect for bus services - and enough people to justify Newcastle through services to both too.
The whole Morpeth bus network needs a rethink, because the 2/35/X14/X15/X18 are barely tapping into any potential customers who have been left with these 41x routes.
(14 Apr 2022, 6:30 pm)Storx Morpeth is one of those places that on paper DRT would really work well. You'll never get a local bus network to work as like you've said everything is so badly designed.
It would work quite well imo connecting at Morpeth Bus station so you can catch the Newcastle expresses, 35 or 2 to wherever you want to go. Hexham is similar where most the Tynedale Links town services are a bit pointless and arguably would be better with a DRT. It's better than 2 hourly token service either way.
Could even extend it out to some of the villages like Mitford and Hepscott which don't really have a service at all.
(14 Apr 2022, 6:30 pm)Storx Morpeth is one of those places that on paper DRT would really work well. You'll never get a local bus network to work as like you've said everything is so badly designed.
It would work quite well imo connecting at Morpeth Bus station so you can catch the Newcastle expresses, 35 or 2 to wherever you want to go. Hexham is similar where most the Tynedale Links town services are a bit pointless and arguably would be better with a DRT. It's better than 2 hourly token service either way.
Could even extend it out to some of the villages like Mitford and Hepscott which don't really have a service at all.
(14 Apr 2022, 7:20 pm)omnicity4659 I've tried planning routes from the newest Ashington and Bedlington estates but it's difficult without running more vehicles or inconveniencing others by looping around estates for 5 minutes.
A DRT service in South East Northumberland could also ease pressure from a lot of the core routes, too.
(14 Apr 2022, 7:20 pm)omnicity4659 I've tried planning routes from the newest Ashington and Bedlington estates but it's difficult without running more vehicles or inconveniencing others by looping around estates for 5 minutes.
A DRT service in South East Northumberland could also ease pressure from a lot of the core routes, too.
(14 Apr 2022, 7:20 pm)omnicity4659 I think it's getting to a point where the majority of South East Northumberland would benefit from DRT. The likes of Cambois, Linton, Hepscott and Stannington obviously have very poor connectivity, then there's huge estates in Cramlington, Morpeth, Blyth and Ashington that have no service whatsoever. I've tried planning routes from the newest Ashington and Bedlington estates but it's difficult without running more vehicles or inconveniencing others by looping around estates for 5 minutes.
A DRT service in South East Northumberland could also ease pressure from a lot of the core routes, too.
(14 Apr 2022, 8:10 pm)mb134 I'd imagine that once the estate being built next to Wansbeck Hospital is fully completed, it would be easy enough to figure out how to loop a 1 around there within the current PVR?
(14 Apr 2022, 7:20 pm)omnicity4659 I think it's getting to a point where the majority of South East Northumberland would benefit from DRT. The likes of Cambois, Linton, Hepscott and Stannington obviously have very poor connectivity, then there's huge estates in Cramlington, Morpeth, Blyth and Ashington that have no service whatsoever. I've tried planning routes from the newest Ashington and Bedlington estates but it's difficult without running more vehicles or inconveniencing others by looping around estates for 5 minutes.
A DRT service in South East Northumberland could also ease pressure from a lot of the core routes, too.
(14 Apr 2022, 8:10 pm)mb134 I'd imagine that once the estate being built next to Wansbeck Hospital is fully completed, it would be easy enough to figure out how to loop a 1 around there within the current PVR?
(14 Apr 2022, 5:30 pm)Jimmi Timetables on Nexus' website now: https://www.nexus.org.uk/bus/updates?ope...le-updates
(14 Apr 2022, 5:30 pm)Jimmi Timetables on Nexus' website now: https://www.nexus.org.uk/bus/updates?ope...le-updates
