North East Buses

(18 Jan 2015, 1:46 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]The Shields to Sunderland Hospital is a complete non-story. There must be a bus every two or three mins between the City Centre and the Hospital? 

Yeah, it's always about the people who lose a frequent direct link and have to change to another frequent service to complete the journey, yet you never seem to hear about say people trying to get from School Aycliffe to Darlington who now have to walk to Heighington or get the Town Bus to Aycliffe Town Centre then another bus to Darlington and have a limited number of journeys a day on weekdays only. Yet no it's a few people who hate having to change buses in a major transport hub, although I did moan when Arriva stopped service 7 running to Framwellgate Moor although this was more because the 64 is always late, the buses are manky and they aren't big enough to meet the demand of New College students and school kids.

Yup, not sure why they're moaning from the 25.1.15 there will be:

2/2A - Every 10 minutes
5/5A - Every 30 Minutes
16 - Every 10 Minutes
35/36 - Every 15 Minutes
39 - Every 15 minutes
78/78A (Early mornings, evenings and Sundays for 78A) - Every 30 minutes
700 - (only one way around) - every 15 minutes

Other services
8A (Peak times) - few runs
99A (Early morning only) - Few runs
135/136 (Evenings and Sundays) - Hourly each way
700/701 (only one way around)

I get what they're saying about losing direct links but sometimes its just the way it is. Arrivas service changes in East Durham 22/23/24 directly impacted me, I lost links to Easington, Seaham & Sunderland as a result. I felt the change wasn't needed, however how many people were travelling Haswell to any of the above locations? I could well be in the minority.
People of South Shields have there own hospital anyway (I know the article mentions certain services which are now in Sunderland) But what about people in Seaham/Murton? There only local hospital is Sunderland Royal and they have to get a bus to Sunderland, and change in the interchange. In fact there no direct link to any hospital from Seaham or Murton I don't think. So I can't see the issue here unfortunately.

(13 Jan 2015, 8:42 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Yeah, that's the same information that Cbma06 shared.
I hadn't seen it until he shared it , but it still doesn't give any clue about the route in Birtley between Portmeads, Front Street and Northside. Ditto for the return journey.

I am only guessing the route (see my post above), but could be miles off.

Nexus got the timetable and route on their site:

http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/fi...010215.pdf

(18 Jan 2015, 4:38 pm)Drifter60 wrote [ -> ]I get what they're saying about losing direct links but sometimes its just the way it is. Arrivas service changes in East Durham 22/23/24 directly impacted me, I lost links to Easington, Seaham & Sunderland as a result. I felt the change wasn't needed, however how many people were travelling Haswell to any of the above locations? I could well be in the minority.
People of South Shields have there own hospital anyway (I know the article mentions certain services which are now in Sunderland) But what about people in Seaham/Murton? There only local hospital is Sunderland Royal and they have to get a bus to Sunderland, and change in the interchange. In fact there no direct link to any hospital from Seaham or Murton I don't think. So I can't see the issue here unfortunately.

Seaham and Murton got direct bus to Ryhope Hospital lol.

2 late ones for the upcoming changes!

PB0002400/481 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Sunderland, Park Lane Interchange and Houghton Le Spring, The Broadway given service number 238/38/38C effective from 25-Jan-2015. To amend Timetable.

PB0002400/554 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between LOW MOORSLEY, FRONT STREET/CHESTER- LE- STREET and TOWN END FARM/BOLDON ASDA/HEWORTH INTERCHANGE given service number 35/35A/36 effective from 25-Jan-2015. To amend Route.

(22 Jan 2015, 4:34 pm)cbma06 wrote [ -> ]Nexus got the timetable and route on their site:

http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/fi...010215.pdf

Cheers. At least someone has.

It is the route I thought it would be, but you cam never be too careful. At least people will know where to wait/get off!

Roll on Monday, Harras Bank and the cars queuing to get into the doctors car park...

(17 Jan 2015, 5:51 pm)cbma06 wrote [ -> ]The new 35 is every 30 minutes and the new 36 will be every 30 minutes.

Hadn't noticed they'd cut the frequency of the services - surprised that hasn't been more of a story than the loss of the link to Shields.  Seems a bit of a backward step reducing to a 30 min frequency, though GNE seem to be going backwards in other ways too - e.g. the debranding of flagship routes and resultant messy long-term operation of plain purple/gold/silver buses.

(22 Jan 2015, 9:14 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]Hadn't noticed they'd cut the frequency of the services - surprised that hasn't been more of a story than the loss of the link to Shields.  Seems a bit of a backward step reducing to a 30 min frequency, though GNE seem to be going backwards in other ways too - e.g. the debranding of flagship routes and resultant messy long-term operation of plain purple/gold/silver buses.

But its every 15 minutes between Town End Farm - Houghton-le-spring.

Only part of the 35 which will be Half Hourly is from Town End Farm - Boldon Asda (35) and then half hourly from Houghton-le-spring to Low Moorsley (35), and from Houghton-le-spring to Chester half hourly. (36)


Sunderland to South Shields will remain every 10 mins... so not much has changed tbh, its also being said about the plain buses today, these look to be temp.

(22 Jan 2015, 9:14 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]Hadn't noticed they'd cut the frequency of the services - surprised that hasn't been more of a story than the loss of the link to Shields.  Seems a bit of a backward step reducing to a 30 min frequency, though GNE seem to be going backwards in other ways too - e.g. the debranding of flagship routes and resultant messy long-term operation of plain purple/gold/silver buses.

What you appear to be failing to realise is that the resources are being pumped elsewhere into the network. Deptford's 56 and X36 are both seeing a PVR reduction of 1 vehicle each, but there will be no change to the current PVR at Deptford because they effectively gain Chester-le-Street's 71 (albeit re-numbered).

Service 20 (Durham - Sunderland) currently sits at a 10-minute frequency, with a PVR of 12. The frequency remains unchanged with the extension to South Shields, though Go North East has added extra buses into the PVR to allow increased layover, increasing reliability.
Service 29 (Sunderland - Town End Farm) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is upgraded to a 15-minute frequency (35/36 combined).
Service 35 (Sunderland - Silksworth) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. For direct journeys, this is upgraded to a 15-minute frequency (33/33A combined).
Service 35 (Sunderland - Royal Hospital) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is upgraded to a 15-minute frequency (35/36 combined).
Service 39 (Sunderland - Pennywell) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is upgraded to a 15-minute frequency (Mon-Fri).
Service 39 (Sunderland - Doxford Park) currently sits at a combined 10-minute frequency with service 29 (6 buses per hour). This is unchanged between Mon-Fri (33/39).

Service 29 (Sunderland - Boldon) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is reduced to every 30 minutes, but better matches the amount of customers travelling and allows a resource to be saved and pumped elsewhere into the network.
Service 35 (Sunderland - Low Moorsley) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is reduced to every 30 minutes, but better matches the amount of customers travelling and allows a resource to be saved and pumped elsewhere into the network.

There's actually very few losers with these service changes. These changes result in improved reliability and more cross-city links - the latter is seemingly preferred by customers in Sunderland. The direct link between South Shields and Chester Road is lost, but let's compare the current services on Chester Road to the new services...

Now
- Services 2A/2C: 10 minute frequency / 6 buses per hour
- Service 35: 20 minute frequency / 3 buses per hour
- Service 39: 20 minute frequency / 3 buses per hour
- Service 78: 30 minute frequency / 2 buses per hour
- Service 700: 15 minute frequency / 4 buses per hour
- Total: 18 buses per hour

From 25 January
- Services 2/2A: 10 minute frequency / 6 buses per hour
- Services 35/36: 15 minute frequency / 4 buses per hour
- Service 39: 15 minute frequency / 4 buses per hour
- Service 78: 30 minute frequency / 2 buses per hour
- Service 700: 15 minute frequency / 4 buses per hour
- Total: 20 buses per hour

Whilst I cannot deny that the long-term operation of 8306 - 8309 and 8319 in a plain purple base livery is bad practice, how do you know this will continue with 5298 - 5309 and 5325 - 5327 (Services 35/36) or 5320 - 5324 (Service 61)? These vehicles have had to be repainted, and leaving them in a plain base livery is the best thing to do. If 5325 - 5327 were branded for the revised 35/36 services when first repainted, this would have led to a great deal of confusion, when they continued to see primary allocation to "Silver Arrows" services 2A/2C.

I rest my case.

(22 Jan 2015, 9:35 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]But its every 15 minutes between Town End Farm - Houghton-le-spring.

Only part of the 35 which will be Half Hourly is from Town End Farm - Boldon Asda (35) and then half hourly from Houghton-le-spring to Low Moorsley (35), and from Houghton-le-spring to Chester half hourly. (36)


Sunderland to South Shields will remain every 10 mins... so not much has changed tbh, its also being said about the plain buses today, these look to be temp.

The frequency has still been decreased across the entire route though... Low Moorsley to Houghton reduced by 33% from every 20 mins to every 30 mins.  Similarly provision has been cut by a third across the rest of the route (Houghton to TEF from every 10 to every 15 mins and TEF to Boldon from every 20 mins on the current 29 to every 30 mins). 

Re: the plain buses being temporary - that's what was said last time they messed around with the routes and I'm sure some have changed colours again since then without actually being branded with anything! 

(22 Jan 2015, 9:59 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]The frequency has still been decreased across the entire route though... Low Moorsley to Houghton reduced by 33% from every 20 mins to every 30 mins.  Similarly provision has been cut by a third across the rest of the route (Houghton to TEF from every 10 to every 15 mins and TEF to Boldon from every 20 mins on the current 29 to every 30 mins). 

Re: the plain buses being temporary - that's what was said last time they messed around with the routes and I'm sure some have changed colours again since then without actually being branded with anything! 

The reduction in frequency on some sections of some services reflect the amount of passengers making use of these links, with the resources instead being used elsewhere in Sunderland, where there is a greater demand, or to increase layover on other services and hence improve reliability.

I agree with the changes, the new 35/36 is very good, it also means the people in Castletown, town end farm and hylton castle are getting citaro's instead of whats on now... to me thats good.

Not just them getting better buses the 61 is getting citaros.

The 2/2A are getting versa's... which tbh i dont mind. Lets hope this is temp

(22 Jan 2015, 10:18 pm)Michael wrote [ -> ]I agree with the changes, the new 35/36 is very good, it also means the people in Castletown, town end farm and hylton castle are getting citaro's instead of whats on now... to me thats good.

Not just them getting better buses the 61 is getting citaros.

The 2/2A are getting versa's... which tbh i dont mind. Lets hope this is temp

Maybe a long time before news buses for 2/2A, however the 60 was upgraded after 4 years, so the 42 was 'due' for upgrade next year on that logic plus the former silver arrows services are pretty steady. So I can see them upgrading 2/2A in the future. Allowing the versas to transfer to 33/39. 

(22 Jan 2015, 9:59 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]The frequency has still been decreased across the entire route though... Low Moorsley to Houghton reduced by 33% from every 20 mins to every 30 mins.  Similarly provision has been cut by a third across the rest of the route (Houghton to TEF from every 10 to every 15 mins and TEF to Boldon from every 20 mins on the current 29 to every 30 mins). 

Re: the plain buses being temporary - that's what was said last time they messed around with the routes and I'm sure some have changed colours again since then without actually being branded with anything!

If anything, that section is used quite a bit by passengers getting on/off quicker/more direct links between Houghton and Sunderland and using the 35 as the link to places, which the 20 and X35 don't go to.

(22 Jan 2015, 8:41 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Cheers. At least someone has.

It is the route I thought it would be, but you cam never be too careful. At least people will know where to wait/get off!

Roll on Monday, Harras Bank and the cars queuing to get into the doctors car park...

That's a fairly tight turn up Harras Bank but saying that the Angel B5's always cope well. It does look like they've adopted the old 184 and parts of the old 23 route which served Harras Bank and Blackfell Way for quite a long time.

(23 Jan 2015, 12:58 pm)gtom wrote [ -> ]That's a fairly tight turn up Harras Bank but saying that the Angel B5's always cope well.  It does look like they've adopted the old 184 and parts of the old 23 route which served Harras Bank and Blackfell Way for quite a long time.

You mean you found a Hybrid?!

A Cadet turning left up the hill during the week, is totally different to a B5 turning right up the hill on the odd Sunday diversion though.
Bad enough trying to get up and down in the car.

Looks like it is scooting up Blackfell Way and straight back down, rather than going into the estate - going from the route listed on the timetable.

(23 Jan 2015, 1:17 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]You mean you found a Hybrid?!

A Cadet turning left up the hill during the week, is totally different to a B5 turning right up the hill on the odd Sunday diversion though.
Bad enough trying to get up and down in the car.

Looks like it is scooting up Blackfell Way and straight back down, rather than going into the estate - going from the route listed on the timetable.

I saw a Solar this morning which just utterly takes the biscuit.

You're correct, turning from the William up will be difficult especially if traffic is queuing at the lights. The Classic version of the 23 (the last one before it replaced the 184) took the same route up to Blackfell but half the housing wasn't built.

That area will need new links soon as they are very likely building a new school on Blackfell Way

(23 Jan 2015, 1:31 pm)gtom wrote [ -> ]I saw a Solar this morning which just utterly takes the biscuit.

You're correct, turning from the William up will be difficult especially if traffic is queuing at the lights.  The Classic version of the 23 (the last one before it replaced the 184) took the same route up to Blackfell but half the housing wasn't built.

That area will need new links soon as they are very likely building a new school on Blackfell Way

The rumours of a new school up there, have been floating around for years.
The existing schools are full and have been for a long time now.

Hopefully something comes off soon and not at the expense of an existing one.
Talking of which, won't fancy squeezing past Ravensworth Terrace on a morning or afternoon!

(23 Jan 2015, 1:38 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]The rumours of a new school up there, have been floating around for years.
The existing schools are full and have been for a long time now.

Hopefully something comes off soon and not at the expense of an existing one.
Talking of which, won't fancy squeezing past Ravensworth Terrace on a morning or afternoon!

You won't need to squeeze past shortly....wink wink nudge nudge