North East Buses

(31 Aug 2021, 10:28 pm)Train8261 wrote [ -> ]18/18A (Walker to Four Lane Ends) Evening and Sundays 
19 (Northumberland Park to North Shields) Evening and Sundays 
That's all I know off

Washington 82/83/84 
Sunderland 39? 135/136?

(30 Aug 2021, 1:59 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]The main issue is Newcastle City Council own very little land in the city and developing what little land they own into a bus station is not in their economic interest.

nobody is going to do park and ride because it’s just not appealing. It’s not York or Durham, it’s big enough to cope with traffic.

If you’re used to undercover brightly secure Eldon Sq, then Market St East is a 2nd rate drop off, it’s nowhere near St James for a matchday, it’s a canny hike for the old dears heading to M&S and at the moment it requires passing across 2 busy roads from Northumberland St

Yeah totally agreed tbh with you. You'll never promote people over imo not to mention that people going to Newcastle will actually want to buy stuff so hauling loads of shopping onto buses etc just isn't ideal in comparison to Durham and York which are both touristy places. Agreed with Market Street East aswell tbh it's a horrible place to stand aswell tbh. 

On the discussion after which is going to go first the 62 between Sunderland and Easington imo an hourly bus route with no real reason to use it as it's a the weird bus and everyone will stick on the 60 or one of the other buses doing other parts of the routes (65 / 55 / X1).

(30 Aug 2021, 2:47 pm)Stanleyone wrote [ -> ]Yes, the security guards lock individual doors after the last bus pulls off stand. Shutters in place to stop anyone entering the shopping centre.

It's a bit of a shame that the N21 has to do that as from a passenger point of view, I can't imagine Market Street East to be the most pleasant place to wait for a bus at 3 in the morning.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

(01 Sep 2021, 8:17 am)big mac wrote [ -> ]It's a bit of a shame that the N21 has to do that as from a passenger point of view, I can't imagine Market Street East to be the most pleasant place to wait for a bus at 3 in the morning. 

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

In fairness Eldon Square would be worse imo. The bus station itself might be nice but Percy Street which I'd assume would be the only way in is an absolute dive or via Haymarket which is also a dump with druggies.

Personally if I had a choice I'd rather get on at Market Street in the evening heading towards Blyth than Haymarket as you feel trapped with only 2 entrances at both ends and no-one round half the time. Imagine Eldon Square being the same.

It stops outside TJ Hughes aswell which at least there's some life and police presence around.

(01 Sep 2021, 8:31 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]In fairness Eldon Square would be worse imo. The bus station itself might be nice but Percy Street which I'd assume would be the only way in is an absolute dive or via Haymarket which is also a dump with druggies.

Personally if I had a choice I'd rather get on at Market Street in the evening heading towards Blyth than Haymarket as you feel trapped with only 2 entrances at both ends and no-one round half the time. Imagine Eldon Square being the same.

I wouldn't call Percy Street a dive. It's far far nicer than Pilgrim St/Market St 

Not sure how you feel trapped in what is essentially an outdoor bus station with a roof. Market St East (where buses will stop) is next to a half way house, a hostel and a drugs dependency walk in centre plus a  a raft of delapidated buildings

(01 Sep 2021, 8:35 am)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]I wouldn't call Percy Street a dive. It's far far nicer than Pilgrim St/Market St 

Not sure how you feel trapped in what is essentially an outdoor bus station with a roof. Market St East (where buses will stop) is next to a half way house, a hostel and a drugs dependency walk in centre plus a  a raft of delapidated buildings

Just nowhere to go if your in the middle stands and there's no-one round so your isolated as it's eeriely quiet. The seats outside the Junction is a right haven for druggies and alcoholics aswell qlaa they go down the back alley behind M&S. It's been happening for years but nothing gets done about it and they tend to wander into Haymarket begging for money etc. Quite intimidating when your there by yourself. The alleyway from Northumberland Street to Haymarket is one of the worst streets in Newcastle imo. 

Least at Market Street outside TJ Hughes, I wouldn't use the other stop, you have people around and there's businesses open so it's a bit more lively ie McDonalds and The Mushroom who both have bouncers. Haymarket is alright until M&S shuts then its not a nice place imo and I have no choice as the next bus stop is South Gosforth.

It's hard to explain but if you ever go in after 9pm, Sun - Thurs you'll see what I mean.

65 to be branded as East Durham Explorer

(01 Sep 2021, 8:31 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]In fairness Eldon Square would be worse imo. The bus station itself might be nice but Percy Street which I'd assume would be the only way in is an absolute dive or via Haymarket which is also a dump with druggies.

Personally if I had a choice I'd rather get on at Market Street in the evening heading towards Blyth than Haymarket as you feel trapped with only 2 entrances at both ends and no-one round half the time. Imagine Eldon Square being the same.

It stops outside TJ Hughes aswell which at least there's some life and police presence around.

Personally I think if the N21 can't go in to Eldon Square then the stop at St Andrews Church would be better than Market Street East as that's near the Gate and the Premier Inn etc so there's likely to be more people around there. Also the regular 21 serves this stop during the day anyway so this would at least standardise the route a little bit more rather than have it go from somewhere totally different to the daytime route.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

(01 Sep 2021, 11:52 am)big mac wrote [ -> ]Personally I think if the N21 can't go in to Eldon Square then the stop at St Andrews Church would be better than Market Street East as that's near the Gate and the Premier Inn etc so there's likely to be more people around there.  Also the regular 21 serves this stop during the day anyway so this would at least standardise the route a little bit more rather than have it go from somewhere totally different to the daytime route.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

Not a bad shout that really then do Newgate Street as usual and you've covered the Bigg Market with the stops outside the cathedral. Shouldn't take too much longer either really.

Must admit Market Street is a bit weird but wonder if it's because it's out the way for its layover so there's no drunken yobs banging on windows etc which could be a problem outside The Gate.

(01 Sep 2021, 12:14 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Not a bad shout that really then do Newgate Street as usual and you've covered the Bigg Market with the stops outside the cathedral. Shouldn't take too much longer either really.

Must admit Market Street is a bit weird but wonder if it's because it's out the way for its layover so there's no drunken yobs banging on windows etc which could be a problem outside The Gate.

With the layover, possibly that is the reason, although the layover time is only three minutes. So, if it did stop at St Andrew's Church it would probably just be coming in, picking the passengers up and going straight back out again rather than being parked up at the stop for a long period.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

Tbh, Since the X7 wasn't returning (which I would rather have the X7 over the X6) The capacity has been normally around 10 people. Sometimes 20. So I do think it should be upgraded to Versa's. And idk why it was dropped by XLines. They could have advertised connections to Sunderland through MiddlesBrough, Fast to Peterlee.

(01 Sep 2021, 12:49 pm)Keeiajs wrote [ -> ]Tbh, Since the X7 wasn't returning (which I would rather have the X7 over the X6) The capacity has been normally around 10 people. Sometimes 20. So I do think it should be upgraded to Versa's. And idk why it was dropped by XLines. They could have advertised connections to Sunderland through MiddlesBrough, Fast to Peterlee.

Surely a Solo is sufficient if that is the case then?

(01 Sep 2021, 1:00 pm)Thomas12 wrote [ -> ]Surely a Solo is sufficient if that is the case then?

Well I mean the 265 got roughly those numbers aswell.

(01 Sep 2021, 1:21 pm)Keeiajs wrote [ -> ]Well I mean the 265 got roughly those numbers aswell.

I think it’s also about services they’re trying market and the competition. The 65 is the only real bus route along its route, other services may do parts but nothing resembles the full route. From Seaham to Hetton/Belmont/Durham your only option is the 65 and vice versa, only other option would be travelling via Sunderland which will undoubtedly take a lot longer. 
The X6 competes with Arriva from Peterlee to Sunderland, it also competes with the far frequent 60 from Seaham to Sunderland. That being said the X6 is the only real option linking Peterlee and Seaham Town Centre (alternatives would be the new 62 which takes far too long or using Arriva then switching to the 60/65 at New Seaham, but that would be two operators and takes a lot longer). So the X6 unique parts are somewhat limited, although it does provide much needed connections. 
However, I’ve been vocal on the forum a few times, that introducing a new bus (the 62) from Sunderland to Seaham Harbour seems a pointless exercise. Frequency is such a barrier for services succeeding and the difference between a hourly and half hourly route is massive, in my opinion. And having a half hourly X6 makes much more sense to me than the 62 North of Seaham, I can’t see folk in Horden and Easington Colliery using the 62 all the way to Sunderland, the latter has the Arriva 23 anyways. Everywhere else on the 62 route has other routes to Sunderland. Perhaps the X6 should have become the 62, half hourly Sunderland to Peterlee via Seaham, Dalton Park, serving all stops all the way (which wouldn’t add much more time, if any) Then kept the 202 between Peterlee and Seaham but now run via Easington Colliery.

(30 Aug 2021, 1:10 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote [ -> ]Wiill all the PDF versions of the new timetables be uploaded by Sunday?
Also which service change does anyone think will be reversed first?

I think the increases in frequency on the services for Old Durham Road/Deckham may be reversed at some point. I'm not convinced that they're particularly necessary.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

(01 Sep 2021, 2:19 pm)Drifter60 wrote [ -> ]I think it’s also about services they’re trying market and the competition. The 65 is the only real bus route along its route, other services may do parts but nothing resembles the full route. From Seaham to Hetton/Belmont/Durham your only option is the 65 and vice versa, only other option would be travelling via Sunderland which will undoubtedly take a lot longer. 
The X6 competes with Arriva from Peterlee to Sunderland, it also competes with the far frequent 60 from Seaham to Sunderland. That being said the X6 is the only real option linking Peterlee and Seaham Town Centre (alternatives would be the new 62 which takes far too long or using Arriva then switching to the 60/65 at New Seaham, but that would be two operators and takes a lot longer). So the X6 unique parts are somewhat limited, although it does provide much needed connections. 
However, I’ve been vocal on the forum a few times, that introducing a new bus (the 62) from Sunderland to Seaham Harbour seems a pointless exercise. Frequency is such a barrier for services succeeding and the difference between a hourly and half hourly route is massive, in my opinion. And having a half hourly X6 makes much more sense to me than the 62 North of Seaham, I can’t see folk in Horden and Easington Colliery using the 62 all the way to Sunderland, the latter has the Arriva 23 anyways. Everywhere else on the 62 route has other routes to Sunderland. Perhaps the X6 should have become the 62, half hourly Sunderland to Peterlee via Seaham, Dalton Park, serving all stops all the way (which wouldn’t add much more time, if any) Then kept the 202 between Peterlee and Seaham but now run via Easington Colliery.

Yeah I mean, they could do X7/X6 60 mind each. And the X7 would follow the exact route of the 62 post Seaham. But I do think the X6 needs a Versa with USB/Wifi.

(01 Sep 2021, 12:14 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Not a bad shout that really then do Newgate Street as usual and you've covered the Bigg Market with the stops outside the cathedral. Shouldn't take too much longer either really.

Must admit Market Street is a bit weird but wonder if it's because it's out the way for its layover so there's no drunken yobs banging on windows etc which could be a problem outside The Gate.

That's a fair shout - traffic isn't always the best around that area at night.

When the City changes happen next year there's going to be a lot of movement (mainly for Stagecoach) in terms of stopping arrangements, Newbridge St West,  Pilgrim and Blackett Street all closing to traffic permanently.

(01 Sep 2021, 4:18 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]That's a fair shout - traffic isn't always the best around that area at night.

When the City changes happen next year there's going to be a lot of movement (mainly for Stagecoach) in terms of stopping arrangements, Newbridge St West,  Pilgrim and Blackett Street all closing to traffic permanently.

I still don't understand what closing Blackett Street and Pilgrim is gonna solve apart from make bus traffic in Newcastle worse than it already is

(01 Sep 2021, 11:12 am)Rapidsnap wrote [ -> ]65 to be branded as East Durham Explorer

Not a bad name, says what it does.

(01 Sep 2021, 4:18 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]That's a fair shout - traffic isn't always the best around that area at night.

When the City changes happen next year there's going to be a lot of movement (mainly for Stagecoach) in terms of stopping arrangements, Newbridge St West,  Pilgrim and Blackett Street all closing to traffic permanently.

Yeah agreed tbh it needs to be done though and should've been done years ago but just have a feeling it's just going to move the problem to outside The Gate and Market Street which are rather narrow as it is. Not much more you can do though really and their better there than on Blackett Street.

(01 Sep 2021, 4:20 pm)Train8261 wrote [ -> ]I still don't understand what closing Blackett Street and Pilgrim is gonna solve apart from make bus traffic in Newcastle worse than it already is

It's not about buses it's about pedestrian safety and creating extra space for events etc. The way some buses drive along there is just dangerous and it should've been done years ago when Northumberland Street at the top end got done in the late 90's. There's no need for buses to go along there as shown by the trials the past few Summers.