North East Buses

I’m assuming Ben has completely lost the plot at this stage. 

https://pasteboard.co/s42F0ri7ecWP.png

(04 Nov 2023, 11:58 pm)Thomas12 wrote [ -> ]I’m assuming Ben has completely lost the plot at this stage. 

https://pasteboard.co/s42F0ri7ecWP.png

I wonder if he is using ChatGPT to produce that word salad garbage? If it is genuine, he should be ashamed.

(04 Nov 2023, 11:58 pm)Thomas12 wrote [ -> ]I’m assuming Ben has completely lost the plot at this stage. 

https://pasteboard.co/s42F0ri7ecWP.png

Embarrassing. Sounds like some passive-aggressive threat about the future of depots, yet still no sign of him or anyone else taking any responsibility.

Hardly a cause of celebration that they're delivering some of the dozens of contracts they hold. I wonder if Nexus penalties are stacking up on the others.


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(04 Nov 2023, 11:58 pm)Thomas12 wrote [ -> ]I’m assuming Ben has completely lost the plot at this stage. 

https://pasteboard.co/s42F0ri7ecWP.png

I assume he's lost his punctuation keys on the laptop too.

(05 Nov 2023, 12:13 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I assume he's lost his punctuation keys on the laptop too.

If he did produce it himself, I'm guessing it was on his smartphone, the double spaces after a period give it away.

(04 Nov 2023, 11:58 pm)Thomas12 wrote [ -> ]I’m assuming Ben has completely lost the plot at this stage. 

https://pasteboard.co/s42F0ri7ecWP.png

How long is long enough?

Until GNE sort their crap out and pay the drivers what they deserve@

(04 Nov 2023, 11:58 pm)Thomas12 wrote [ -> ]I’m assuming Ben has completely lost the plot at this stage. 

https://pasteboard.co/s42F0ri7ecWP.png

Love it how he mentioned the DFDS ferry shuttle bus and NHS service will run. Like it wasn't already running

Must say if I worked for GNE and had an option to work elsewhere and seen that. I'd be seriously considering moving now and if I didn't then when the strikes ended I'd be doing the bare minimum.

I couldn't work for someone who shows so little respect to me.

COVID the problem for driver shortages... Yeah right.

(05 Nov 2023, 8:15 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]Must say if I worked for GNE and had an option to work elsewhere and seen that. I'd be seriously considering moving now and if I didn't then when the strikes ended I'd be doing the bare minimum.

I couldn't work for someone who shows so little respect to me.

COVID the problem for driver shortages... Yeah right.

The language he's using is just so awful he has no respect for the drivers whatsoever. I'd be the same.

Certainly earning his £165k with divisive statements like that....

I can see this strike going on to the bitter end.

(05 Nov 2023, 8:25 am)Chris3912 wrote [ -> ]The language he's using is just so awful he has no respect for the drivers whatsoever. I'd be the same.

Certainly earning his £165k with divisive statements like that....

I can see this strike going on to the bitter end.

Yeah totally agreed. I don't understand what he's achieving. Like he's bleating on about depot instability but there's a little side of me, ignoring drivers jobs etc, that actively wants GoNorthEast to fail and for him to have on his record it's all his fault. 

It's a complete bizarre statement, it's as if they're his slaves and they can't move anywhere.

But in reality, if GoNorthEast did actually go bust, most drivers and engineers would find a job elsewhere, mainly by whoever is replacing those services and no doubt whoever takes over a depot or two. 

The world moves on...

That last statement clearly shows a them and is between management and drivers. I've never met Ben but if this all gets worse with no end in the strike action, I think (I'd probably bet my mortgage on it) that Nigel wouldn't think twice about getting rid of Ben (regardless of any future job possibilities).
Speaking of Nigel, I wonder why he seems to be a saying nothing (that I'm aware of) and appealing to drivers himself (or getting Ben to do it and blame him) and has he even been to the North East since this all started or is he still in his office back in Manchester?

I recently asked Chat GPT to criticise Ben Maxfield in the style of Ben Maxfield and this is what it came up with:

Ah, Ben Maxfield, what a character! It's clear he lacks the finesse and intellectual prowess that someone of my caliber possesses. His insights are as shallow as a puddle in a desert, and his attempts at humor are about as funny as a funeral. I can't help but feel sorry for anyone who has to endure his presence; it must be a constant struggle to maintain one's sanity when engaging with such mediocrity. But, hey, we can't all be as brilliant and charming as yours truly, Ben Maxfield.

I didn't specify who Ben Maxfield was and wonder if I added 'Business Improvement Manager of Go North East' in the description whether the critique would be different.

Anyway, something for someone else to try if they're bored on a Sunday afternoon.

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From his twitter it seems he was last their in September https://x.com/GAGNigel/status/1699356689944727959?s=20 chances are someone just sent him this tho.

I think Martjin would have been a better leader atm, has Nigel ever driven a bus?

(05 Nov 2023, 1:06 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]From his twitter it seems he was last their in September https://x.com/GAGNigel/status/1699356689944727959?s=20 chances are someone just sent him this tho.

I think Martjin would have been a better leader atm, has Nigel ever driven a bus?

He's part of the reason, things are in this mess. The Chester Le Street handling was as ugly as this and it's never recovered with constant cancellations at Riverside ever since.

Absolutely wrecked staff morale with his mishandling at the same time. Not to mention cutting frequencies way too early, unlike Stagecoach and Arriva who held off for months to try and actually let things recover and they have in most areas with some areas actually increasing.

I wouldn't be surprised if stuff like the 21, X1, 45/46/47 etc. would've recovered better if they didn't cut it down to the bone straight away, they're all no different to the X21 and X22 at Ashington which are doing very well. Similar to the X9 and X10, especially with the rail strikes but no the strike hammer was done.

https://x.com/GAGNigel/status/1676205307863736320?s=20 This was the last photo of Nigel in the NE whcih I could find, I wonder who he was standing next to? Maybe the fall man for all of this

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(05 Nov 2023, 1:17 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]He's part of the reason, things are in this mess. The Chester Le Street handling was as ugly as this and it's never recovered with constant cancellations at Riverside ever since.

Absolutely wrecked staff morale with his mishandling at the same time. Not to mention cutting frequencies way too early, unlike Stagecoach and Arriva who held off for months to try and actually let things recover and they have in most areas with some areas actually increasing.

I wouldn't be surprised if stuff like the 21, X1, 45/46/47 etc. would've recovered better if they didn't cut it down to the bone straight away, they're all no different to the X21 and X22 at Ashington which are doing very well. Similar to the X9 and X10, especially with the rail strikes but no the strike hammer was done.

True, I definitely thought some changes were all of a sudden especially around consett, it went from the best network to an awful network.

However I wonder if he was the fall man for GNE requests especially around the CLS closure

(05 Nov 2023, 1:34 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]https://x.com/GAGNigel/status/1676205307863736320?s=20 This was the last photo of Nigel in the NE whcih I could find, I wonder who he was standing next to? Maybe the fall man for all of this

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True, I definitely thought some changes were all of a sudden especially around consett, it went from the best network to an awful network.

However I wonder if he was the fall man for GNE requests especially around the CLS closure

God knows to be honest, we'll never know without knowing someone working for GoAhead. He always came across as a bit of a narcissist to me. The parading around in front of the camera for the Voltra video, like he was sort of king, being the tip of the iceburg.

Not sure where to start without repeating what I’ve already said.

That statement is inflammatory, condescending and written after a few wines perhaps…

It just shows how poorly the company is ran top to bottom. Any communication like that should be sense checked by legal, people team , comms team and external comms. The hope would be at least one competent professional would say…’hmmm not sure there, maybe say it this way’

Where are the people team? Where’s the leadership?

(05 Nov 2023, 8:25 am)Chris3912 wrote [ -> ]The language he's using is just so awful he has no respect for the drivers whatsoever. I'd be the same.

Certainly earning his £165k with divisive statements like that....

I can see this strike going on to the bitter end.

Disgraceful, I have no words. The thing is he’s not the only director there is a Commercial Director, Finance Director & Operations Director surely they can’t be supporting or such statements.

(05 Nov 2023, 12:45 pm)morritt89 wrote [ -> ]That last statement clearly shows a them and is between management and drivers. I've never met Ben but if this all gets worse with no end in the strike action, I think (I'd probably bet my mortgage on it) that Nigel wouldn't think twice about getting rid of Ben (regardless of any future job possibilities).
Speaking of Nigel, I wonder why he seems to be a saying nothing (that I'm aware of) and appealing to drivers himself (or getting Ben to do it and blame him) and has he even been to the North East since this all started or is he still in his office back in Manchester?

Interestingly reading the other MD’s of Go Aheads areas, not one of them hasn’t been a bus driver or worked for years to achieve that role. Bens experience isn’t even 1% of what they have. Surely that can only point one way! The Exit along with NF

(05 Nov 2023, 1:17 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]He's part of the reason, things are in this mess. The Chester Le Street handling was as ugly as this and it's never recovered with constant cancellations at Riverside ever since.

Absolutely wrecked staff morale with his mishandling at the same time. Not to mention cutting frequencies way too early, unlike Stagecoach and Arriva who held off for months to try and actually let things recover and they have in most areas with some areas actually increasing.

I wouldn't be surprised if stuff like the 21, X1, 45/46/47 etc. would've recovered better if they didn't cut it down to the bone straight away, they're all no different to the X21 and X22 at Ashington which are doing very well. Similar to the X9 and X10, especially with the rail strikes but no the strike hammer was done.

21 & X1 should never have been touched IMO.

I think the biggest mistake for the X45/X46/X47 was going fully double deck. I don't know what the loads were like on the 45 & 46 although the 47 was popular and did get ex 6118-21 purchased for that route before being moved to Stanley/Consett and interworked with the 45 & 46. At least when the 309 & 310 got upgraded to deckers back in 2013-14, GNE waited until the Mercs & Omnicities were getting regular standing loads at peak times which they were.

The X9 & X10.....think that boiled down to the withdrawal of coaches plus only being enough suitable vehicles left over for a PVR of 4x. Big mistske though as it would've made money with the rail strikes plus loads actually look very healthy on the X10.

(05 Nov 2023, 4:21 pm)Coastliner700 wrote [ -> ]Disgraceful, I have no words. The thing is he’s not the only director there is a Commercial Director, Finance Director & Operations Director surely they can’t be supporting or such statements.

No Commercial Director at GNE.

Infact, only Stagecoach will have a Commercial Director come January 2024, as Arriva are losing theirs too, with (another) restructure.

The 45/46/47 should of been left alone in the first place, imo there was no need to turn them into 'expresses' at all, worked fine for years as they were, the good thing they did was move the 47 across to the same brand as the 45/46

Group of MP's Including: 

Julie Elliott MP - Sunderland Central 
Ian Mearns MP - Gateshead 
Kate Osborne MP - Jarrow
Ian Lavery MP - Wansbeck 
Sharon Hodgson MP - Washington & Sunderland West 
Mary Glindon MP - North Tyneside 
Liz Twist MP - Blaydon
Grahame Morris MP - Easington
Emma Lewell-Buck MP - South Shields 
Marry Kelly Foy MP - City Of Durham

Have sent a joint letter directed to Go North East's Managing Director Nigel Featham Directly. 

In the letter it stated "The responsibility is on Go North East to resolve this dispute immediately". 

GNE's press release 'won't somebody think of the nurses?!'

https://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/...ike-474813

Are they meant to be in talks again today?

That Ben is now really acting like a child not getting his own way

Go North East business director, Ben Maxfield said, “Our responsibility is to put the best possible offer on the table to try to prevent a strike. That is what we have done. We do not play games of brinksmanship with our passengers’ need to get to work, school or college, their ability to visit friends and family or their means of going out socially.”

“Coming on the back of the 10% increase our drivers got in July last year; our offer means they will have had a 20% pay rise in just over a year.”

Ben Maxfield added, “For the union to describe a £2,700 per year pay offer as ‘derisory’ and leaving ‘drivers on poverty pay’ is clearly unfounded given that drivers would be on track to earn nearly £30,000 annually. But sadly, we have a union intent on wide scale disruption rather than dialogue.”

Unite is hanging their hat on references to North East drivers ‘earning less’ than their counterparts in Manchester.

Addressing this Union claim, Ben Maxfield said, “We have provided to Unite a comparison of the wages and conditions package in Manchester to demonstrate the true picture. Manchester drivers work to very different conditions and once these are taken into account, our drivers in the North East region do not suffer pay inequality by comparison.

"Away from the media spotlight, Unite has confirmed to us that they would not want to swap their package of wages and conditions for that of Manchester or anywhere else. They want to keep their conditions as they are now. By continuing to reference Manchester, Unite is muddying the waters to justify a strike that shouldn't be happening."

Pretty safe to say this won't be ending anytime soon considering the clowns at GNE seem to think it's appropiate to not move at all, when their own driver's, not Unite, have said it's not what they want.

Not sure what this press release is meant to actually do bar playing games of brinkmanship which supposedly they're not doing...

Liz Truss had more dynamic leadership skills than Ben Maxfield does.

It does make you wonder - if he's the 'best' and in the senior role...what are the rest of them like?!

So they'll be running the services that they've already been running through the strike then?

(06 Nov 2023, 11:29 am)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Liz Truss had more dynamic leadership skills than Ben Maxfield does.

It does make you wonder - if he's the 'best' and in the senior role...what are the rest of them like?!

He strikes me as someone who was promoted for compliance rather than competence. 

The latest press release doesn't surprise me one bit, but I still think it stinks of the ego of NF. Trying to turn an industrial dispute of their making into some kind of culture war; straight from the playbook of the Johnson Government.