I know it's generally something that me and others moan about timetables with uneven patterns but it's good to see that the new £4.5m AI system that Firstbus (https://news.firstbus.co.uk/news/first-b...s-industry) is using is bringing out timetables which are all clean and efficent for customers... oh wait

What a mess the new timetables are in Stoke, with completely bizarre timetables, as an understatement

This is the sort of nonsense which is being produced - https://www.firstbus.co.uk/potteries/pla...2024-09-01 and even worse according to RailUK who have cyphered the timetables, there's buses sitting around 20 minutes here and there doing absolutely nothing so there's no reason why they're like this.

For the record this is what's being replaced - https://bustimes.org/services/3-hanley-t...ager-crewe, nice and clean.

Absolutely crazy, I guess the management there don't have a braincell between them to intervene and not notice it's a complete mess. It's like giving a kid with a computer who doesn't know what he's doing asking ChatGDP to create a timetable and literally use the thing without actually looking at it. They've literally produced a service which is worse than currently and increased the PVR in the process, what an own goal.

This man travelled from Canada to Mexico on only public transport - BBC News

Man managed it in 9 days. Some great views on the way

Mod Edit: Split topic from Disruption and driver shortages thread. Relates to on-going rioting across the UK and mainly across 2nd/3rd/4th August. 

See articles:

• https://news.sky.com/story/uk-riots-late...e-13186819
  
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cw5yyynpwnzt
  

You can report incidents at: https://www.police.uk/pu/contact-us/

⚠️⚠️Sunderland Buses⚠️⚠️

Due to the ongoing protests in Sunderland we have made the difficult decision to terminate ALL services short of Sunderland.

Service 56/35A/9/24 will terminate at Wheatsheaf.

Service 2/2A/39/39A will terminate at the Hospital.

Service 78 will terminate at the Hospital.

Service 8 will terminate at B&Q

We apologise for any inconvenience caused to customers.

Stay safe everyone!

Thought this could use its own thread.

It looks like the NECA Cabinet on 30th July will agree to issue a notice of intent to prepare a Franchising Scheme Assessment (FSA). This is a legal step that the authority needs to take.

The report is extensive and covered in page 73 to 313 of the agenda pack: https://www.northeast-ca.gov.uk/download...-07-24.pdf

The Chronicle has also done a write up, wirh their usual tabloid style headlining: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...t-29606117

Interestingly, Go North East and Arriva seem to now be in full support. Oh how times change!

I thought I would post this so we could remember the good the bad and the ugly... oh and maybe the worst .liveries..
I'll start.....
The worst in my opinion...."The Nine" also pointless and the colour was awful.
.... everyone get involved..

Just to put this under the Stagecoach thread too:

Great Park bus services

New bus services to Newcastle Great Park

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and...s-services

To transfer the September 2024 changes from the July 2024 changes thread

Seen this on facebook:

Fare increase + children under 11 go free during the 6 weeks holidays.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the rebranding of Teesside Municipal Transport into Cleveland Transit - the forerunner of the present day Stagecoach on Teesside operation. In addition to this, it also marks the 30th anniversary of the purchase of Cleveland Transit Ltd by the Stagecoach Group in November 1994.

To celebrate this, I am delighted to announced that, to celebrate this anniversary, the Teesside 500 Group and Stagecoach will be opening Stockton depot to the public on Sunday 11th August between 10am and 4pm.

Apparently Go ahead are going to introduce a 5 digit fleet number system throughout the group. Watch this space!!!