11 Jul 2013 12:30

Tyne and Wear Metro bosses again refuse to intervene as cleaners stage two week strike
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A metro train at East Boldon A metro train at East Boldon

Metro staff will tomorrow walk out for two weeks in a continued dispute over pay and conditions.

Churchill Services staff will again “down tools”, beginning the longest spell of action in what has been a prolonged industrial conflict.

But, despite continued criticism from the RMT union, both network owner Nexus and operator DB Regio Tyne and Wear say it is not their problem to resolve.

A Nexus spokesman said: “This is a dispute between the RMT and Churchill. Nexus does not employ the cleaning staff on Metro so cannot get involved in an issue over their terms and conditions. It is a matter for the employer and the union to negotiate over.

“We continue to urge both parties to get around the table and resolve this long-running dispute.”

Sharon Kelly, director of customer services and operations at DB Regio Tyne and Wear, agreed.

“This is a matter for Churchill to resolve with its staff,” Ms Kelly said – although she admitted DB Regio have put contingency cleaning plans in place.

The strike coincides with the Durham Miners’ Gala, where the cleaners plan to have a high profile, and follows on from 19 days of industrial action in less than 18 months over calls for a “living wage” – one the RMT suggests might be more than minimum wage and include “perks” like sick pay or free travel passes.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said he remained confident the cleaners would get what they want.

“We now move to a serious escalation of the dispute with a fortnight of action which shows clearly that RMT is geared up for a victory that we know is within our grasp,” he said.

“This battle is now seen as having national significance in the campaign against low pay and exploitation by greedy companies and RMT will continue to ratchet up the pressure for fairness for this important group of North East transport staff.

“It remains a scandal that the regional passenger organisation Nexus, and the operating company DB Regio, have still not lifted a finger to stop this exploitation and poverty pay scandal on their own doorstep and RMT has no intention of letting them off the hook.

“Nexus and the city council cannot wash their hands of this dispute and RMT is stepping up the call for them to intervene to help force a solution as the fight for pay and workplace justice will continue until we win.”

Churchill did not provide a comment.

Source: Evening Chronicle

Published on 12/07/2013 12:00

Inconsiderate parkers have been criticised for causing chaos on the approach to a north Northumberland railway station.

The situation was so bad last week that Arriva’s X18, which serves Alnmouth Station, had to be diverted because stationary vehicles made nearby Curly Lane impassable.

It’s not the first time that buses have had trouble reaching stops close to the facility because of parked vehicles.

Nick Knox, area managing director for Arriva North East, said: “Last week we did experience some problems serving Almouth Station as the road was not passable due to parked vehicles. The vehicles in question were causing an obstruction; therefore we had to divert the service via Lesbury Road.

“This has been a recurring problem for a number of years.”

Parking issues around the station are long-standing and while it was hoped that the new station car park opened in 2011 would help, it appears there are still problems.

In a letter sent to the Gazette last week, Vivien Kay from South View, Lesbury, criticised the situation.

She said: “The parking at the station is beyond a joke, with people leaving their cars for up to two weeks, preventing daily commuters from using the car parks and causing them to park indiscriminately on Curly Lane, South View and the Bilton road.

“Travellers expecting to find parking spaces at the station leave home at the last minute and then abandon their cars so they don’t miss the train.

“While the argument rages on about parking charges at the station and residents’ parking bays in Hipsburn, bus users are left to bear the brunt of inconsiderate drivers’ thoughtless parking.”

The area in question falls within the Alnwick ward of Couns Gordon Castle and Heather Cairns.

Coun Castle suggested two solutions – a residents’ parking scheme, which would need to go out to consultation, and limiting parking times at the station.

Coun Cairns said she was aware of the problem and had every intention of getting it sorted in conjunction with residents. She said that parking at the station was insufficient to deal with the demand.

Source: The Journal

(03 Oct 2013, 4:24 pm)aureolin wrote Another pedestrian hit by bus in Newcastle city centre

The scene of the accident on Blackett Street
By Sophie Doughty | 3 Oct 2013 09:36
Another pedestrian has been hit by a bus in Newcastle city centre, bringing the casualty toll to 10 in 18 months.

The man, who is in his 40s, became the latest victim of the Blackett Street bus black-spot when he was struck by a double-decker yesterday morning.

Police and paramedics were quickly at the scene at junction between Pilgrim Street and Blackett Street. Onlookers watched on as the injured man was rescued from underneath the front of the Stagecoach vehicle, and carried into an ambulance.

He was taken to hospital but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The bus driver was left shaken by the incident.

Stagecoach says its initial investigations have revealed that the bus driver was travelling within the speed limit, and it is thought the pedestrian was using a mobile phone when he was hit. But the incident has once again sparked calls for new safety measures.

Lyn Holmes, who works close to where the incident happened, said she believed buses drive too fast on Blackett Street.


The scene of the accident on Blackett Street

The scene of the accident on Blackett Street

The scene of the accident on Blackett Street

The scene of the accident on Blackett Street

The scene of the accident on Blackett Street



The 52-year-old, from Cullercoats, told the Chronicle: “The buses along here go far too fast. I don’t know how they get away with it and I don’t know how somebody is not killed every day. It’s just ridiculous.”

Police closed off Blackett Street for more than an hour as investigations into the cause of the incident began.

Stagecoach will also carry out its own inquiries.

A spokeswoman confirmed: “We can confirm that there was an incident today in Newcastle when a pedestrian walked out in front of a Stagecoach bus. It is our understanding, from witness statements, that the gentleman was using a mobile phone and walked out from between parked vehicles without looking.

“We are conducting a full investigation and will assist the police with any information they need. The driver is understandably quite shaken but we are pleased that reports so far suggest that the injuries to the pedestrian are not serious.”

The spokeswoman added that speed recording equipment on the bus indicated that it was travelling within the speed limit.

Peter Gray, Newcastle city council’s head of highways, said: “I am sorry to hear about this accident. The city council takes very seriously all traffic accidents which result in personal injury. We analyse information from the police and our own internal procedures to determine the precise causes of the accidents and help develop road safety proposals. We have recently made a number of physical changes to the highway including road narrowing.”

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/another-pedestrian-hit-bus-newcastle-6130774

(03 Oct 2013, 4:30 pm)tyresmoke wrote So the pedestrian was apparently using a mobile phone at the time and walked out from between parked vehicles.... I fail to see how that has anything to do with the road layout or its safety. I must admit as a driver myself, Blackett St is a nightmare as it is, and narrowing the road has made it worse as you can barely get 3 buses (1 stopped either side) down there as it is.

Also, Stagecoach spokeswoman says they have speed recording equipment? Greenroad when it was installed did not include the speed part of the software as it was too expensive, have they now gone ahead with this? If not, I fail to see what "speed recording equipment" they may have other than in-cab CCTV with which they could check the speedo??

(03 Oct 2013, 7:17 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote I really don't think the pedestrianised look of the road does anything to help the situation and have no idea why the council gave it this appearance. Obviously people should look where they are going when crossing the road, but making the road look like a road (as it does outside Eldon Gardens) would surely help. Even just having a higher kerb with crossing places rather than being able to walk across without even noticing would be an improvement.

(03 Oct 2013, 7:22 pm)aureolin wrote It's a designated pedestrian zone, so surely you'd expect it to look as such? The same way you wouldn't expect to see block paving on the A1M.

(11 Dec 2013, 10:34 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/business/news/10871047.Contracts_blow_for_workers_at_Darlington_engine_maker_Cummins/?ref=twtrec

Cummins in Darlington aren't renewing the contracts for temporary members of staff.

(21 Jan 2016, 11:28 am)Adrian wrote Opinion piece by Owen Jones on deregulation
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/21/why-nobody-complaining-bus-services-deregulation

£2.8bn ended up as dividend payments in the bank balances of shareholders, rather than invested in improving bus services. About 40p in every pound of their total revenues comes directly from the taxpayer: yet another example of Britain’s publicly subsidised “free market” economy.

(19 Oct 2016, 11:43 am)Andreos1 wrote http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37691160

Bus usage across England falls to lowest levels seen in a decade.
London has seen it's first drop since 2012.

I think there is a lot more to it than congestion...

The DfT have stated they're currently paying £250m to support bus services in England.