Gilesgate roundabout improvement works from 24 January

Date: 15 Jan 2016

Stage 1 of the Gilesgate roundabout signalisation scheme commences on Sunday 24 January.

This will see Gilesgate Bank closed in both directions between 7am and 7pm on 24 January, with services 20 and 20A diverted from Sportsmans Arms at Belmont via Belmont Road and A690 in both directions, omitting Sunderland Road and Gilesgate.

Following this, from Monday 25 January, the bus lane on the A690 will be closed, followed by the closure of the car lane, so delays are likely on service X20 during these phases.

On the following seven Sundays, from 31 January, Gilesgate will be open towards Durham, whilst the outward lane will be closed between 7am and 7pm each Sunday, with Sunderland bound 20 and 20A services being diverted via A690 and Belmont Lane towards Belmont Sportsmans Arms.

The main problem at Gilesgate is the traffic going down the A690 (Leazes Road?) from the roundabout towards Durham with the delays caused by traffic having to go from two lanes to one, thus preventing vehicles coming off the roundabout. Lights will not solve this problem; it would be better to have two lanes all the way downhill towards Durham with only one lane as you start coming up the hill on the A690 (Sunderland direction) then widening to two for the roundabout. And there is a consultation on the go about reducing the bridge across the Wear on the A690 (Milburngate Bridge?) from two to one lane in each direction to have room for cycle lanes!!! That really would bugger things up.

(17 Jan 2016, 9:06 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote The main problem at Gilesgate is the traffic going down the A690 (Leazes Road?) from the roundabout towards Durham with the delays caused by traffic having to go from two lanes to one, thus preventing vehicles coming off the roundabout. Lights will not solve this problem; it would be better to have two lanes all the way downhill towards Durham with only one lane as you start coming up the hill on the A690 (Sunderland direction) then widening to two for the roundabout. And there is a consultation on the go about reducing the bridge across the Wear on the A690 (Milburngate Bridge?) from two to one lane in each direction to have room for cycle lanes!!! That really would bugger things up.

Didn't it used to be like that? Racking my brains to remember what the set up was like prior to the last lot of works on the road and I am sure it was two lanes down and one up.

Well from what I cam see, X1 to continue with 10min frequency with 1 bus diverting to Rainton at 8pm...

(18 Jan 2016, 11:01 am)JP6004 wrote Well from what I cam see, X1 to continue with 10min frequency with 1 bus diverting to Rainton at 8pm...

Where did you find the timetable?

(18 Jan 2016, 11:15 am)Michael wrote Where did you find the timetable?

(18 Jan 2016, 11:17 am)JP6004 wrote

It was released to npower staff today:

1954 Easington Lane Diverts to Rainton bridge at 2007

Could of held the suspense a little longer

(18 Jan 2016, 5:42 pm)JP6004 wrote Could of held the suspense a little longer

Nah, your life would have been hell 

(18 Jan 2016, 5:38 pm)gordondack wrote It was released to npower staff today:

1954 Easington Lane Diverts to Rainton bridge at 2007

Cheers
PB0002400/587 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Hebburn, Station Road
Finish Point: South Sheilds, Keppel Street
Via:
Service Number: 900
Service Type: Limited Stop
Effective Date: 24-JAN-2016
Other Details:

PB0003954/420 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Monkseaton, Star of the Sea RC School and Backworth, Castle Park given service number 670 effective from 18-Jan-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0003954/535 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Whitley Bay Metro and Earsdon Grange Harewood Crescent given service number W1, W1A effective from 18-Jan-2016. To amend Route.

(18 Jan 2016, 6:34 pm)Michael wrote Cheers
PB0002400/587 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Hebburn, Station Road
Finish Point: South Sheilds, Keppel Street
Via:
Service Number: 900
Service Type: Limited Stop
Effective Date: 24-JAN-2016
Other Details:

PB0003954/420 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Monkseaton, Star of the Sea RC School and Backworth, Castle Park given service number 670 effective from 18-Jan-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0003954/535 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Whitley Bay Metro and Earsdon Grange Harewood Crescent given service number W1, W1A effective from 18-Jan-2016. To amend Route.

The 670/W1/W1A will be the diversion due to wilton drive being closed

Thanks Dannygee =)

PB0002400/560 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Sunderland Park Lane Interchannge/Fence Houses Avenue and Barnwell The Limes given service number 238 effective from 28-Feb-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0002400/589 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive
Finish Point: Barnwell, The Limes
Via:
Service Number: 237
Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride
Effective Date: 28-JAN-2016
Other Details: Monday to Friday evenings, Saturday evenings and Sunday evenings

(19 Jan 2016, 6:06 pm)Michael wrote Thanks Dannygee =)

PB0002400/560 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Sunderland Park Lane Interchange/FenceHouses Avenue and Barnwell The Limes given service number 238 effective from 28-Feb-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0002400/589 - GO NORTHERN LTD T/A GO NORTH EAST, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive
Finish Point: Barnwell, The Limes
Via:
Service Number: 237
Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride
Effective Date: 28-JAN-2016
Other Details: Monday to Friday evenings, Saturday evenings and Sunday evenings

The 237 seems to be the 238 replaced in Evenings.

(19 Jan 2016, 6:08 pm)DanPicken wrote The 237 seems to be the 238 replaced in Evenings.

238 Vosa changes start 1 month after the start of service 237.

(19 Jan 2016, 6:08 pm)DanPicken wrote The 237 seems to be the 238 replaced in Evenings.

The 238 only runs during the day.
The 239 is the night time service.

(19 Jan 2016, 6:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote The 238 only runs during the day.
The 239 is the night time service.

Andreos is correct - the new 237 service replaces the current night-time 239 service, under contract to Nexus.

(19 Jan 2016, 6:23 pm)Dan wrote Andreos is correct - the new 237 service replaces the current night-time 239 service, under contract to Nexus.

i was just thinking that aswell.

 at the moment is there a nexus secured service on evenings  working between Easington lane and hetton-le-hole areas? just that this new 237 must be replacement. I know years ago there used to be secured bus services in the hetton area in evenings. service 166 used to operate during the day while service 21A operated the evening service through Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive.

at least we wont have 2 239 bus services close together

(19 Jan 2016, 6:27 pm)cbma06 wrote i was just thinking that aswell.

 at the moment is there a nexus secured service on evenings  working between Easington lane and hetton-le-hole areas? just that this new 237 must be replacement. I know years ago there used to be secured bus services in the hetton area in evenings.

at least we wont have 2 239 bus services close together

There is the daytime 168, but that runs off fairly early.

The area has the X1 and 35/35A on an evening in the areas already. Are one of them going or being reduced?
According to JP6004 and Gordon Dack, there isn't any change in the X1, other than a diversion.

The 239 gets ok numbers between Barnwell and Fencehouses. On the way back, on the Fencehouses - Houghton section it follows the 4.

(19 Jan 2016, 6:40 pm)Andreos1 wrote There is the daytime 168, but that runs off fairly early.

The area has the X1 and 35/35A on an evening in the areas already. Are one of them going or being reduced?
According to JP6004 and Gordon Dack, there isn't any change in the X1, other than a diversion.

The 239 gets ok numbers between Barnwell and Fencehouses. On the way back, on the Fencehouses - Houghton section it follows the 4.

I don't think it will effect the evening service X1 and 35/35A, as the estate at Easington lane is further up from the clock, the Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive estate is a big estate, and would take a person about a 20 minutes to walk to the main road for service X1 etc..., loads of passengers used to use the evening bus service, but since the council cuts etc.. and most passengers using bus passes, its wasn't viable to maintain the bus service. the evening service in the olden days used to run from hetton-Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive-Haswell-top of ludworth-then Thornley estate, daytime was service 21 hetton-Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive-Haswell-top of ludworth-then Thornley-wheatley Hill then onwards to Hartlepool, providing a 30 minute service with service 22 between |Hartlepool and Thornley. (sorry for going off topic lol)

(19 Jan 2016, 7:04 pm)cbma06 wrote I don't think it will effect the evening service X1 and 35/35A, as the estate at Easington lane is further up from the clock, the Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive estate is a big estate, and would take a person about a 20 minutes to walk to the main road for service X1 etc..., loads of passengers used to use the evening bus service, but since the council cuts etc.. and most passengers using bus passes, its wasn't viable to maintain the bus service. the evening service in the olden days used to run from hetton-Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive-Haswell-top of ludworth-then Thornley estate, daytime was service 21 hetton-Easington Lane, Queen Elizabeth Drive-Haswell-top of ludworth-then Thornley-wheatley Hill then onwards to Hartlepool, providing a 30 minute service with service 22 between |Hartlepool and Thornley. (sorry for going off topic lol)

I thought you asked about Easington Lane - Hetton .

From memory, there hasn't been owt secured, south of the clock for years. With the Co Durham border being just beyond the Queen Elisabeth Drive - I imagine anything secured will have been DCC contracts and they all ended a few years ago.

I can remember the 21A and 35/36 secured extensions, but they may have been the last.

(19 Jan 2016, 7:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote I thought you asked about Easington Lane - Hetton .

From memory, there hasn't been owt secured, south of the clock for years. With the Co Durham border being just beyond the Queen Elisabeth Drive - I imagine anything secured will have been DCC contracts and they all ended a few years ago.

I can remember the 21A and 35/36 secured extensions, but they may have been the last.

I think the last bus service to use the section of road between easington lane and haswell was service 21a unless I think an independent operator stepped in as a 224 something like that, secured service

Campaign to extend bus route grinds to a halt

http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/pru...91112e7-ds

MichaelCampaign to extend bus route grinds to a halt

http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/pru...91112e7-ds

Unless GNE were willing to increase the PVR to 15 vehicles I believe, then it would be a no go. As unfortunate as it is, many operators are amalgamating traditional services into more frequent and combined services but with some drawbacks.

However and this is not a service suggestion but more from a business aspect, GNE could depending on passenger numbers run the Tyne Valley / West Gateshead network like this if passengers wanted a regular service back:

Monday to Saturday daytime:
- 10 in current form every 30 minutes (PVR of 6).
- 10A in current form every 30 minutes.
- 10B replacing current service 11 between Blackmill Mill and Blaydon and operating via the Metro Centre to Newcastle every 30 minutes (PVR of 10A and 10B should remain at 8 vehicles).
- 11 in near or exact former 604 guise every 30 minutes (PVR of 4 or 7 combined with the 96) but with new stopping arrangements in Newcastle if interworking with the 96. Buses would also run via Greenside Road rather than the Main Road.

Evenings and Sundays:
- Service 11 doesn't run and instead, service 10C runs but in the guise of the current 10B. Exactly the same PVR and frequencies as now.

Drawbacks include:
- Less frequent service between Prudhoe and Metrocentre despite faster travelling opportunities to Newcastle.
- Slower route for passengers between Blackhall Mill and Greenside travelling to Newcastle (via Metro Centre rather than Scotswood Road) which could put slightly more pressure on an already overstretched service 47.
- Less consistency.

Benefits include:
- Introduction of higher specification vehicles and more streamlined route may improve viability of the Blackhall Mill section of the route.
- If capacity was not to be an issue (not exactly sure of the loads taking into account the shared Ryton / Newcastle corridoor via Scotswood Road and Newcastle Business Park running up to every 15 minutes during peak times), service 11a could be withdrawn and instead, all peak time journeys provided by service 11 on a regular 30 minute timetable with the resources currently used on the current rota being used elsewhere.
- Potential evening and Sunday service introduced on new service 10B at a later date. Would mean the 10A reducing to 1x bus per hour throughout all evenings and Sundays.

(19 Jan 2016, 7:29 pm)cbma06 wrote I think the last bus service to use the section of road between easington lane and haswell was service 21a unless I think an independent operator stepped in as a 224 something like that, secured service

I forgot about the ANE 21A. That must have been gone a few years now.
Can't remember the 224 at all.

(19 Jan 2016, 8:58 pm)Andreos1 wrote I forgot about the ANE 21A. That must have been gone a few years now.
Can't remember the 224 at all.

I think it what replaced the 21a. There was 2 services in hetton area 224/225 I'm sure it was sherburn coaches using minibus

New timetables have appeared for the 74/680/682/683/687/688 times from 30 Jan 2016

http://www.simplygo.com/download/publication/74163.96


Edit: The changes seem to be extra runs on the 74, not sure if supported or GNE are funding them?

(20 Jan 2016, 5:50 pm)Michael wrote New timetables have appeared for the 74/680/682/683/687/688 times from 30 Jan 2016

http://www.simplygo.com/download/publication/74163.96


Edit: The changes seem to be extra runs on the 74, not sure if supported or GNE are funding them?

2 extra Saturday Evening journeys, probs funded.

(20 Jan 2016, 6:03 pm)DanPicken wrote 2 extra Saturday Evening journeys, probs funded.

Seems i copied the wrong link...

http://www.simplygo.com/download/publication/75197.46

(20 Jan 2016, 6:03 pm)DanPicken wrote 2 extra Saturday Evening journeys, probs funded.

I agree, although Go North East may have taken them on commercially, since the funding was recently withdrawn. Not related to funding, but the journeys also run a little bit later than the previous Saturday evening NCC funded journeys, with the final bus departing Newcastle at 23:20, rather than 23:00, meaning we could see greater use?
 
Quick question - will these run off another service, by any chance, as the last 74 gets in to Hexham at 18:58 and wouldn't return back towards Newcastle until 19:50? From the timetable it looks like the 683 could be a possible candidate, as it terminates at Priestpopple (opposite Hexham Bus Station) at 19:37.
 
Edit: The route map and route information on the website needs a slight update, as it still shows "74A via Newcastle Airport and Kingston Park".

A few new timetables online now. Effective from 28th February.

Service 4
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/Fo.../GNE_4.pdf

Service 923
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/Fo...NE_923.pdf

Service X7
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/Fo...GNE_X7.pdf