(30 Mar 2017, 7:33 am)RJamie M wrote You can't easily fit anything longer a solo around the hospital, I think the council and the hospital would be jubious if a full sized bus was allocated.
I think the 6 (or a varient) should run via hobson.

How on earth do you get from bridgehill to medomsley, also on the 46?

As I previously said, the X70/X71 pick up and drop off a hell of a lot of passengers in the morning. I'm fairly sure the X71 is contracted through hamsterly mill to lintz, but even if it isn't - it's a link that hasn't been broken for near decades, and it's healthy. There is no reason to run a limited stop service from consett. During the day they are empty enough as they are, without omitting stops.

Easy enough, for the 46 from Shotley Bridge turn right following the 45 route (Consett bound) but follow the road straight ahead and it brings you to the cross roads at medomsley edge. The turning area at the hospital will easily accommodate a double decker, X71 doesn't carry that many between Consett and burnhopfield, The X72 variation carries even less.

(30 Mar 2017, 7:58 am)GX03 wrote Easy enough, for the 46 from Shotley Bridge turn right following the 45 route (Consett bound) but follow the road straight ahead and it brings you to the cross roads at medomsley edge. The turning area at the hospital will easily accommodate a double decker, X71 doesn't carry that many between Consett and burnhopfield, The X72 variation carries even less.

Double deckers are shorter than full sized single deckers. Plaxtons have their length down as 10.0, whereas most streetlites/omnicities are over 11.

I believe the X72 trip is to cover number one rather than anything.

If you were to divert the 46 over medomsley, it's covering similar routes to what already exist, so I wouldn't see the point of changing it in the first place.

There's no point changing a system that works fine on paper, other than for efficiency. The main efficiency point is that there should not be any double deckers on off-peak services from consett or stanley except for the B9s which make up PVR. Honestly, the baby solo would be sufficient on day time allocation to the 70s/71s/6s.

700/701 - Seaburn Morrisons - St Peters Campus - The Docks - Park Lane Interchange - City Campus - Clanny House - Sunderland Royal Hospital - Durham Road - Herrington Burn - Philadelphia (Success Road) - Grasswell - Houghton le Spring - Doxford International - Moorside - Doxford Park Shops - Tunstall Village - Ryhope - Grangetown - Sunderland Eye Infirmary - Park Lane Interchange - Stadium of Light - St Peter's Campus - Seaburn Morrisons

• Services 33/700 will merge together with an clockwise/anti-clockwise extension around Sunderland providing links across the city for Students of Sunderland College and University, NHS Workers and Patients at Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland Eye Infirmary & Sunderland Children's Centre, along with Business links to Doxford International and local links for the Elderly across the area making it easier to get around.
  
• Services will run Every 15 Minutes Monday to Saturday, and Every 30 Minutes on Sundays and Bank Holidays and will also stop within the grounds of the Royal Hospital.
  
• Services would also be operated by brand new Wright Streetlite Micro-Hybrids.
  

I think all the buses that go via Houghton Road - The Burn should either go via Gillas Ln-Seaham Rd-Market Place-Lake Rd-Houghton Church or either Houghton Rd-Hetton Rd- Houghton Church:

454, 968, ED2 and Wear Xpress X5: Gillas Ln - Seaham Road - Market Place - Lake Road - Houghton Centre

Red Arrows X1 and See it Do it Sunderland 35/A:
Houghton Road - Hetton Road - Houghton Centre.

I'm not a fan of the X66 being continuously downgraded - initially with extra stops and now with it being sent on a grand tour of the Metrocentre, but get why it is.

To maintain some sort of integrity and stop the inevitable issues with reliability, I wondered if there would be an alternative.

We already see Green Solars going around the front of the Metrocentre, so why not offer that as the S1 replacement?

I would love to see GNE come into Shildon...Arriva are crap, the 5 and 5A always seem to run late, the 1 isnt too bad and the X1 goes nowhere near my house...Weardale 7 upto Spennymoor isn't too bad but, but it only runs hourly Monday-Friday...I want my favourite Bus Company back lol

2 choices...

The X21 sits in Bishop for ages so extend one of them down to the King William at Shildon

Bishop Auckland-Cockton Hill-South Church-Shildon

Turn the 18 into a circular route

Bishop Auckland-Coundon-Eldon-Shildon King William-Shildon Church St-Shildon Main St-Hippodrome-Tindale Cres-Woodhouse Close-Bishop Auckland

New Service 17...Basically 18 in Reverse



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It's a fair point. I'm assuming intu offer an incentive for this? Can't imagine it's massively profitable.

Can't he,p but wonder if intu would be better off running their staff car park mini bus around the centre. Let Asda, Mecca and ikea fork out for the rest

(22 Jul 2017, 11:25 pm)MrFozz wrote I would love to see GNE come into Shildon...Arriva are crap, the 5 and 5A always seem to run late , the 1 isnt too bad and the X1 goes nowhere near my house...Weardale 7 upto Spennymoor isn't too bad but, but it only runs hourly Monday-Friday...I want my favourite Bus Company back lol

2 choices...

The X21 sits in Bishop for ages so extend one of them down to the King William at Shildon

Bishop Auckland-Cockton Hill-South Church-Shildon

Turn the 18 into a circular route

Bishop Auckland-Coundon-Eldon-Shildon King William-Shildon Church St-Shildon Main St-Hippodrome-Tindale Cres-Woodhouse Close-Bishop Auckland

New Service 17...Basically 18 in Reverse

At last! Someone on here now finally knows my frustrations with the Arriva 5/5A frequently running late!

I feel your pain Jimmi mate lol

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(22 Jul 2017, 10:14 pm)Andreos1 wrote I'm not a fan of the X66 being continuously downgraded - initially with extra stops and now with it being sent on a grand tour of the Metrocentre, but get why it is.

To maintain some sort of integrity and stop the inevitable issues with reliability, I wondered if there would be an alternative.

We already see Green Solars going around the front of the Metrocentre, so why not offer that as the S1 replacement?

By suggesting that the 97/97A are extended via the S1 route, I'm not sure you do understand why the X66 service has had extra stops added and will now be extended via the S1 route?

By and large, footfall at the Metrocentre is going down. Like most shopping centres, a lot of people have moved away from the traditional methods of shopping, in favour of online shopping. On a service like the X66, I think it is only right for Go North East to move with the times, instead of sticking to the same route that was always traditionally known, despite shopping habits changing massively since then.

One of the main areas of the Metrocentre that is growing, unlike the other shopping malls, is the yellow quadrant. The yellow mall is where the leisure activities and restaurants are based. If this is the main place in the Metrocentre that people are travelling to, it seems a great idea in my eyes to provide a direct bus there from Gateshead, that takes under 15 minutes and runs at a regular frequency through the day.

It's important to understand here that Go North East faces their biggest competitor on their Metrocentre services: the car. Even I, as someone who gets free travel, often use the car when travelling to the Metrocentre. Why? A lack of a direct service to where I usually shop in the Metrocentre. I can drive to the Metrocentre in 15-20 minutes depending on traffic, but you're looking at borderline an hour by the time I get the Metro to Gateshead, X66 to Metrocentre, then walk to the shopping mall of my preference (or wait for a connection to S1 - which may have just left as I arrived). What is the appeal of travelling by public transport, especially when there is free car parking?

Time will tell with the X66 - but with the right marketing, it can only be a good thing.

Pertinent observation and quite right that GNE should respond to changing trends.

Hexham moved the bus station from its central location to make way for the development of new shops - which have failed to materialise, and the old bus station remains derelict as the remaining town centre shops continue their decline (not helped by the bus station no longer delivering customers into the town centre).

A BAKERY in the heart of Hexham town centre has unexpectedly shut its doors for the last time. (click to read)

This bakery was so close to the old bus station that passengers passed by it to and from buses and was close enough to buy something between buses during their layover.
Now the walk from the new bus station means that people no longer bother.

http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/hex...845677e-ds (click to read)

(23 Jul 2017, 7:04 am)G-CPTN wrote Pertinent observation and quite right that GNE should respond to changing trends.

Hexham moved the bus station from its central location to make way for the development of new shops - which have failed to materialise, and the old bus station remains derelict as the remaining town centre shops continue their decline (not helped by the bus station no longer delivering customers into the town centre).

As a bus user, I recently travelled to Hexham for the first time since the opening of the new bus station. I was very impressed with the new bus station: gone are the days where buses had to reverse at the top of the horse-shoe, in order to get their bus back out of the station! The old bus station was hideously small and not by any means appropriate for the amount of buses that served it. Seating available inside the bus station and catering facilities within the bus station itself was a huge plus. I also found that the departure stands were great too.

I didn't find the walk into the town centre an issue. It was only an extra two minutes walk on what it was previously, and it was closer for me to walk down to the railway station.

The site of the old bus station appeared to be in use as a place for people to dump their cars!

I don't know why GNE can't run the metromini bus services around the S1 route, GNE tried extending the X66 before and it ended up in a right pickle with heavy delays around the car parks, the bus isn't going to win against the car user, people starting to get lazy, the old fashioned way to get off at the bus station and walk but seems people these days are to lazy to even do that , won't be long until there be GNE staff at bus station telling the drivers to terminate at bus station and head back to Gateshead. Won't be long when the X10 will be bypassing Dalton Park when events are on as the car queues will be trailing all down the A19 southbound etc...


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(23 Jul 2017, 6:56 am)Dan wrote By suggesting that the 97/97A are extended via the S1 route, I'm not sure you do understand why the X66 service has had extra stops added and will now be extended via the S1 route?

By and large, footfall at the Metrocentre is going down. Like most shopping centres, a lot of people have moved away from the traditional methods of shopping, in favour of online shopping. On a service like the X66, I think it is only right for Go North East to move with the times, instead of sticking to the same route that was always traditionally known, despite shopping habits changing massively since then.

One of the main areas of the Metrocentre that is growing, unlike the other shopping malls, is the yellow quadrant. The yellow mall is where the leisure activities and restaurants are based. If this is the main place in the Metrocentre that people are travelling to, it seems a great idea in my eyes to provide a direct bus there from Gateshead, that takes under 15 minutes and runs at a regular frequency through the day.

It's important to understand here that Go North East faces their biggest competitor on their Metrocentre services: the car. Even I, as someone who gets free travel, often use the car when travelling to the Metrocentre. Why? A lack of a direct service to where I usually shop in the Metrocentre. I can drive to the Metrocentre in 15-20 minutes depending on traffic, but you're looking at borderline an hour by the time I get the Metro to Gateshead, X66 to Metrocentre, then walk to the shopping mall of my preference (or wait for a connection to S1 - which may have just left as I arrived). What is the appeal of travelling by public transport, especially when there is free car parking?

Time will tell with the X66 - but with the right marketing, it can only be a good thing.

If the yellow quadrant is the place to be, then I am sure it is entirely feasible to extend the X66 there and without too much of an issue.

However, as the yellow quadrant doesnt contain anything that cant be found in Gateshead and/or Newcastle, I would suggest those who are on a direct bus to Gateshead or Newcastle, would head there. Rather than change on to an X66.

Regardless of any issues around any additional ticket costs.

If Intu are keen to increase footfall in the yellow quadrant, then attracting passengers to it from other areas around western Gateshead, North West Durham and the Tyne Valley is key. Maybe it shouldn't just be the Green Solars that head that way...

Not to go too off point but retail footfall is up. Intu are reporting rises and we've got the holidays coming up

RC1 - Newcastle Racecourse - Regent Centre - Gosforth - Newcastle Haymarket Bus Station - Newcastle Central Station
Service would operate in co-ordination with the fixture list for the races similar to how York Pullman operate there shuttle service.

I think the short 1s from Whitley Bay to Gateshead should be withdrawn and revises eveey 30 mins just Whitley Bay to Wrekenton.

The 11 is providing the alternate service between Gateshead and Whitley Bay still providing the 15 min link between major points Gateshead. newcaatle. Byker. Wallsend.North Shields.a d Whitley Bay.

I think one of the short 1s to Gateshead should be merged with the 29. This would provide places on the 29 route with a direct link to Newcastle rather than just Gateshead.

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(30 Jul 2017, 6:53 pm)ifm001 wrote I think the short 1s from Whitley Bay to Gateshead should be withdrawn and revises eveey 30 mins just Whitley Bay to Wrekenton.

The 11 is providing the alternate service between Gateshead and Whitley Bay still providing the 15 min link between major points Gateshead. newcaatle. Byker. Wallsend.North Shields.a d Whitley Bay.

I don't think that's a good idea. The 1 is a completely different route to the 11 from Newcastle to North Shields and yes it serves to same major points as you call them but goes a completely different way. Would have to be 15 minutes between Wallsend and Whitley Bay but maybe 30 between Wallsend and Gateshead. Would be overcrowding on the Omnicities more than likely though.

Maybe extend the 40/41 to serve Percy Main and East Howdon would also be nice if the Residents of Hadrian Park had a bus to North Shields since the old peoples home has been re-built

(31 Jul 2017, 9:46 am)V514DFT wrote Maybe extend the 40/41 to serve Percy Main and East Howdon would also be nice if the Residents of Hadrian Park had a bus to North Shields since the old peoples home has been re-built

Several years ago I wrote to GNE, complaining that the direct link between Hadrian Park and North Shields had been discontinued. This link had been possible with the then 300 service, which was the forerunner of today's 310. I also complained about the withdrawal of direct buses between North Shields and Blyth. I could not, and still cannot understand why GNE insist on creating long routes from the coast areas such as to Wrekenton, Kibblesworth and the recently-introduced 42A to Kingston Park via most of the north-west of North Tyneside at the expense of more local routes. It may suit their scheduling and vehicle allocation, but does not serve the local population adequately. Of course GNE's response was to point out connecting facilitites. Why, then do't they point out connecting facilities to these faraway places and concentrate on more local links, which are bound to attract more customers?

I agree with your points but to be fair its all bus companies doing it now,not just GNE,its all about ££££££££ these days,no company runs services out of kindness anymore,only time will tell if lost links get restored or ignored

But the people of Sunderland like cross city links.... Hence why we have loads, it works for some places but not all.


Nearly every Stagecoach Sunderland service is bar the 8, 20 and X24. 


Go North East also have a few of them.

Yes indeed. Gone are the days where you could get one bus to go from somewhere to somewhere else.

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(31 Jul 2017, 6:57 pm)Ex-conductor wrote Several years ago I wrote to GNE, complaining that the direct link between Hadrian Park and North Shields had been discontinued. This link had been possible with the then 300 service, which was the forerunner of today's 310. I also complained about the withdrawal of direct buses between North Shields and Blyth. I could not, and still cannot understand why GNE insist on creating long routes from the coast areas such as to Wrekenton, Kibblesworth and the recently-introduced 42A to Kingston Park via most of the north-west of North Tyneside at the expense of more local routes. It may suit their scheduling and vehicle allocation, but does not serve the local population adequately. Of course GNE's response was to point out connecting facilitites. Why, then do't they point out connecting facilities to these faraway places and concentrate on more local links, which are bound to attract more customers?

Extending the Coaster to Blyth would be one option but would require a long layover whether using the full or short Coaster boards. Also, drivers would most likely need to be under strict orders to ask all passengers boarding in Blyth for destinations to ensure that any vunlerable passengers intending to head to Bedlington Station / Ashington don't end up in the middle of Wallsend / Byker.

If extra Omnicities could be sourced, could GNE not exploit the market for a faster version of the 308, serving all stops between Blyth and Billy Mill then only calling at Norham Road and Willington Square? Could interwork with the Coaster in Blyth and offer a more reliable service (with no tight turnarounds) without needing a driver changeover at Norham Road making it a true express service. And to attract passengers on Lynn Road / Billy Mill / Norham Road and Willington Square who would need to rely on the 308 during evenings and Sundays, maybe a special reduced weekly ticket could be offered covering all stops between Billy Mill Lane and Newcastle to attract commuters during the morning / afternoon peaks.

(31 Jul 2017, 9:02 pm)L469 YVK wrote Extending the Coaster to Blyth would be one option but would require a long layover whether using the full or short Coaster boards. Also, drivers would most likely need to be under strict orders to ask all passengers boarding in Blyth for destinations to ensure that any vunlerable passengers intending to head to Bedlington Station / Ashington don't end up in the middle of Wallsend / Byker.

If extra Omnicities could be sourced, could GNE not exploit the market for a faster version of the 308, serving all stops between Blyth and Billy Mill then only calling at Norham Road and Willington Square? Could interwork with the Coaster in Blyth and offer a more reliable service (with no tight turnarounds) without needing a driver changeover at Norham Road making it a true express service. And to attract passengers on Lynn Road / Billy Mill / Norham Road and Willington Square who would need to rely on the 308 during evenings and Sundays, maybe a special reduced weekly ticket could be offered covering all stops between Billy Mill Lane and Newcastle to attract commuters during the morning / afternoon peaks.

Since when do drivers have to tell passengers what stop they are at? They're there to drive safely and provide valid tickets, not be a tourist announcement script.

The difference would also be limited. Go north east gave away Ashington and those routes in exchange for Hexham, would be silly to try and go back to turf-waring in the very same areas. The councils wouldn't want it at all.

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(31 Jul 2017, 9:25 pm)Jamie M wrote Since when do drivers have to tell passengers what stop they are at? They're there to drive safely and provide valid tickets, not be a tourist announcement script.

The difference would also be limited. Go north east gave away Ashington and those routes in exchange for Hexham, would be silly to try and go back to turf-waring in the very same areas. The councils wouldn't want it at all.

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What I meant was that with Arriva already operating a number 1 service in Blyth, GNE drivers would need to ask passengers boarding in Blyth where they intend to travel to if they're buying a ticket or got any form of a pass / key card etc.

They wouldn't need to announce the stops or let passengers know where to get off, they would just have to ask any passengers boarding in Blyth where they're going to make sure that any vunlerable passengers (elderly, visually impaired etc) don't end up in Wallsend / Byker if they were intending to head into Ashington / Bedlington.

Extending the Coaster to Blyth wouldn't rattle Arriva as such. All it would do is allow passengers from Tynemouth, Cullercoates and North Shields as well as other parts of North Tyneside to ride through to Blyth without needing to change onto the 309. Would prove very popular in the summer particularly with familes due to Ridley Park if the Coaster served Ridley Park rather then Renwick Road / Broadway like the 309. The express route mirroring the 308 and parts of the 309 might annoy Arriva but no market for an express service covering has been tried and tested bar Arriva not opting to re-route the 44 to mirror the 308 route only serving the key stops rather than serving Marden / New York.

(01 Aug 2017, 5:27 pm)L469 YVK wrote What I meant was that with Arriva already operating a number 1 service in Blyth, GNE drivers would need to ask passengers boarding in Blyth where they intend to travel to if they're buying a ticket or got any form of a pass / key card etc.

They wouldn't need to announce the stops or let passengers know where to get off, they would just have to ask any passengers boarding in Blyth where they're going to make sure that any vunlerable passengers (elderly, visually impaired etc) don't end up in Wallsend / Byker if they were intending to head into Ashington / Bedlington.

I can't imagine either operator would care that much. We had 3 service X1s in Newcastle for a while and I don't think anyone indending for Sedgfield ended up in Blyth.

Chester is the worst for duplicate service numbers. There are 3 different service 1s - of which one is Stagecoach, one is Arriva and one is jointly operated by both. In addition there is a X1, 1A and a DB1, with destinations ranging from Liverpool to Wrexham.

(31 Jul 2017, 8:29 pm)big mac wrote Yes indeed. Gone are the days where you could get one bus to go from somewhere to somewhere else.

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Would work well in Washington if they split/merged the X1 into the Indigo Network, for example.

Birtley - Portmeads - Portobello - Barley Mow Estate - Ayton - Lambton - Washington Galleries - Springwell - Wrekenton - Gateshead - Newcastle

Newcastle - Gateshead - Wrekenton - Springwell - Donwell - Concord - Barmston - Washington Village - Biddick - Washington Galleries - Springwell - Wrekenton - Gateshead - Newcastle

Newcastle - Gateshead - Wrekenton - Springwell - Washington Galleries - Biddick - Fatfield - Harraton - Rickleton - Ayton - Lambton - Washington Galleries >> Back to Newcastle

X60 parkside-station road- new seaham-ryhope-tunstall bank estate- tunstall-doxford park-mill hill road-east herrington-shiney row- then direct to Washington galleries 

Black cats solo to be used to see if a success