Noted twice this week the 20:08 19 from Cobalt Business Park to North Shields Ferry on Wednesday and Thursday did not show up as one of my work colleagues normally use this service down to the Ferry to then go over to South Shields as it is quicker than getting the 309 into Newcastle then getting the Metro through which they ended up doing.

GCT just dont care,revoke their bus licence thats what i say,ever since last year i now rely on Stagecoach solely after alot of services were axed round where i live,GCT,shoddy quality,shoddy services, yes the big operators have had buses go up in flames,difference is they were getting on in age,whats GCT's excuse for a 3 year old bus going up in smoke,cus im sorry but it wasnt just 'random chance',if you look at how they run services,it wouldnt surprise me if it was down to bad maintenence

Ever since the NT contract take over last year. Gct seem to have gotten worse (just my opinion)

(15 May 2021, 2:29 pm)Malarkey wrote Noted twice this week the 20:08 19 from Cobalt Business Park to North Shields Ferry on Wednesday and Thursday did not show up as one of my work colleagues normally use this service down to the Ferry to then go over to South Shields as it is quicker than getting the 309 into Newcastle then getting the Metro through which they ended up doing.

Make sure to send a complaint to Nexus Customer Services on behalf of your work colleague.

The only way we will ever see improvements is if customers keep complaining. I suspect Nexus aren’t even aware of the issues.


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(15 May 2021, 3:16 pm)Dan wrote Make sure to send a complaint to Nexus Customer Services on behalf of your work colleague.

The only way we will ever see improvements is if customers keep complaining. I suspect Nexus aren’t even aware of the issues.


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I highly doubt nexus  do anything. Considering the amount of complaints they have received that much. If nexus weren't informed when they were taken to court because of vosa then I doubt nexus reporting anything will change. Nexus will still give them contracts and nothing will change

(15 May 2021, 4:22 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote I highly doubt nexus  do anything. Considering the amount of complaints they have received that much. If nexus weren't informed when they were taken to court because of vosa then I doubt nexus reporting anything will change. Nexus will still give them contracts and nothing will change

They do. 
Made complaints about GCT myself.
Couldn't have asked for a better response or outcome.

Wow. That's blown my mind(Sarcastic) but tbh why do nexus still give them contract if they know there gonna receive complaints I mean tbh they probably don't but who knows

(15 May 2021, 6:28 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Wow. That's blown my mind(Sarcastic) but tbh why do nexus still give them contract if they know there gonna receive complaints I mean tbh they probably don't but who knows

They're going to receive complaints about all operators whether it's commercial or otherwise, one of the bigger operators or an independent.

It's just strange how much they have received. They have been up in court yer nexus still give them contract

(15 May 2021, 7:25 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote It's just strange how much they have received. They have been up in court yer nexus still give them contract

Because Nexus are just as bad (if not worse). The Metro isn't exactly a shining armor in staff relations with strikes every other year now including one in 2019 with drivers refusing to work overtime. Staff morale is rock bottom and has been for years and I've heard that the top management are complete horrors and bullies hence the massive turnover especially with customer service staff and drivers fleeing to TPE etc (wages also another reason).

A lot of people think that nationalisation would fix everything up here but when you see the state of the Metro which is exactly that it's not exactly something you'd really want.

Hang on the H1 is meant to be Euro 6. Don't think I've seen anything remotely near Euro 6 standard on that route. When I've seen it, it was a V-Reg (hidden by the Northern Ireland plate) Dennis Trident which if they are lucky would be Euro 3 at the most. Think on one other occasion it has been a Streetlite, think they are Euro 5.

(15 May 2021, 11:25 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Hang on the H1 is meant to be Euro 6. Don't think I've seen anything remotely near Euro 6 standard on that route. When I've seen it, it was a V-Reg (hidden by the Northern Ireland plate) Dennis Trident which if they are lucky would be Euro 3 at the most. Think on one other occasion it has been a Streetlite, think they are Euro 5.

Yes, it’s a Euro 6 contract. Minimum capacity of 16.

They were allocating a Euro 2 double-deck to the route when dispensation for contract compliance was given to all operators due to Covid-19 (effectively it allowed operators to upgrade capacity for social distancing at the expense of meeting contract specification). The logic and rationale behind this was sound but the H1 which carries fresh air day in, day out, did not need an upgrade in capacity so it was very much being done to exploit the dispensation.

This dispensation has now finished, and whilst they did continue to allocate a non-compliant vehicle for a further two weeks thereafter, the 19-reg Streetlite they use on this service mainly now is Euro 6 (like GNE’s Daimler-engined examples).

If ever you do see a Euro 5 bus on it, make sure to let everyone know!


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Its absolutely stupid. Nexus need to open there eyes

On the other side of things there isn't money trees growing outside of Nexus to pay for a higher bid.

(16 May 2021, 9:18 am)idiot wrote On the other side of things there isn't money trees growing outside of Nexus to pay for a higher bid.

No - and nobody is suggesting that there is - but what has been repeated time and time again is that the successful operator of any contract to run bus services should be running the service as it was tendered.

Once a company starts repeatedly not running the contract as it was tendered - be it continued lost mileage, continued running of the wrong route and missing out stops, or otherwise - this means it's no longer a level playing field, and gives that company an unfair advantage on all the other operators who tendered for that service, be it commercial or independent, who submitted their price based on running the service as it was tendered.

We have seen vehicle shortages this week which are reported to be as a result of vandalism in Pennywell on an evening. This isn't Gateshead Central Taxis' fault, but it is their responsibility to have an adequate number of spare vehicles to operate all their services. Most commercial operators have a 12-14% spare vehicle allocation (and this needs to be factored into the cost of any tender that operators submit), and it would be interesting to see how this compares against Gateshead Central Taxis' spare vehicle allocation.

Whilst Nexus might not have a money tree growing outside on St. James' Boulevard, I would think that they still expect that what little money they do have to maintain these 'socially necessary' bus services, going to Gateshead Central Taxis in most cases, to be spent on services which do actually run. It is not acceptable for Gateshead Central Taxis to be paid for services they are not operating.

(16 May 2021, 9:33 am)Dan wrote No - and nobody is suggesting that there is - but what has been repeated time and time again is that the successful operator of any contract to run bus services should be running the service as it was tendered.

Once a company starts repeatedly not running the contract as it was tendered - be it continued lost mileage, continued running of the wrong route and missing out stops, or otherwise - this means it's no longer a level playing field, and gives that company an unfair advantage on all the other operators who tendered for that service, be it commercial or independent, who submitted their price based on running the service as it was tendered.

We have seen vehicle shortages this week which are reported to be as a result of vandalism in Pennywell on an evening. This isn't Gateshead Central Taxis' fault, but it is their responsibility to have an adequate number of spare vehicles to operate all their services. Most commercial operators have a 12-14% spare vehicle allocation (and this needs to be factored into the cost of any tender that operators submit), and it would be interesting to see how this compares against Gateshead Central Taxis' spare vehicle allocation.

Whilst Nexus might not have a money tree growing outside on St. James' Boulevard, I would think that they still expect that what little money they do have to maintain these 'socially necessary' bus services, going to Gateshead Central Taxis in most cases, to be spent on services which do actually run. It is not acceptable for Gateshead Central Taxis to be paid for services they are not operating.

It's not just about the cost, it's about the value, GCT may be cheap, but they certainly ain't good value for money.

Surely the goal should be to try and drive up passenger numbers on the contracted route to get it to a point where it doesn't need the financial support, GCT seem to be doing the complete opposite!

(16 May 2021, 10:58 am)streetdeckfan wrote It's not just about the cost, it's about the value, GCT may be cheap, but they certainly ain't good value for money.

Surely the goal should be to try and drive up passenger numbers on the contracted route to get it to a point where it doesn't need the financial support, GCT seem to be doing the complete opposite!

Nexus don't seem at all bothered about increasing passenger numbers on secured services. Indeed, it appears that they have decided that the services will never change, regardless of how few passengers they carry, or how badly they are operated.
The 79A doesn't really make sense, operating evenings only (so nothing in Fencehouses/Park Estate etc. Sunday shopping hours).

GCT operated contracts must be carrying fewer passengers than they did when Go North East or other operators ran them, so although the GCT contract price is cheaper revenue will be less!.

The Traffic Commissioners didn't think GCT were unfit to operate buses as no action taken against their licence.

On the plus side GCT have a very modern fleet (newer than any other operator in Tyne & Wear)!

https://flic.kr/p/2kYQvAU YX21 RUO On 79 Today

79A Left Easington Lane 10Mintues Ealry

(16 May 2021, 10:58 am)streetdeckfan wrote Surely the goal should be to try and drive up passenger numbers on the contracted route to get it to a point where it doesn't need the financial support, GCT seem to be doing the complete opposite!

Nope. That’s literally the opposite point.

Nexus secured services will never make commercial sense, ever, they are public service requirements. If they made cash or even had the vague possibility of turning a profit, then an operator would be there.

(16 May 2021, 11:16 pm)Ambassador wrote Nope. That’s literally the opposite point.

Nexus secured services will never make commercial sense, ever, they are public service requirements. If they made cash or even had the vague possibility of turning a profit, then an operator would be there.

You see, I disagree. On the most part, you are correct, but we have seen success stories come of secured services in the past.

Go North East took the formerly Stagecoach-operated 5/5A Nexus services in Sunderland on commercially, after requesting passenger data for these services. Granted a lot of the passengers on these services around The Docks are elderly and have an ENCTS pass, but enough of those still adds up for the service to stand up on their own feet.

These services will never be high-profile and high-frequency routes, but they may get to a stage where they can turn a profit with a bit of a push.

You could argue that the onus isn’t on Nexus to promote and grow these services and as the local authority they are just maintaining socially necessary bus links, and that the onus is on bus operators (whether that be the existing operator running it under contract to Nexus, or an operator that wishes to take a punt).

Some of the Nexus services run through some very densely populated areas - some of them are areas where you’d expect high bus usage, council or those up to a certain value - although admittedly not all. It’s the type of the former where there’s probably more chance of something ever potentially being commercially viable.


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(17 May 2021, 5:01 am)Dan wrote You see, I disagree. On the most part, you are correct, but we have seen success stories come of secured services in the past.

Go North East took the formerly Stagecoach-operated 5/5A Nexus services in Sunderland on commercially, after requesting passenger data for these services. Granted a lot of the passengers on these services around The Docks are elderly and have an ENCTS pass, but enough of those still adds up for the service to stand up on their own feet.

These services will never be high-profile and high-frequency routes, but they may get to a stage where they can turn a profit with a bit of a push.

You could argue that the onus isn’t on Nexus to promote and grow these services and as the local authority they are just maintaining socially necessary bus links, and that the onus is on bus operators (whether that be the existing operator running it under contract to Nexus, or an operator that wishes to take a punt).

Some of the Nexus services run through some very densely populated areas - some of them are areas where you’d expect high bus usage, council or those up to a certain value - although admittedly not all. It’s the type of the former where there’s probably more chance of something ever potentially being commercially viable.


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The 29 comes to mind, cant think of any others though.

(17 May 2021, 9:05 am)ASX_Terranova wrote The 29 comes to mind, cant think of any others though.

I purposely didn’t mention the 29, as a cynic would suggest Go North East only took that route on commercially to avoid Gateshead Central Taxis having a heavier presence within Gateshead, where the network is largely dominated by Go North East.

That was why I intentionally gave the example of a route operated by another company. But yes, the 29 is probably one of those. It’ll never be a majorly successful service but holds its own.


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So why did the North Tyneside network (Little Coasters) Go to GCT on an evening and Sunday

ahhh the 29. The first service of the day is run by GCT though. Is that the only secured run?

(17 May 2021, 11:47 am)Rob44 wrote ahhh the 29. The first service of the day is run by GCT though. Is that the only secured run?

The same 29 which when it was a fully secured service - ran with incorrect allocations (euro rating and/or capacity) at times and sometimes didn't run at all, leaving big gaps in service.

(17 May 2021, 12:27 pm)Andreos1 wrote The same 29 which when it was a fully secured service - ran with incorrect allocations (euro rating and/or capacity) at times and sometimes didn't run at all, leaving big gaps in service.

Did this happen commonly? Or as commonly as we find Nexus contracts nowadays running with incorrect allocations, or services being completely dropped?

(17 May 2021, 12:34 pm)Dan wrote Did this happen commonly? Or as commonly as we find Nexus contracts nowadays running with incorrect allocations, or services being completely dropped?

No idea how common it was. I didn't count. 
Ditto I didn't count the number of times the 333 or other tendered services didn't run under various contracts.
Assuming records were maintained and submitted accurately then as they are now, then I'd hope there aren't too many stones being thrown about in those greenhouses.

Judging by the furore on a Birtley Facebook page the 23 is equally suffering the brunt of GCTs lax approach to erm…well running a service.

40 minute waits, multiple runs missed and unanswered complaints to nexus….

(18 May 2021, 11:20 pm)Ambassador wrote Judging by the furore on a Birtley Facebook page the 23 is equally suffering the brunt of GCTs lax approach to erm…well running a service.

40 minute waits, multiple runs missed and unanswered complaints to nexus….

Have you got a link to that?

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