(08 Jan 2022, 10:29 pm)Bazza wrote

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Surprised that Arriva would rely on the Metro to get its drivers to where they need to be.

I could be terribly wrong but I believe they do already with drivers using the Metro from Jesmond to Haymarket.

(08 Jan 2022, 11:42 pm)Storx wrote I could be terribly wrong but I believe they do already with drivers using the Metro from Jesmond to Haymarket.

They do travel from Portland Terrace to Haymarket by either using the 51/51A/306/308 or 309/310/311.

GNE's Percy Main drivers do get on well with Arriva's Jesmond drivers from what I've seen when they get on.

(09 Jan 2022, 8:39 am)L469 YVK wrote They do travel from Portland Terrace to Haymarket by either using the 51/51A/306/308 or 309/310/311.

GNE's Percy Main drivers do get on well with Arriva's Jesmond drivers from what I've seen when they get on.

Ah must use both ways then, I quite regularly see them get on at Jesmond (Metro) heading towards town aswell and getting off at Haymarket. Guess it must be upto them which way they go.

(09 Jan 2022, 9:56 am)Storx wrote Ah must use both ways then, I quite regularly see them get on at Jesmond (Metro) heading towards town aswell and getting off at Haymarket. Guess it must be upto them which way they go.

Can certainly understand drivers using a choice, but would imagine there would always have to be an Arriva service to fall back on.

(08 Jan 2022, 4:12 pm)peter wrote So clearly not just the minibus network as rumoured.

Nexus Schools, 685 and 43/44/45 likely to stay at Shields Road, along with the Mini services.

52/53/54 and 306 into Blyth.

1/2 into Ashington (maybe some X10/X11 interworking with the X21/X22 depending on what frequency they both end up at).

It could all change still, but I think keeping as much work in Newcastle as possible is the agenda.

Don't forget, Stagecoach 22 offers a road transfer option if Metro wasn't available.

(09 Jan 2022, 5:27 pm)RobinHood wrote Nexus Schools, 685 and 43/44/45 likely to stay at Shields Road, along with the Mini services.

52/53/54 and 306 into Blyth.

1/2 into Ashington (maybe some X10/X11 interworking with the X21/X22 depending on what frequency they both end up at).

It could all change still, but I think keeping as much work in Newcastle as possible is the agenda.

Don't forget, Stagecoach 22 offers a road transfer option if Metro wasn't available.

is this speculation or information from an Arriva source?

Jesmond Metro to Haymarket is only 1 stop with a metro running pretty frequent with Metro's from both yellow and green lines. If they are to use the Metro from Chilly Road, they are less frequent and its Monument only, with either a walk from there or a change of Metro, so imo not as easy to get to Haymarket as it is now.

553 changes over at Regent Centre, with drivers told to use arriva service bus to get there, although many drivers use Metro instead. Saturday changeovers were done at Benfield Road, again drivers had to use a service bus to get there. When they had service 6, changeovers were done at Pilgrim Street, with drivers carrying their bags down Northumberland Street.

If a driver starts at Depot, they were paid to get back there, usually taking a bus back, but some duties had extra time paid to get a service bus/Metro back. If a driver started at Haymarket, and they finished service with a bus, they would leave it at Haymarket/Eldon Square

Service 1 transfers to Ashington depot from 27th Feb, with service 2 following a month or so later. Once that goes then Jesmond services and personel will start transfering over to Blyth.

From what I've heard quite a few Jesmond drivers would rather leave the company than relocate to Blyth.

(07 Feb 2022, 12:46 pm)Driver9*** wrote Service 1 transfers to Ashington depot from 27th Feb, with service 2 following a month or so later. Once that goes then Jesmond services and personel will start transfering over to Blyth.

From what I've heard quite a few Jesmond drivers would leave the company rather than relocate to Blyth.

And here’s me thinking Blyth was the up and coming area of South West Northumberland!!!

With both Stagecoach and GNE recruiting it’s possibly not a bad time to look for another job.

Thing is Blyth depot at its current location is on borrowed time, and will no doubt at some point be relocated to an industrial estate in either Blyth or Cramlington, though I think Cramlington will be the more likely location.

(07 Feb 2022, 1:13 pm)Rapidsnap wrote Thing is Blyth depot at its current location is on borrowed time, and will no doubt at some point be relocated to an industrial estate in either Blyth or Cramlington, though I think Cramlington will be the more likely location.

This is incorrect, Blyth depot as it is will be redeveloped into an open-air depot with planned capacity of 58 vehicles subject to planning approval.

(07 Feb 2022, 1:18 pm)omnicity4659 wrote This is incorrect, Blyth depot as it is will be redeveloped into an open-air depot with planned capacity of 58 vehicles subject to planning approval.

Yep, they've gone for the cheapest option available, although hardly surprising in the current climate.

(07 Feb 2022, 1:18 pm)omnicity4659 wrote This is incorrect, Blyth depot as it is will be redeveloped into an open-air depot with planned capacity of 58 vehicles subject to planning approval.

In the medium-long term it's definitely on borrowed time. There's massive redevelopment plans for Blyth and the plans need the depot and bus station gone to go anywhere. I believe they wanted to build a hotel and some form of education place where the depot is - whoever wants to stop at Blyth but that's another thing.

(07 Feb 2022, 2:47 pm)Storx wrote In the medium-long term it's definitely on borrowed time. There's massive redevelopment plans for Blyth and the plans need the depot and bus station gone to go anywhere. I believe they wanted to build a hotel and some form of education place where the depot is - whoever wants to stop at Blyth but that's another thing.

There's a huge difference between plans and reality, especially when a certain political party are involved with it.

Ashington should be seen as an example of that. Half of the old depot and bus station is still a huge hole, some 6 years after demolition. Not to mention the new bus station which is nothing near what it was planned to be.

(07 Feb 2022, 2:47 pm)Storx wrote In the medium-long term it's definitely on borrowed time. There's massive redevelopment plans for Blyth and the plans need the depot and bus station gone to go anywhere. I believe they wanted to build a hotel and some form of education place where the depot is - whoever wants to stop at Blyth but that's another thing.

The bus depot doesn't feature in the latest regeneration plans. See: https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Econom...Blyth.aspx

It did feature at one time, but the most recent document I can find is from 2008!

(07 Feb 2022, 3:23 pm)Adrian wrote The bus depot doesn't feature in the latest regeneration plans. See: https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Econom...Blyth.aspx

It did feature at one time, but the most recent document I can find is from 2008!

Those images show the bus depot being built on (11 and 48), as well as the Arriva offices in the bus station (10) replaced, Adrian. The curved building on the corner to the right is where the shed of the Arriva depot is.

The whole project is vague with some very cheap and crude artist's impressions with barely any detail to them. I'd be surprised if this even went ahead.

(07 Feb 2022, 3:26 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Those images show the bus depot being built on (11 and 48), as well as the Arriva offices in the bus station (10) replaced, Adrian. The curved building on the corner to the right is where the shed of the Arriva depot is.

The whole project is vague with some very cheap and crude artist's impressions with barely any detail to them. I'd be surprised if this even went ahead.

Ah ok! I was getting confused with the Mecca on the sketched map. 

Looking at the planning application for the depot and future site plan, Arriva are perhaps working on the assumption that it won't go ahead, otherwise we've got two planned developments for the same site? Unless I'm looking at it wrong!

(07 Feb 2022, 3:50 pm)Adrian wrote Ah ok! I was getting confused with the Mecca on the sketched map. 

Looking at the planning application for the depot and future site plan, Arriva are perhaps working on the assumption that it won't go ahead, otherwise we've got two planned developments for the same site? Unless I'm looking at it wrong!

Yeah, it's for the same site, although Arriva's is a fully submitted plan and the council's is no more than some drawings.

(07 Feb 2022, 3:12 pm)omnicity4659 wrote There's a huge difference between plans and reality, especially when a certain political party are involved with it.

Ashington should be seen as an example of that. Half of the old depot and bus station is still a huge hole, some 6 years after demolition. Not to mention the new bus station which is nothing near what it was planned to be.

Aye totally agreed there, ngl the Arriva plans seem rather on the cheap so maybe they might move sometime in the longer term. Your right though that it probably won't happen. Add Bedlington to that list aswell, mind isn't the bus station basically all that was planned, bar it actually had buildings around it, supposedly a cinema etc but it's gone very quiet lately. Believe Home Bargains is being built now though?

(07 Feb 2022, 4:59 pm)Storx wrote Aye totally agreed there, ngl the Arriva plans seem rather on the cheap so maybe they might move sometime in the longer term. Your right though that it probably won't happen. Add Bedlington to that list aswell, mind isn't the bus station basically all that was planned, bar it actually had buildings around it, supposedly a cinema etc but it's gone very quiet lately. Believe Home Bargains is being built now though?

For Ashington, it was going to be a new bus station, new link road bypassing the centre and a new County Hall.

Home Bargains is being built in the yard of the old depot, there's still two holes opposite that and Poundstretcher, one of which was suggested to become a cinema and shops.

Will drivers which are currently at Jesmond choose what preferred depot they want to go to.

(21 Feb 2022, 11:56 pm)lloyd647 wrote Will drivers which are currently at Jesmond choose what preferred depot they want to go to.

Blyth is the only option, and assuming an almost certain lack of volunteers the ones with the least time with the company will be forced to transfer (or more likely leave for one of the other operators).

(22 Feb 2022, 2:46 pm)Driver9*** wrote Blyth is the only option, and assuming an almost certain lack of volunteers the ones with the least time with the company will be forced to transfer (or more likely leave for one of the other operators).

There is a lot of room next to Siemens opposite the stagecoach depot behind the shopping park I think it could hold a lot more buses.

What routes are run out of Jesmond?

43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 51/51A, 52, 53, 54, 55, 306, 308, 553, X7 I believe?

(20 Mar 2022, 9:52 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote What routes are run out of Jesmond?

43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 51/51A, 52, 53, 54, 55, 306, 308, 553, X7 I believe?

Haven't you just answered your own question?

(20 Mar 2022, 10:04 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Haven't you just answered your own question?

Possibly, are they correct and there are no others? 555? Other expresses?

(20 Mar 2022, 10:04 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Haven't you just answered your own question?

He's answered it incorrectly: 43, 44, 45, 46/46A, 47, 51/51A, 52, 53, 54, 55, 306, 553, 555 and 685 (X7, X8, X9 are out of Blyth)

Is there any confirmation of where the new Jesmond depot will be and is there any chance of all jesmond services staying at the new depot if it's big enough.

(20 May 2022, 7:10 pm)lloyd647 wrote Is there any confirmation of where the new Jesmond depot will be and is there any chance of all jesmond services staying at the new depot if it's big enough.

The plan was for the majority of services to transfer to Blyth but has been put on hold for a couple of reasons, firstly the mooted replacement depot for Jesmond is going to have more capacity than originally anticipated and secondly they did not want a mass exodus of drivers leaving the company due to the extra hassle/time of travelling to Blyth everyday.