(05 Jul 2022, 5:33 pm)Malarkey wrote You know what is even worse about them announcing a fare increase today is the fact that it's down to "Cost of running services" which was the same reason they gave during the consultation for services to be withdrawn, Go North East have been supported by Nexus with funding provided to help keep these services operating, so why is this money not being used towards operating costs such as fuel for example, why is it once again that the customers they screaming for to comeback to using the bus post-pandemic are the ones that are being penalised for a second time in 6 months whilst I appreciate there has been reductions in fares in recent years i'd say your only saving if you use the Go North East App, if your paying onboard the bus are the fares any cheaper pre-pandemic to post pandemic, i'd be interested to see some price comparisons.

Furthermore they announced yesterday that any "New Drivers" they take on will receive £750 welcome bonus as an incentive to help aid ongoing "Driver Shortages", this is split into two payments, one of £250 on the drivers first week in service without supervision following training followed by a £500 payment a week before Christmas. https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/bus-driver

Where is this money coming from when they've made a financial loss and again state they cannot afford to operate services?

Recruitment bounties aren't uncommon in business. They've clearly got a recruitment problem, and its a measure they're putting in place to try and attract workers externally. Perhaps its been decided that this outlay is better than to continue to risk service going forward?

Many businesses actually operate 'finder fee' payments to existing staff, if they refer someone for employment and they remain there for X number of months, or even discounts of their products to staff. Do we question these practices by the same token, or is it just bus operators?

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Newcastle to Hexham, £3.80, compared to £5.30 this time last year
Birtley to Gateshead, £2, compared to £2.60 this time last year
Durham to Consett, £2.30, compared to £4 this time last year
Newcastle to Shiney Row, £3.80, compared to £4.60 this time last year
Murton to Durham, £2.30, compared to £4.70 this time last year
Gateshead to MetroCentre, £2, compared to £3.10 this time last year

Newcastle - low fell after 7pm last year£1,,, !00% increase to £2 Now

Team valley to gateshead 1.80p but to newcastle 3.20p - ad extra 1.40p for a 5 minute journey

(05 Jul 2022, 6:58 pm)Rob44 wrote Newcastle - low fell after 7pm last year£1,,, !00% increase to £2 Now

Team valley to gateshead 1.80p but to newcastle 3.20p - ad extra 1.40p for a 5 minute journey

Despite the increase, still cheaper than the pre-offer fare.

Very true...... bu a group of 6 lads enticed onto the bus from low fell to town. 6 quid. Loads cheaper than taxi but have to get off at market street. Now it cost them 12 quid, about the same as a taxi i would think? And no matter what way you shake it its still a 100% increase in the after 7pm fare.

(05 Jul 2022, 6:46 pm)citaro5284 wrote Why would Riverside drivers move to Washington?

Cos they might move house or they were 50/50 between them say they lived at Eighton Banks or Wreckenton

(05 Jul 2022, 7:03 pm)LeeCalder wrote Despite the increase, still cheaper than the pre-offer fare.

People have short memories.


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(05 Jul 2022, 6:50 pm)LeeCalder wrote Newcastle to Hexham, £3.80, compared to £5.30 this time last year
Birtley to Gateshead, £2, compared to £2.60 this time last year
Durham to Consett, £2.30, compared to £4 this time last year
Newcastle to Shiney Row, £3.80, compared to £4.60 this time last year
Murton to Durham, £2.30, compared to £4.70 this time last year
Gateshead to MetroCentre, £2, compared to £3.10 this time last year

Who buys singles though.

Newcastle to Hexham, £6.50 Day Ticket - No express services.
Birtley to Gateshead, not sure on that one, cheapest day ticket £5.80
Durham to Consett, £3.90 RTN - actual good value
Newcastle to Shiney Row, £5.80 Day Ticket
Murton to Durham, £4.30, 2 hourly Sunday service

They're not that good value for money really.

It's only £6.20 for a day ticket from Morpeth to Newcastle or £4.70 for a whole Tyne and Wear ticket, admit they don't serve much South with Arriva and they're not cheap fares really and never have been or to compare it to the Metro is only £5.70 for all zones (or £4.85 with POP).

(05 Jul 2022, 6:50 pm)LeeCalder wrote Newcastle to Hexham, £3.80, compared to £5.30 this time last year
Birtley to Gateshead, £2, compared to £2.60 this time last year
Durham to Consett, £2.30, compared to £4 this time last year
Newcastle to Shiney Row, £3.80, compared to £4.60 this time last year
Murton to Durham, £2.30, compared to £4.70 this time last year
Gateshead to MetroCentre, £2, compared to £3.10 this time last year

Wait so GNE charged on the X66 (presumably) £3.10 for a single trip, so that is what 30p a minute, thats quite expensive. But its only 20p a min now!

(05 Jul 2022, 7:17 pm)Storx wrote Who buys singles though.

Newcastle to Hexham, £6.50 Day Ticket - No express services.
Birtley to Gateshead, not sure on that one, cheapest day ticket £5.80
Durham to Consett, £3.90 RTN - actual good value
Newcastle to Shiney Row, £5.80 Day Ticket
Murton to Durham, £4.30, 2 hourly Sunday service

They're not that good value for money really.

It's only £6.20 for a day ticket from Morpeth to Newcastle or £4.70 for a whole Tyne and Wear ticket, admit they don't serve much South with Arriva and they're not cheap fares really and never have been or to compare it to the Metro is only £5.70 for all zones (or £4.85 with POP).

The majority of Go North East’s ticket sales are single fares.


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(05 Jul 2022, 7:14 pm)Unber43 wrote Cos they might move house or they were 50/50 between them say they lived at Eighton Banks or Wreckenton

But that is their choice to move house so nothing to do with GNE.  Chester closing is totally different and going to a different depot is enforced.

My grandma always used to get two singles, in case she lost a return ticket.

(05 Jul 2022, 7:17 pm)Storx wrote Who buys singles though.

Newcastle to Hexham, £6.50 Day Ticket - No express services.
Birtley to Gateshead, not sure on that one, cheapest day ticket £5.80
Durham to Consett, £3.90 RTN - actual good value
Newcastle to Shiney Row, £5.80 Day Ticket
Murton to Durham, £4.30, 2 hourly Sunday service

They're not that good value for money really.

It's only £6.20 for a day ticket from Morpeth to Newcastle or £4.70 for a whole Tyne and Wear ticket, admit they don't serve much South with Arriva and they're not cheap fares really and never have been or to compare it to the Metro is only £5.70 for all zones (or £4.85 with POP).

People who aren’t communing to and from work on a daily basis, people who aren’t enthusiasts travelling between two major towns/interchanges/cities, leisure travellers, people going to pick the kids up from school etc.

(05 Jul 2022, 7:36 pm)LeeCalder wrote People who aren’t communing to and from work on a daily basis, people who aren’t enthusiasts travelling between two major towns/interchanges/cities, leisure travellers, people going to pick the kids up from school etc.

Surely all those people should be buying return tickets not singles which are all overpriced with no doubt more expensive than their respective day ticket. I know that's a big problem with Arriva fares, not sure if it is with GNE.

Tickets are so confusing for someone who doesn't use buses in particular in Durham; singles, returns, Durham day ticket, North Durham day tickets, Durham City and South Durham day tickets.

(05 Jul 2022, 7:17 pm)Storx wrote Newcastle to Hexham, £6.50 Day Ticket - No express services.


They're not that good value for money really.

It's only £6.20 for a day ticket from Morpeth to Newcastle or £4.70 for a whole Tyne and Wear ticket, admit they don't serve much South with Arriva and they're not cheap fares really and never have been or to compare it to the Metro is only £5.70 for all zones (or £4.85 with POP).

I genuinely don't see that as that expensive, you've stated the Newcastle to Morpeth day ticket is £6.20 - slightly cheaper but also distance wise it's that bit shorter. 

I also don't see those Arriva fares as too expensive. Newcastle to Whitley Bay return for £4.70 - it's cheaper than the Metro, and probably less than what you'd pay in fuel for the car. 

Another example would be ANEs X14: 

£7.60 for a Rothbury day ticket. The X14 takes pretty much the same route as you'd take in the car to Newcastle, which would cost at least a few £ more in fuel (and that's excluding parking). For the most part it is a very rural route, and granted it's subsidised, but I see good value in that £7.60.

(05 Jul 2022, 7:17 pm)Storx wrote Who buys singles though.

Newcastle to Hexham, £6.50 Day Ticket - No express services.
Birtley to Gateshead, not sure on that one, cheapest day ticket £5.80
Durham to Consett, £3.90 RTN - actual good value
Newcastle to Shiney Row, £5.80 Day Ticket
Murton to Durham, £4.30, 2 hourly Sunday service

They're not that good value for money really.

It's only £6.20 for a day ticket from Morpeth to Newcastle or £4.70 for a whole Tyne and Wear ticket, admit they don't serve much South with Arriva and they're not cheap fares really and never have been or to compare it to the Metro is only £5.70 for all zones (or £4.85 with POP).

To be fare and if my MEMROY serves me right the gateshead day tciket that includs birtly is 4.10p great value

And lets remember those without SMARTPHONES are penalized with an addental 5% on any day ticket they by on the bus

(05 Jul 2022, 7:40 pm)Storx wrote Surely all those people should be buying return tickets not singles which are all overpriced with no doubt more expensive than their respective day ticket. I know that's a big problem with Arriva fares, not sure if it is with GNE.

As far as I'm aware, Arriva drivers cannot sell returns where there is a valid day ticket that offers better value - the machines don't allow it. 

For example between Newbiggin and Bedlington on an X21, the driver physically cannot sell a return - it has to be the £4.70 day ticket.

(05 Jul 2022, 7:45 pm)Rob44 wrote To be fare and if my MEMROY serves me right the gateshead day tciket that includs birtly is 4.10p great value

And lets remember those without SMARTPHONES are penalized with an addental 5% on any day ticket they by on the bus

Or people like me who simply don't trust their phone to hold its charge. Tbh, I don't really mind paying the extra 10p.

(05 Jul 2022, 7:46 pm)mb134 wrote As far as I'm aware, Arriva drivers cannot sell returns where there is a valid day ticket that offers better value - the machines don't allow it. 

For example between Newbiggin and Bedlington on an X21, the driver physically cannot sell a return - it has to be the £4.70 day ticket.

Ah that must've changed with the new ticket machines then. I know it used to be a big problem on the X7 where a Day Ticket was £5.90, I believe at the time, but the return was something stupid like £6.90, quite often see people buying returns aswell and being sold them.

Why on earth they were more expensive than the day ticket in the first place is mystery considering it covered the whole route.

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(05 Jul 2022, 7:44 pm)mb134 wrote I genuinely don't see that as that expensive, you've stated the Newcastle to Morpeth day ticket is £6.20 - slightly cheaper but also distance wise it's that bit shorter. 

I also don't see those Arriva fares as too expensive. Newcastle to Whitley Bay return for £4.70 - it's cheaper than the Metro, and probably less than what you'd pay in fuel for the car. 

Another example would be ANEs X14: 

£7.60 for a Rothbury day ticket. The X14 takes pretty much the same route as you'd take in the car to Newcastle, which would cost at least a few £ more in fuel (and that's excluding parking). For the most part it is a very rural route, and granted it's subsidised, but I see good value in that £7.60.

Must admit can't deny the North Tyneside fares are good value, I'm biased as I live on the North Tyneside border so get bombed with border tax and it's pretty frustrating the jump. Not to mention the 308 serving the next village across which is £3.90 I believe and every 15 minutes and the Cramlington route saver in the opposite direction for £5.20 both further away.

Not bad value the Rothbury ticket though to be fair considering the route especially when the Ashington ticket is £7.60 which imo is steep.

Mind be interesting to see if there's price changes when the new train line comes in as I believe it's going to be part of the Metro Zones.

(05 Jul 2022, 7:48 pm)F114TML wrote Or people like me who simply don't trust their phone to hold its charge. Tbh, I don't really mind paying the extra 10p.

I'm the same, I'd happily pay the extra to have a paper ticket knowing that I'd be able to get home if my phone died! In fact, I could probably save a bit buying the Flexi5 ticket, but since I don't trust the app, I don't!

Having said that, my preference would be to use The Key, but unfortunately the 5-25 ticket isn't available on it.
So once I'm no longer eligible for the ticket, I'll be going back to buying my tickets on The Key (assuming I haven't given up on buses by then!)

(05 Jul 2022, 7:48 pm)F114TML wrote Or people like me who simply don't trust their phone to hold its charge. Tbh, I don't really mind paying the extra 10p.

Neither I much prefer paper tickets, wouldn't be such an issue in the Streetlite/G2 chargers work. 

It baffles my head when the 4 got done that didn't get USB's! Hopefully the 60 will get them when/if they're done. Seem as tho the 56 didn't get them either

(05 Jul 2022, 6:50 pm)LeeCalder wrote Newcastle to Hexham, £3.80, compared to £5.30 this time last year
Birtley to Gateshead, £2, compared to £2.60 this time last year
Durham to Consett, £2.30, compared to £4 this time last year
Newcastle to Shiney Row, £3.80, compared to £4.60 this time last year
Murton to Durham, £2.30, compared to £4.70 this time last year
Gateshead to MetroCentre, £2, compared to £3.10 this time last year

Perhaps that's why services are having to be cut - fares are too cheap! 

The two £2.30 examples are simply far too cheap for the distance covered - has the number of passengers travelling Murton to Durham and Consett to Durham more than doubled? I bet they haven't.
Has the number of passengers travelling Birtley to Gateshead increased by 30%? Again, I doubt it - if they have the 21 would be running more frequently than every 10 minutes.

(05 Jul 2022, 6:08 pm)mb134 wrote In terms of the ANE vs GNE fare comparison, I wonder if the (in my experience, almost always) higher fares charged on ANE services is a better strategy for the rural nature of much of their network (and therefore, for large parts of GNEs).

As much as I believe in cheaper bus travel, without significant government funding that isn't going to happen, and so arguably the approach of ANE is the right one. For what it's worth, I also think that for the most part ANE fares are reasonable. 

The question is who will crack on the Coast Road first? GNE offering discounted fares although Arriva offer other good value tickets for regulars.

Would GNE be happy to run the 309/310/311 with lowe margins in the hope of forcing Arriva to scale back or will GNE in the longer term have to increase fares and cut frequencies?

(05 Jul 2022, 8:15 pm)L469 YVK wrote The question is who will crack on the Coast Road first? GNE offering discounted fares although Arriva offer other good value tickets for regulars.

Would GNE be happy to run the 309/310/311 with lowe margins in the hope of forcing Arriva to scale back or will GNE in the longer term have to increase fares and cut frequencies?

Your obession with the Coast Rd is not healthy mind haha

(05 Jul 2022, 7:45 pm)Rob44 wrote To be fare and if my MEMROY serves me right the gateshead day tciket that includs birtly is 4.10p great value

And lets remember those without SMARTPHONES are penalized with an addental 5% on any day ticket they by on the bus

That's nonsense. I'm as much for transport being as accessible as possible, but nobody is being penalised by the smartphone offer.

Its open to everyone, as there's no restrictions on who can buy and use a smartphone, if they really want the discounted fare.

You're also not acknowledging that the age demographic that is most likely to struggle most to use a smartphone, are also the age that are eligible for a free bus pass. So the app offers are little use to them.

As for the comments about trusting your phone, battery, etc, this really has nothing to do with GNE. Do people rely on them to dress them in the morning or wipe their backside?


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(05 Jul 2022, 8:22 pm)Adrian wrote That's nonsense. I'm as much for transport being as accessible as possible, but nobody is being penalised by the smartphone offer.

Its open to everyone, as there's no restrictions on who can buy and use a smartphone, if they really want the discounted fare.

You're also not acknowledging that the age demographic that is most likely to struggle most to use a smartphone, are also the age that are eligible for a free bus pass. So the app offers are little use to them.

As for the comments about trusting your phone, battery, etc, this really has nothing to do with GNE. Do people rely on them to dress them in the morning or wipe their backside?


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But trusting GNE, for buses which they advertise to get a charge, and they don't work that is to with GNE it is blainted False Advertising!

(05 Jul 2022, 8:22 pm)Adrian wrote That's nonsense. I'm as much for transport being as accessible as possible, but nobody is being penalised by the smartphone offer.

Its open to everyone, as there's no restrictions on who can buy and use a smartphone, if they really want the discounted fare.

You're also not acknowledging that the age demographic that is most likely to struggle most to use a smartphone, are also the age that are eligible for a free bus pass. So the app offers are little use to them.

As for the comments about trusting your phone, battery, etc, this really has nothing to do with GNE. Do people rely on them to dress them in the morning or wipe their backside?


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Ive seen people with there smart phone under the ticket machine and it going NER NER.... and that person had to pay and wasnt happy.  And to be honest whhy should buying on you smart phone be cheeper???  Ive got a samsung S* and i'd be like others on here...worried the charge would last... especially if i had to wait 3 hours at market street for the 28b cause 3 in a row were canceled!

(05 Jul 2022, 8:27 pm)Unber43 wrote But trusting GNE, for buses which they advertise to get a charge, and they don't work that is to with GNE it is blainted False Advertising!

Its not GNE's responsibility to ensure your phone is charged.

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(05 Jul 2022, 8:29 pm)Adrian wrote Its not GNE's responsibility to ensure your phone is charged.

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No its not, but for customer confidence 

"sit back and charge up" I saw on a Country Ranger in Stanley the other day, it would be great if it worked its blainted false advertsing, if it isn't working/known problem don't advertise it

(05 Jul 2022, 8:28 pm)Rob44 wrote Ive seen people with there smart phone under the ticket machine and it going NER NER.... and that person had to pay and wasnt happy.  And to be honest whhy should buying on you smart phone be cheeper???  Ive got a samsung S* and i'd be like others on here...worried the charge would last... especially if i had to wait 3 hours at market street for the 28b cause 3 in a row were canceled!

I obviously don't have access to the figures, but the amount of people who use mobile ticketing now seems to be really high. I rarely have or rarely see anyone have any issues, and when they do, its usually the customer in the wrong.

As I said above too, its not GNE's responsibility to make sure your phone has charge! Just like its not the dealership's responsibility to ensure you have fuel in your car.

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