Or.....another option if working in 'partnership' and not going 'tit for tat' could be......

- 306 - as discussed every 20 mins.

- 308 - as discussed every 20 mins.

- 309 - As now but every 30 mins and via High Farm.

- 310 - As now but via Norham Road North, A191 New York Road and Cobalt Park. Every 30 mins.

- 311 - As now but via Wiltshire Drive. Every 30 mins.

Would then mean......
- Every 10/20 mins Cobalt to Newcastle.

- Up to every 10 mins Battle Hill to Newcastle.

- Hadrian Park retains a 'suitable' link to Newcastle if passengers don't want to go via Wallsend and Byker.


Even with the 311 remaining, the journey time into Newcastle Haymarket would again only be 5 minutes quicker than what the 22 would be (38 mins) if the 311 served Wiltshire Drive.

Be interesting to see what tenders stagecoach win this year and be interesting to see if they get the 317 contract again.

(05 Feb 2023, 11:16 am)lloyd647 wrote Be interesting to see what tenders stagecoach win this year and be interesting to see if they get the 317 contract again.

I’m thinking Stagecoach have won a good chunk as they are apparently fully staffed compared to Arriva and GNE.

(05 Feb 2023, 11:34 am)Thomas12 wrote I’m thinking Stagecoach have won a good chunk as they are apparently fully staffed compared to Arriva and GNE.

In fairness there's not much to win unless they can get some minibuses from somewhere - there's only really the 19 they could run; the 335 and 342 are both minibus routes and rest breadvans and they don't have anything to run them unless the Teesflex buses head North.

I wouldn't like to try and get an Enviro 200 / 300 around some of the streets on the 335/342, the 335 in particular at the Eastern side.

(05 Feb 2023, 11:49 am)Storx wrote In fairness there's not much to win unless they can get some minibuses from somewhere - there's only really the 19 they could run; the 335 and 342 are both minibus routes and rest breadvans and they don't have anything to run them unless the Teesflex buses head North.

I wouldn't like to try and get an Enviro 200 / 300 around some of the streets on the 335/342, the 335 in particular at the Eastern side.

GCT often use those horrible Streetlites they have on the 335/342 - not sure what the difference is between them and Stagecoach’s E200s like.

(05 Feb 2023, 11:16 am)lloyd647 wrote Be interesting to see what tenders stagecoach win this year and be interesting to see if they get the 317 contract again.

I hope they do, they have ran it better than GNE ran the 11 for years. It's also a good earner for Stagecoach so I doubt they'll give it up easily. Lots of people buy day tickets.

(05 Feb 2023, 11:34 am)Thomas12 wrote I’m thinking Stagecoach have won a good chunk as they are apparently fully staffed compared to Arriva and GNE.

Any proof or just speculation??

(05 Feb 2023, 11:49 am)Storx wrote In fairness there's not much to win unless they can get some minibuses from somewhere - there's only really the 19 they could run; the 335 and 342 are both minibus routes and rest breadvans and they don't have anything to run them unless the Teesflex buses head North.

I wouldn't like to try and get an Enviro 200 / 300 around some of the streets on the 335/342, the 335 in particular at the Eastern side.

I'm sure it will be fine as GCT regularly put their white full size E200MMC on and seems to be fine. Also the drivers managed months on the 317 with full size E300's and only changed due to residents complaints and buses getting stuck between parked cars. E200's have no issues generally.

However Percy Main is apparently fully staffed according to multiple people on this forum do the 19 will probably stay with GNE.

Is there a full list of tendered services which are up for renewal?
I'm guessing all besides the 'emergency' X46 ?
I could probably try and remember but the number seems to be ever growing with cuts.

(09 Feb 2023, 1:18 am)logidoodah wrote Is there a full list of tendered services which are up for renewal?
I'm guessing all besides the 'emergency' X46 ?
I could probably try and remember but the number seems to be ever growing with cuts.

I think the X46 is up as well. I remember the nexus website saying they were only providing funding till March

Does anyone know when we will find out who has won the tenders.

According to Bustimes, Gateshead Central Taxis have won the contract for service 19 from March 26th

The results are in for the North Tyneside/Newcastle changes

41/41A cut between Howdon & Hadrian Park (11 people wanted it kept)

51/W2 is the biggest one by far. The 51/W2 had a grand total of 228 responses to the consultation with most of them not wanting the cut. 

51 will still be ran by Arriva between Newcastle & Whitley Bay however evening trips will operate between Newcastle & Holystone Park with a different operater 

W2 will continue to operate the same route & timetable & operater 

84/84A will be withdrawn (7 people objection to the plan)

552/M6 will be withdrawn. 16 response came from the M6 & 1 person from the 552. Local council will talk with nexus to decide on an idea for the people living in Vale House as they call it a transport shopper 

K2 will be withdrawn 

W1 had 8 responses. 5 were opposed, 2 asked for a route change & 1 was happy with the changes. They can't make the asked change but the W1 will have a different operater

(01 Mar 2023, 8:27 am)Aaron21 wrote The results are in for the North Tyneside/Newcastle changes

41/41A cut between Howdon & Hadrian Park (11 people wanted it kept)

51/W2 is the biggest one by far. The 51/W2 had a grand total of 228 responses to the consultation with most of them not wanting the cut. 

51 will still be ran by Arriva between Newcastle & Whitley Bay however evening trips will operate between Newcastle & Holystone Park with a different operater 

W2 will continue to operate the same route & timetable & operater 

84/84A will be withdrawn (7 people objection to the plan)

552/M6 will be withdrawn. 16 response came from the M6 & 1 person from the 552. Local council will talk with nexus to decide on an idea for the people living in Vale House as they call it a transport shopper 

K2 will be withdrawn 

W1 had 8 responses. 5 were opposed, 2 asked for a route change & 1 was happy with the changes. They can't make the asked change but the W1 will have a different operater

The evening 51 trips are confirmed as being run by GNE as rumoured

(01 Mar 2023, 9:05 am)peter wrote The evening 51 trips are confirmed as being run by GNE as rumoured

Yea timetable sent by nexus shows they only have evenings. Shocked they don't have Sundays

Are stagecoach keeping the 317 and have they gained any other routes.

(01 Mar 2023, 10:06 am)lloyd647 wrote Are stagecoach keeping the 317 and have they gained any other routes.

Nothing yet. All we know is the 51 is Arriva during the day & GNE on evenings. 

W2 seems to be staying with phoenix & W1 will go to a different operater

(01 Mar 2023, 9:58 am)Aaron21 wrote Yea timetable sent by nexus shows they only have evenings. Shocked they don't have Sundays

Sunday is commercial.

(01 Mar 2023, 10:06 am)lloyd647 wrote Are stagecoach keeping the 317 and have they gained any other routes.

yes and no

Stagecoach have retained the 18, 32/32a, 35 and 317.
Gateshead Central Taxis have retained the 335, 342 and gained the X46
Phoenix have got the W1

Nice to see that the operator who can lay claim to having the youngest fleet in the North East have gained the X46.

Perhaps we'll see some more wonderful new vehicles heading to the North East soon.

There is no way in hell gct can run the 19,71,X46 while keeping the PVR of the 342/335.

19 required 3
71 required 2
X46 required 1

84/84A/W1 only loses 2 buses

Serious question.....but does the 51 carry any decent loads from Benton Rise or the development across the road?

(01 Mar 2023, 8:08 pm)Aaron21 wrote There is no way in hell gct can run the 19,71,X46 while keeping the PVR of the 342/335.

19 required 3
71 required 2
X46 required 1

84/84A/W1 only loses 2 buses

The K2 has also been lost. So a PVR increase of 3 for the company

(01 Mar 2023, 10:02 pm)peter wrote The K2 has also been lost. So a PVR increase of 3 for the company

That still isn't enough. There's still some unaccounted for

(01 Mar 2023, 10:02 pm)peter wrote The K2 has also been lost. So a PVR increase of 3 for the company

84/84A is 2 
K2 is 1 
W1 is 1 

So that's 4 saved on NEXUS contracts.

They then need 4 for the 19 and X46. One assumes something bigger than a breadvan for the 19s!

So the 71 takes them to two extra needed. Unless I'm missing something.

Will GCT be required to accept card payments on all of the services this time?

(01 Mar 2023, 10:42 pm)DeltaMan wrote 84/84A is 2 
K2 is 1 
W1 is 1 

So that's 4 saved on NEXUS contracts.

They then need 4 for the 19 and X46. One assumes something bigger than a breadvan for the 19s!

So the 71 takes them to two extra needed. Unless I'm missing something.

Ah didn't realise it was 2 for the 84/84A. Indeed, did think the services being lost tend to be ran by the Strata's but it depends on the capacity of the contract I suppose

(01 Mar 2023, 10:02 pm)peter wrote The K2 has also been lost. So a PVR increase of 3 for the company

Not to mention the TB14, TB22, TB23 and TB29 a month later which are all gone.

Also the 19 is still tendered as full size buses so unless they get an exclusion like GNE did they need bigger buses than the sort MMC's.

(02 Mar 2023, 4:19 pm)Storx wrote Not to mention the TB14, TB22, TB23 and TB29 a month later which are all gone.

Also the 19 is still tendered as full size buses so unless they get an exclusion like GNE did they need bigger buses than the sort MMC's.

They've got some longer ones which are used on PR1/PR2 not sure if they were loan or not.

However GNE are always mixing between 11.5m Versa's & Solo's

(02 Mar 2023, 5:24 pm)Unber43 wrote They've got some longer ones which are used on PR1/PR2 not sure if they were loan or not.

However GNE are always mixing between 11.5m Versa's & Solo's

Aye GNE got an exception for it, so unless they do something then they'll need something else.

There's not enough to take the P&R ones though but then again they won't have enough buses anyway so no doubt they'll just get some more with the 71 aswell. They've lost nothing minibus as far as I'm aware (W1, K1 and 84/84A all being breadvans).

The 84/84A is 1 bus as the 84/84A don't run at the same time

W1 is 1 bus but has a 84/84A bus on an evening

K2 drops one bus but it still doesn't count for the PVR of the rest.

19 needing 3 buses, 71 needing 2 and X46 needing 1.

If gct have kept the 342/335 then ill be shocked how in the world they plan to run the new services. They are struggling now even running the 82A. Plus I don't think gct have that many drivers