They used to alight on St Mary's place as it was quicker than waiting for the bus to navigate the lights and fight its way into Haymarket.  Haven't been through for a while though, is that still the case?

(28 Aug 2024, 5:57 am)RMF1254 wrote As a frequent user of Coast Road services, I would say most people alight in St Mary’s Place. However, if you look at the queues in the 3 bays heading towards the Coast Road you will see that the majority actually board in the Haymarket. Put those 3 queues together in St Mary’s Place and there would be little shelter and traffic chaos.

Do most people no alight at St Marys place due to the fact the bus stops there for a while before heading off into the haymarket though?  I know i've been on the 44 several times when its approached barras bridge and stopped and the driver has said he has to wait "x" minutes before heading to heymarket and the bus just empties?

(28 Aug 2024, 2:54 pm)Rob44 wrote Do most people no alight at St Marys place due to the fact the bus stops there for a while before heading off into the haymarket though?  I know i've been on the 44 several times when its approached barras bridge and stopped and the driver has said he has to wait "x" minutes before heading to heymarket and the bus just empties?

Yeah, I've had drivers point out that they're going to be there a while. 

I've taken to jumping off a late running Angel 21 at St Mary's Place because I know from experience that we're not likely to have another chance to get off until Newgate street as it is highly likely to skip Eldon Square altogether.

Had a group of 7 HR Colleagues up at Cobalt today ironically to promote eco transport within the group (tho our focus was bike to work and e car leasing) We thought we’d be good role models and get their in a green way!

We went for the 7.26 X39 which is now a single deck run. Standing room only and didn’t fancy that with our laptop wheelies and bags so ended up in an uber.

We wrapped up at 3.45 and went for the 4.08 X39 back to Haymarket for our meal out to El Coto. A fairly battered panel missing 5447 turned up full to the brim with very little hope of getting on. A late running 22X ADL 400 decker picked us up.

I guess my point here is to suit operational convenience GNE intentionally whack a single decker on a commuter express route in the morning and are tending to now do the same of an evening a service that could attract new passengers, literally designed to get them out of cars and it feels like they’re doing everything they can to encourage you not to use it

(30 Sep 2024, 9:22 pm)Ambassador wrote Had a group of 7 HR Colleagues up at Cobalt today ironically to promote eco transport within the group (tho our focus was bike to work and e car leasing)  We thought we’d be good role models and get their in a green way!

We went for the 7.26 X39 which is now a single deck run. Standing room only and didn’t fancy that with our laptop wheelies and bags so ended up in an uber.

We wrapped up at 3.45 and went for the 4.08 X39 back to Haymarket for our meal out to El Coto. A fairly battered panel missing 5447 turned up full to the brim with very little hope of getting on. A late running 22X ADL 400 decker picked us up.

I guess my point here is to suit operational convenience GNE intentionally whack a single decker on a commuter express route in the morning and are tending to now do the same of an evening a service that could attract new passengers, literally designed to get them out of cars and it feels like they’re doing everything they can to encourage you not to use it

I am guessing Percy Main have very few spare deckers. It must be bad as I seen a pink Streetlite on a scholars service yesterday. 

I’ve seen quite a few (very busy) Streetlites on the 307/309 recently - they’ve even got 2 Versas on today…

It's now been over 3 months since I last used the bus and if I'm being completely honest, with the current level of service I can't see myself using it again any time soon! Put it this way, in the 3.5 months since I acquired a motor vehicle, I've put over 4k miles on it. 

I forgot what it was like being able to meet friends in the evening and be able to get home! Pre-covid this was possible and I did it every week, but since they cut the evening services on the X21 it hasn't been possible. 

It's also nice not having to deal with the riffraff of Bishop and Spenny.

If they were to bring back the evening services they cut, maybe I would start using public transport again, but I'm not holding my breath.

(30 Sep 2024, 9:22 pm)Ambassador wrote Had a group of 7 HR Colleagues up at Cobalt today ironically to promote eco transport within the group (tho our focus was bike to work and e car leasing)  We thought we’d be good role models and get their in a green way!

We went for the 7.26 X39 which is now a single deck run. Standing room only and didn’t fancy that with our laptop wheelies and bags so ended up in an uber.

We wrapped up at 3.45 and went for the 4.08 X39 back to Haymarket for our meal out to El Coto. A fairly battered panel missing 5447 turned up full to the brim with very little hope of getting on. A late running 22X ADL 400 decker picked us up.

I guess my point here is to suit operational convenience GNE intentionally whack a single decker on a commuter express route in the morning and are tending to now do the same of an evening a service that could attract new passengers, literally designed to get them out of cars and it feels like they’re doing everything they can to encourage you not to use it

Heard on the radio the other day, Arriva advertising the 306 & 308.....no mention of GoNE's 307 & 309 services.

Surely by now, both Arriva & GoNE should be operating the 306, 307, 308 & 309 under a fully joint & coordinated brand and dedicated service delivery leads from both operators. X39 should also be part of this too IMO.
If anything....the Coast Road services should be (with backing from both operators & NECA) a good taste of what franchising could be and put it in a positive light.

(01 Oct 2024, 8:08 pm)L469 YVK wrote Heard on the radio the other day, Arriva advertising the 306 & 308.....no mention of GoNE's 307 & 309 services.

Surely by now, both Arriva & GoNE should be operating the 306, 307, 308 & 309 under a fully joint & coordinated brand and dedicated service delivery leads from both operators. X39 should also be part of this too IMO.
If anything....the Coast Road services should be (with backing from both operators & NECA) a good taste of what franchising could be and put it in a positive light.

Arriva seem to have picked up their game since the takeover, would you really want to associate yourself with Go Ahead at the moment? 

Being serious though, I think maybe it's a sign that Arriva are seeing opportunities in the North East and want to rebuild their reputation after a tough few years. You can't blame them for taking the opportunity to build their own business. Returning the Ashington services to regular timetables is another sign that of that.

Got my car done over 10K miles in 4 months, been all over, Scotland, Lakes, London, its totally changed my life, I havent a wont be going on a bus anytime soon, I do like getting the bus but its just, all the cut frequencies, lateness, cold, damp, just a massive put off.

Getting somewhere in 40 mins which would take nearly 2 hours by the bus just to meet someone then you have to decide where to go which would porbably be another hour if not longer by the time you wait and thats if the bus shows up.

(01 Oct 2024, 10:23 pm)Shrek wrote Arriva seem to have picked up their game since the takeover, would you really want to associate yourself with Go Ahead at the moment? 

Being serious though, I think maybe it's a sign that Arriva are seeing opportunities in the North East and want to rebuild their reputation after a tough few years. You can't blame them for taking the opportunity to build their own business. Returning the Ashington services to regular timetables is another sign that of that.

Seen they're finally upping the PVR on the X7/X8/X9/X10/X11 aswell to try and finally sort out the issues with the timetables, especially at peak times.

Something they've been scraping around for years, literally, and nothing changing as it's simply impossible under the current timetable.

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...wear-nov24 - Changes btw for those who haven't seen them.

Used the bus for the first time in months yesterday (ironically to go pick the car up from the charger I dumped it at) and it reminded me exactly why I stopped using it!

Got on the X21 at Tindale and it was pretty much empty, by the time we got to Spennymoor it was absolutely rammed, completely full upstairs, and no doubt standing only downstairs.

There was the unmistakable whiff of the weeds from the council estate scum alongside knock off perfume from the 12 year olds with foundation so thick you could build a skyscraper on it.

Cleanliness of the Streetdeck was appalling, there was a gaping hole in the middle of the table that once housed a wireless charger, and the driver could only have been more miserable if he found out his wife had cheated on him with his sister!



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(06 Oct 2024, 8:17 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Used the bus for the first time in months yesterday (ironically to go pick the car up from the charger I dumped it at) and it reminded me exactly why I stopped using it!

Got on the X21 at Tindale and it was pretty much empty, by the time we got to Spennymoor it was absolutely rammed, completely full upstairs, and no doubt standing only downstairs.

There was the unmistakable whiff of the weeds from the council estate scum alongside knock off perfume from the 12 year olds with foundation so thick you could build a skyscraper on it.

Cleanliness of the Streetdeck was appalling, there was a gaping hole in the middle of the table that once housed a wireless charger, and the driver could only have been more miserable if he found out his wife had cheated on him with his sister!



Sent from my SM-F741B using Tapatalk

nice to see you back!

(07 Oct 2024, 8:09 am)Rob44 wrote nice to see you back!

I'm honestly surprised I managed to remain so positive in my first mini-rant in what feels like years!

I know the service quality of GNE has been declining since MG left, but I wasn't expecting it to be so bad now. Maybe it's the old boiling frog situation, you don't really notice the standards gradually slipping!

I know the 70 plate Streetdecks are getting on for 5 years old now so are bound to show some wear and tear, but the 16 plate Streetdecks were kept in much better condition at a similar age.

It feels like they've just given up and are just 'doing an Arriva' and just running everything into the ground, I've been out of the loop for a while so would that be a fair statement to make?

(07 Oct 2024, 8:27 am)streetdeckfan wrote It feels like they've just given up and are just 'doing an Arriva' and just running everything into the ground, I've been out of the loop for a while so would that be a fair statement to make?

It's certainly how it's looking from an outsider perspective, changed from a strategy focused on customer perception and increasing standards to one focused on maximising utilisation at the least expense in quite a short space of time, which to be fair is understandable from a new MD coming in at a time of financial losses. It's like they've gone straight from one extreme to the other rather than finding the middle ground, though difficult decisions will have been needed to balance the books again. Previous history of the current MD is irrelevant to that, any incoming MD would have had to look at it, if big head office say to balance the books then you balance the books.

Unfortunately the decline in passengers is one of those things the industry will struggle to shake off, and I'm glad I've moved away from that side of it now. Ultimately, passengers want a 5 minute turn up and go frequency giving direct links from their housing area to each individual retail park/employment site/leisure facility, not going around the houses, and will grumble at being asked £5.30 for a single fare for a 17 mile long journey (pre fare cap) whilst they're wearing an £80 shirt, £130 trainers, and are about to go pay £6 per pint on an afternoon out without any second thought.

(07 Oct 2024, 5:51 pm)cainebj wrote It's certainly how it's looking from an outsider perspective, changed from a strategy focused on customer perception and increasing standards to one focused on maximising utilisation at the least expense in quite a short space of time, which to be fair is understandable from a new MD coming in at a time of financial losses. It's like they've gone straight from one extreme to the other rather than finding the middle ground, though difficult decisions will have been needed to balance the books again. Previous history of the current MD is irrelevant to that, any incoming MD would have had to look at it, if big head office say to balance the books then you balance the books.

Unfortunately the decline in passengers is one of those things the industry will struggle to shake off, and I'm glad I've moved away from that side of it now. Ultimately, passengers want a 5 minute turn up and go frequency giving direct links from their housing area to each individual retail park/employment site/leisure facility, not going around the houses, and will grumble at being asked £5.30 for a single fare for a 17 mile long journey (pre fare cap) whilst they're wearing an £80 shirt, £130 trainers, and are about to go pay £6 per pint on an afternoon out without any second thought.

If this is the way thing are going, then I expect passenger numbers to only keep declining.

As the old saying goes, you have to speculate to accumulate, and before the big flu buggered things up, MG proved that it could work. 
He ploughed money into the fleet, acquiring higher spec vehicles and refurbishing older ones to a higher standard, and passenger numbers started to increase.

Turns out when buses aren't rancid old bangers like the old farts on here reminisce about, people actually choose to travel by bus!

(07 Oct 2024, 6:13 pm)streetdeckfan wrote If this is the way thing are going, then I expect passenger numbers to only keep declining.

As the old saying goes, you have to speculate to accumulate, and before the big flu buggered things up, MG proved that it could work. 
He ploughed money into the fleet, acquiring higher spec vehicles and refurbishing older ones to a higher standard, and passenger numbers started to increase.

Turns out when buses aren't rancid old bangers like the old farts on here reminisce about, people actually choose to travel by bus!

Declining numbers of travellers aren't helped by service cuts, routes slashed 'post Covid', constant 'upgrading' by means of single deckers, deployed on routes where frequencies would dictate double deckers.

People won't use the bus when it is infrequent and packed.

All bus companies are guilty of the same tactics, all pretty much a falsehood claiming to be providing the needs of the customer.

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(07 Oct 2024, 8:27 am)streetdeckfan wrote It feels like they've just given up and are just 'doing an Arriva' and just running everything into the ground, I've been out of the loop for a while so would that be a fair statement to make?

In fairness to Arriva, there's signs of the opposite with them as they're currently upping the PVR commercially to a few services in Northumberland which have been desperate for it for years and they've pretty much restored all the temporary timetables that they implemented, unlike GNE, who don't seem to understand what that means.

Seems like the new owners actually want to try and improve the service which is a change from the awful DB days by the end and some services locally around here are busier than they've ever been. Surprising what happens when you don't get the jack hammer out in the middle of the pandemic, when customer confidence is low, so when they return they notice the service they used to use doesn't exist anymore.

The new owners of GNE on the other hand... Has anything actually postive happened in the North East since they've took over as I'm struggling and I'm not counting cast offs and frequency restoration paid by the tax payer...?

Also before someone comes along, as I know someone will try it, and claim that the temporary stuff never happened - https://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/...ber-452139

(07 Oct 2024, 8:30 pm)Storx wrote In fairness to Arriva, there's signs of the opposite with them as they're currently upping the PVR commercially to a few services in Northumberland which have been desperate for it for years and they've pretty much restored all the temporary timetables that they implemented, unlike GNE, who don't seem to understand what that means.

Seems like the new owners actually want to try and improve the service which is a change from the awful DB days by the end and some services locally around here are busier than they've ever been. Surprising what happens when you don't get the jack hammer out in the middle of the pandemic, when customer confidence is low, so when they return they notice the service they used to use doesn't exist anymore.

The new owners of GNE on the other hand... Has anything actually postive happened in the North East since they've took over as I'm struggling and I'm not counting cast offs and frequency increases paid by the tax payer...?

Also before someone comes along, as I know someone will try it, and claim that the temporary stuff never happened - https://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/...ber-452139

Tbh, I think Arriva started improving even before their takeover.

Do GNE even have Tap on Tap off fleet wide yet? 

Given they use the same (or even newer at this point) ticketing machines as Arriva, and they piloted it years ago on certain routes, there's no reason Arriva should have beat them to it.

In fact, prior to giving up on public transport a few months ago, I rarely used GNE at all, favouring Arriva as I didn't even have to talk to the driver, I could just tap my card on the reader and be done with it. The other day I genuinely forgot how to ask for a single ticket!

The only 'improvements' made to GNE I can think of, even going back to the demise of MG, have been the £2 fare cap, and the TNE tickets, neither of which were down to them!

Routes have been cut, frequencies slashed, vehicles downgraded, it's almost as if they're death spiraling on purpose!

I remember the days I was accused on here of being a GNE fanboy, and perhaps I was because I believed in MG's mission, he seemed like a guy that was genuinely trying to turn things around, and to improve the general perception of public transport. 
But now, they're just an embarrassment!

(07 Oct 2024, 8:52 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Tbh, I think Arriva started improving even before their takeover.

Do GNE even have Tap on Tap off fleet wide yet? 

Given they use the same (or even newer at this point) ticketing machines as Arriva, and they piloted it years ago on certain routes, there's no reason Arriva should have beat them to it.

In fact, prior to giving up on public transport a few months ago, I rarely used GNE at all, favouring Arriva as I didn't even have to talk to the driver, I could just tap my card on the reader and be done with it. The other day I genuinely forgot how to ask for a single ticket!

The only 'improvements' made to GNE I can think of, even going back to the demise of MG, have been the £2 fare cap, and the TNE tickets, neither of which were down to them!

Routes have been cut, frequencies slashed, vehicles downgraded, it's almost as if they're death spiraling on purpose!

I remember the days I was accused on here of being a GNE fanboy, and perhaps I was because I believed in MG's mission, he seemed like a guy that was genuinely trying to turn things around, and to improve the general perception of public transport. 
But now, they're just an embarrassment!

Aye your probably right concerning Arriva ignoring the nearly strike in Northumbria but at least they sorted it before it actually happened unlike GNE who acted like very bad politicians. 

It's a mess public transport in the North East though. The impending franchising whenever it comes won't help things either mind as why would you spend millions to get everything took away anyway. Just doesn't make sense from a business point of view tbh.

(07 Oct 2024, 6:13 pm)streetdeckfan wrote If this is the way thing are going, then I expect passenger numbers to only keep declining.

As the old saying goes, you have to speculate to accumulate, and before the big flu buggered things up, MG proved that it could work. 
He ploughed money into the fleet, acquiring higher spec vehicles and refurbishing older ones to a higher standard, and passenger numbers started to increase.

Turns out when buses aren't rancid old bangers like the old farts on here reminisce about, people actually choose to travel by bus!

My biggest argument about the 2019 order though and this was before the low height patterns at Consett which didn't exist before covid with just the X30. But from a running cost & fuel economy perspective, why didn't Martijn target then the 56 and 309/310 with StreetDecks with the B9TL's heavily refurbished and used on the Derwentside work?

Surely the fuel savings over a 5 year period would be quite significant on the 56, 309/310 as opposed to routes with hills.

(09 Oct 2024, 6:11 am)L469 YVK wrote My biggest argument about the 2019 order though and this was before the low height patterns at Consett which didn't exist before covid with just the X30. But from a running cost & fuel economy perspective, why didn't Martijn target then the 56 and 309/310 with StreetDecks with the B9TL's heavily refurbished and used on the Derwentside work?

Surely the fuel savings over a 5 year period would be quite significant on the 56, 309/310 as opposed to routes with hills.

Probably due to the whole X-Lines branding, new brand = new buses.

(10 Oct 2024, 12:32 pm)nova347 wrote Probably due to the whole X-Lines branding, new brand = new buses.

True, but back then, a heavily refurbished B9TL with the XLines Moquette (instead of full leather) and better surfaced tables would've still been good.

As for the StreetDeck.....6-7 MPG tearing around country lanes and up / down the hills, or closer to 8-9 MPG on routes where the B9TLs were overkill?

Got to remember GNE trailed potentially fitting GKN modifications to 6084-6117 with 6085 and 6104 as the test vehicles. Obviously didn't go ahead for some reason, but GNE were clearly trying to improve fuel economy on the 56 & 309/310 at the time.

Plus not forgetting that Consett already had experience with the Toon Link & Red Kite B9TLs too.

(07 Oct 2024, 8:30 pm)Storx wrote In fairness to Arriva, there's signs of the opposite with them as they're currently upping the PVR commercially to a few services in Northumberland which have been desperate for it for years and they've pretty much restored all the temporary timetables that they implemented, unlike GNE, who don't seem to understand what that means.

Seems like the new owners actually want to try and improve the service which is a change from the awful DB days by the end and some services locally around here are busier than they've ever been. Surprising what happens when you don't get the jack hammer out in the middle of the pandemic, when customer confidence is low, so when they return they notice the service they used to use doesn't exist anymore.

The new owners of GNE on the other hand... Has anything actually postive happened in the North East since they've took over as I'm struggling and I'm not counting cast offs and frequency restoration paid by the tax payer...?

Also before someone comes along, as I know someone will try it, and claim that the temporary stuff never happened - https://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/...ber-452139

So just to point out a few things that were never reversed;

• X20 has been restored but using BSIP funds only and allocated 'spare and overkill' decker's for a route that barely filled the citaros
  
• 10A/10B frequencies not restored...10A recently reinstated but using BSIP.
  
• 30 mins frequency on the 12
  
• 39 reduced frequency in Pennywell section 
  
• 51/52 never returned to Newcastle
  
• 53/54 reduced frequencies
  
• 57 never reinstated frequencies and then withdrew deckers
  
• 60 frequencies
  
• 97 frequency (albeit now the 1 but Whickham buses are still 3ph)
  

 and those are the only ones mentioned! Never mind the cuts and strikes since then...

Walking to work today and as i was passing the bus stop on old durham road northbound I saw punters standing and watching in dispare as a 56 went bounding passed without stopping. It was full. Knew one of those waiting from my old job and she was saying its a regular thing when the schools are in. She even said keep an eye on the 56 and it stopped at cardinal hume school and was there for ages ( loads of keds getting off maybe??) Some of the funding should have maybe gone towards incresing the 56 frequency? Anyway shes save for a car so theres anoth 100 a month GNE will lose.

Also not reversed, pre-covid, GNE ran 6 buses per hour between Newcastle and Durham, 8 at peak times, in some combination of 21 and X21. It’s still only 4 . When they show up.

One thing I have seen for the first time in however long is morning dupes on the 50, though - though some mornings that ends up being 2 streetlites running together. I’ve not seen it as pointless as a streetlites and a solo, yet, though it wouldn’t surprise me as there has been a solo and an double decker, some mornings.

(16 Oct 2024, 3:50 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Also not reversed, pre-covid, GNE ran 6 buses per hour between Newcastle and Durham, 8 at peak times, in some combination of 21 and X21. It’s still only 4 . When they show up.

Don't think that one was temporary was it? It'd probably be easier to list which buses are still on their existing frequency before Covid, it's got to be low because I'm really struggling to think of any services which were more than every 30 minutes pre Covid that haven't been cut one way or another. Heck even the 30 minute services are a bit of a struggle without them losing night services or sent or a detour to cover another cut service.

(16 Oct 2024, 8:27 am)Rob44 wrote Walking to work today and as i was passing the bus stop on old durham road northbound I saw punters standing and watching in dispare as a 56 went bounding passed without stopping.  It was full. Knew one of those waiting from my old job and she was saying its a regular thing when the schools are in.  She even said keep an eye on the 56 and it stopped at cardinal hume school and was there for ages ( loads of keds getting off maybe??)  Some of the funding should have maybe gone towards incresing the 56 frequency?  Anyway shes save for a car so theres anoth 100 a month GNE will lose.

Speaking at work today, I've heard similar complaints from Stagecoach users on the 22, 36 and 63 with buses being full. Three of them are going to go back to the car if the £2 cap is removed in the new year. Between government and bus companies, they are still failing to make public transport a worthy choice.

(16 Oct 2024, 8:27 am)Rob44 wrote Walking to work today and as i was passing the bus stop on old durham road northbound I saw punters standing and watching in dispare as a 56 went bounding passed without stopping.  It was full. Knew one of those waiting from my old job and she was saying its a regular thing when the schools are in.  She even said keep an eye on the 56 and it stopped at cardinal hume school and was there for ages ( loads of keds getting off maybe??)  Some of the funding should have maybe gone towards incresing the 56 frequency?  Anyway shes save for a car so theres anoth 100 a month GNE will lose.

Would it not be better to just duplicate the troublemaker runs?

Mam & Dad spent 1 hour getting back home on the 16:39 309 ex Newcastle. Before 2010 and Arriva's trial of the X8/X9 followed by their "pack 'em in and run 'em late im limp mode, tough s**t" approach......that journey would never be more than 30 minutes with the old 44!

It ain't perfect, but will be aiming to purchase as close to a Metro as a I can when entering the property market next year! Matchdays now even involve a lift to the Metro in most instances.

Instead of Arriva p***ing around with the 306 with some termimating in Marden or wherever, why can't NECA / ANor / GoNE stormach the 2x extra vehicles (28-1 if 306 curtailed in Tynemouth then +3 for X38) to have an X38 doing a loop of Marden, then Hillheads > NTGH > Billy Mill > Willington Square then non-stop to the Civic & Haymarket from there?

That misses the point of the 306 extension which isn't there to connect to Newcastle. It's there to connect Whitley Bay - Marden - Morrisons Tynemouth / Pool - Tynemouth

There's no bus services bar the 317 which is a detour to Morrisons from any of those points and Marden and Tynemouth don't have a link to a supermarket, at all, without the 306. Unless they travelled to Byker which is completely unreasonable.

The vast majority of people in Marden walk to Cullercoats Metro Station bar the few which are at the Morrisons end who probably deserve something better really but not at the cost of the 306. Personally I think another service from the North, ie the 57/57A should be extended through instead of the 306 with that terminating at Tynemouth again which would give links further North and to the beach from SE Northumberland, also terminating at Tynemouth.