(19 Aug 2022, 7:35 pm)N1cholas wrote I admire the governments latest funding but if the driver shortage does not improve and there is not the drivers to operate services without cancellations more service cuts will happen

The funding is of course welcome, but again it is putting a sticking plaster over a gaping wound. This problem isn't going to go away when this lot of funding runs out, we'll be back to square one again lobbying for it to continue and so on. 

The system is completely broken. The bus recovery grant isn't protecting services, because those services are getting cut regardless, so it's simply slowing down the rate of cuts. Might as well be urinating in the direction of the wind.

The driving shortage is of course a massive concern. Whilst I think there's a big question mark over FTE shortage vs long-term sick, operators do still appear to be struggling to attract people into the industry. It's not surprising either, when the rates of pay really aren't competitive with similar jobs. Amazon van drivers are apparently on £13-£17, for what is likely a much easier life with better shifts. 

There'll of course be the argument that operators can't afford to pay decent wages and so on, but one of the large operators is paying their CEO around £8,000 a month in relocation allowances, so the money is there when they want to spend it...

(20 Aug 2022, 8:47 am)Drifter60 wrote Time will tell I suppose but it certainly does appear at the moment, GNE bolted a bit early less than a year ago these service changes were implement the key benefits as follows (taken from GNE’s website): rev

• East Gateshead frequency revisions, meaning improved combined frequencies on common corridors with services running every 7/8 minutes between Newcastle and Deckham, Leam Lane and Heworth, and on Old Durham Road.
  
• New evening and Sunday service 8. 
  
• Service 265 increased from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes providing much improved east-west movement across Durham, and new late evening and Sunday journeys. 
  
• Service X1 extended to Dalton Park and Peterlee, providing new connections. 
  
• Service 2A diverted via Leechmere to improve access to Asda. 
  
• Reinstatement of cross Jarrow on 26, giving more frequent connections from Hebburn to South Tyneside Hospital. 
  
• Introduction of new cross-Durham links by extending service 21 to Brandon, giving direct connections to key sites such as University Hospital, New College and Arnison Centre. 
  
• Extension of service 47 to Consett gives a new Sunday service on V9 and introduces direct service to Metrocentre from Medomsley and Leadgate. 
  
• Improved frequency of service to Gateshead Quays throughout the day and week with service 53/54, including more regular evening service. 
  
• Simpler, easier to understand Washington local network.
  

A year on, many of those changes have been reversed or cut back - a couple remain in place (or have continued at the expense of other services) but it’s hardly a shining light. Yes the company has to make money but it’s a fine line as were already at the point when buses aren’t taking people were they need to be.

I'll not go over old arguments, but it makes you wonder where the business plan was to extend some of those routes (e.g. X1 and 8) in the first place. 

The last 8 Chester-le-Street to Washington and Sunderland was 21.49 pre-changes... it's now at 16.55!