(23 Dec 2023, 12:12 pm)Storx wrote In fairness would it actually be any worse...? I know we slag GNE off and that but let's be honest I wouldn't be too keen on investing up here if there's threats they're going to be took over every other week either.
What exactly has Nexus achieved in the past decade as I just see stinking failure.
Smartcard of any form - no
Public information website that actually works - no
Real time information at bus stops - no
Real time information on the internet without an app - no
Keeping projects on budget and well ran - no
Good communications on roadworks and issues with the Metro - no
Safe and secure Metro and bus stations - no
Failure to get the plans for the Ferry in time so the funding lapsed - yes
Wasting money on multiple white elephant P&R's - yes
Wasting money on 'art' - yes
Taking longer to refurbish a pedestrian tunnel than it did to build the thing, which still isn't complete - yes
I know they'll blame dom, dick and harry for all this but most the other PTE's have somehow managed to do all of the above under the same restraints, heck places like Manchester etc have had a smart card for over a decade now.
As much as the bus operators have their faults, we know they do, the local PTE really sets them up for failure aswell. We don't even have basics like spider diagrams for all the bus operators nowadays and there's no journey checker which actually works properly, the failings Rob were mentioning the other day about walking for 20 minutes is just ridiculous.
Some interesting points and I'm not sure I agree with all of them.
They have the POP Card.
However quite why there was no joined up or holistic approach when every Tom, Dick and Harry applied for the smart card funding, is anyones guess.
As for the lack of operator investment because 'threats they're going to be taken over'.
Not sure what you mean by this? Operators make a loss, partly because they've not adapted networks to suit the changing passenger habits they keep telling us about.
The network is pretty much as is back in 86 when they gained control of them and there weren't business parks or out of town shopping, but there was plenty of town/city centre shopping/working and ship yards/pits.
40 years of looking after shareholders, being stuck in a rut, generational incompetence, habitual begging bowl collections, making cuts and clearly lacking the foresight to adapt has led to the rumours of LA/PTE control not just in the NE, but across the country.
If operators are worried about that, then that's on them. Not the LA or PTE.