Announced today in the Landmark Levelling Up Fund is the allocation of almost £20million to North East Combined Authority to purchase more than 50 new electric buses.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/landm...oss-the-uk

Exploring the linked spreadsheet, the North East Combined Authority has been allocated £19,572,261 to fund (or partially fund) a fleet of 52 electric buses, 26 rapid chargers and 92 electric vehicle chargers across the North East.

Other non public transport schemes within the North East have also been allocated funding including vast stretches of new pedestrian and cycleways, alongside a regeneration of Gateshead Quays and a production village in Hartlepool.

Don't want to turn this political but none of this is levelling up. How on earth is some cycle paths and electric buses going to help someone who can't afford to put the heating on without the education to get a better job.

Embarrassing.

(18 Jan 2023, 11:14 pm)cainebj wrote Announced today in the Landmark Levelling Up Fund is the allocation of almost £20million to North East Combined Authority to purchase more than 50 new electric buses.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/landm...oss-the-uk

Exploring the linked spreadsheet, the North East Combined Authority has been allocated £19,572,261 to fund (or partially fund) a fleet of 52 electric buses, 26 rapid chargers and 92 electric vehicle chargers across the North East.

Other non public transport schemes within the North East have also been allocated funding including vast stretches of new pedestrian and cycleways, alongside a regeneration of Gateshead Quays and a production village in Hartlepool.

Arriva/SC/GNE should each get like 30% each (15/16). 

While these will likely/probably go to Newcastle depots, I doubt they will go to Sunderland (SC), Durham/darlington (Arriva), Deptford (GNE).

(19 Jan 2023, 6:12 am)Unber43 wrote Arriva/SC/GNE should each get like 30% each (15/16). 

While these will likely/probably go to Newcastle depots, I doubt they will go to Sunderland (SC), Durham/darlington (Arriva), Deptford (GNE).

The North East Combined Authority is the legal body that brings together the four councils which serve County Durham Gateshead South Tyneside and Sunderland.

(19 Jan 2023, 12:04 am)Storx wrote Don't want to turn this political but none of this is levelling up. How on earth is some cycle paths and electric buses going to help someone who can't afford to put the heating on without the education to get a better job.

Embarrassing.

They can always study Maths until the age of 18... 

On a similar note, there's works going on at Four Lane Ends from 30th Jan and will last until spring. 
* Introduction of a 'shared use' footway/cycleway on the A191.
* Upgrading the existing cross points to toucan crossings.

(19 Jan 2023, 6:12 am)Unber43 wrote Arriva/SC/GNE should each get like 30% each (15/16). 

While these will likely/probably go to Newcastle depots, I doubt they will go to Sunderland (SC), Durham/darlington (Arriva), Deptford (GNE).

You'd hope not, Newcastle has taken far too much investment from other areas of the region thanks to it's CAZ.

(19 Jan 2023, 12:27 pm)deanmachine wrote You'd hope not, Newcastle has taken far too much investment from other areas of the region thanks to its CAZ.

Newcastle has illegal levels of air pollution that need to be addressed.
The other areas don’t.

Equally you could say other cities took away investment from Newcastle because of their CAZs. (Leeds got our hybrid-electric geminis from the 308 a few years back).

(19 Jan 2023, 2:42 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Newcastle has illegal levels of air pollution that need to be addressed.
The other areas don’t.

Equally you could say other cities took away investment from Newcastle because of their CAZs. (Leeds got our hybrid-electric geminis from the 308 a few years back).

I don't see how Newcastle's air pollution is a problem for places like South Tyneside, Sunderland or Durham though? The CAZ is about to be enacted, so there's no excuse for Newcastle to be taking investment away from other places now.

(19 Jan 2023, 3:21 pm)deanmachine wrote I don't see how Newcastle's air pollution is a problem for places like South Tyneside, Sunderland or Durham though?

It’s not. 

If you personally don’t like that Go North East operates across several towns & cities across the region and is rightly prioritising improving the environmental credentials of vehicles allocated to the biggest city it serves, (to avoid financial penalty) then your ‘problem’ is with Go North East, not Newcastle. 

And as I said above as the money has been awarded to NECA, who don’t cover Newcastle, it may be that the electric vehicles are allocated to serving Central Gateshead & Central Sunderland. We’ll have to await further detail.

Do we have any info on what routes these electric buses will be bought for? I'm guessing Go North East's 21 is high on the list.

(19 Jan 2023, 12:10 pm)Andreos1 wrote They can always study Maths until the age of 18... 

On a similar note, there's works going on at Four Lane Ends from 30th Jan and will last until spring. 
* Introduction of a 'shared use' footway/cycleway on the A191.
* Upgrading the existing cross points to toucan crossings.

Hey, bit of Algebra never helps lmao.

(19 Jan 2023, 3:42 pm)ne14ne1 wrote It’s not. 

If you personally don’t like that Go North East operates across several towns & cities across the region and is rightly prioritising improving the environmental credentials of vehicles allocated to the biggest city it serves, (to avoid financial penalty) then your ‘problem’ is with Go North East, not Newcastle. 

And as I said above as the money has been awarded to NECA, who don’t cover Newcastle, it may be that the electric vehicles are allocated to serving Central Gateshead & Central Sunderland. We’ll have to await further detail.

When it comes to transport stuff, Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland are part of NECA or JTC or Transport North East or whatever they're called this week. The bid is for the whole of the LA7. It's been mentioned in a few of the latest meetings between them but no details on routes etc.

As above, Transport North East have confirmed:
“The bid, developed in partnership by Transport North East on behalf of the North East Joint Transport Committee, Arriva North East, Go North East, Stagecoach and the seven local authorities, was submitted to Government as part of the Levelling Up Fund (Round 2)”.

The Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee said:
“This funding will see us welcome an additional 52 brand-new zero emission buses, across routes which experience some of the worst levels of air pollution in our region”.

(19 Jan 2023, 5:57 pm)Jack Gill wrote Do we have any info on what routes these electric buses will be bought for? I'm guessing Go North East's 21 is high on the list.

Not at the minute - but, like you I also think the 21 will be top of the list - could they do a full route for the full day though?

What is the PVR for the 21?

----


Looking at the interactive map: https://levellingup.campaign.gov.uk/projects-near-me/

It states that the "electric buses" is Newcastle - or is this because the bid came from the Newcastle area?

(19 Jan 2023, 5:57 pm)Jack Gill wrote Do we have any info on what routes these electric buses will be bought for? I'm guessing Go North East's 21 is high on the list.

No use predicting what services will get this pie in the sky cash. Chances are, this money has been double counted anyway.

(19 Jan 2023, 8:24 pm)ne14ne1 wrote The Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee said:
“This funding will see us welcome an additional 52 brand-new zero emission buses, across routes which experience some of the worst levels of air pollution in our region”.

So which streets are the worst for pollution…

We know several Newcastle City Centre streets are along with Gosforth High Street, A1058 Coast Road, and Tyne Bridge/Central Motorway.
Anyone know which others are after that?

(20 Jan 2023, 9:30 am)ne14ne1 wrote So which streets are the worst for pollution…

We know several Newcastle City Centre streets are along with Gosforth High Street, A1058 Coast Road, and Tyne Bridge/Central Motorway.
Anyone know which others are after that?

There's a few lists kicking about online, but inevitably they are wherever there's a load of traffic lights (that are often poorly timed) and subsequently, a queue of vehicles (often buses) idling.
Obviously there's the odd exception.

(20 Jan 2023, 9:45 am)Andreos1 wrote There's a few lists kicking about online, but inevitably they are wherever there's a load of traffic lights (that are often poorly timed) and subsequently, a queue of vehicles (often buses) idling.
Obviously there's the odd exception.

I was in town on new years day spending money keeping the pub economy going and i couldn't believe have much fresher the air was with no buses, or hgv and very few cast travel around the haymarket/eldon square/the gate.  Instead of sprnding money on electric buses why not a park and ride with some kind of elctric tram bringing people from there into town?>

(20 Jan 2023, 11:18 am)Rob44 wrote I was in town on new years day spending money keeping the pub economy going and i couldn't believe have much fresher the air was with no buses, or hgv and very few cast travel around the haymarket/eldon square/the gate.  Instead of sprnding money on electric buses why not a park and ride with some kind of elctric tram bringing people from there into town?> 

You mean the metro? 

(20 Jan 2023, 12:57 pm)Andreos1 wrote You mean the metro? 

YEP LOL

(20 Jan 2023, 1:08 pm)Rob44 wrote YEP LOL

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...n-15893433

There's the hot spots from before the pandemic. 
I don't think the bus operators taking their ball home will have made that much difference to the figures.

Iirc, Framwellgate Peth isn't far behind the other Durham locations and you could literally taste the difference during lockdown when there was hardly a car on it.

Although the A690 at West Rainton isn't on the high pollution list, I've a feeling it may be in the future. 

https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/28956/...-junctions

I also predict inevitable delays to the 20/20a during the works and then endless bleating on about priority measures at the lights after they've been finished.
Then potentially more works to install priority measures if DCC are feeling generous. Then the subsequent withdrawal or diversion of the 20/20a a year or two later.

Andreos1
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...n-15893433

There's the hot spots from before the pandemic. 
I don't think the bus operators taking their ball home will have made that much difference to the figures.



Yeh - i read this when it first came out and im sure i suggested then turning buses at gateshead so everyone could pile on the metro but the usual suspects moaned that " people dont like changing"  although forgetting the loads alight at GATESHEAD M to use it to elsewhere than town and also to board a bus to Metrocentre. I'm sure if the 21 started to turn at Gateshead ( and from what I've seen on the front of many a lot are already!!!! people would just get used to it and use the metro, mean lest Euro 27 buses in the city centre

Chucking people onto the Metro wouldn't work for people with concessionary bus passes, which they wouldn't be able to use.

(20 Jan 2023, 4:13 pm)Andreos1 wrote Although the A690 at West Rainton isn't on the high pollution list, I've a feeling it may be in the future. 

https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/28956/...-junctions

I also predict inevitable delays to the 20/20a during the works and then endless bleating on about priority measures at the lights after they've been finished.
Then potentially more works to install priority measures if DCC are feeling generous. Then the subsequent withdrawal or diversion of the 20/20a a year or two later.

Honestly thats going to destory the 20/20A, really they need to bring back the X20 for this exact reason to langley park. 

Really they should offer a shuttle between West/East Rainton and have the buses just serve the area on the side of the carriage way which they are on, then the shuttle can go betwen them.

(20 Jan 2023, 4:13 pm)Andreos1 wrote Although the A690 at West Rainton isn't on the high pollution list, I've a feeling it may be in the future. 

https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/28956/...-junctions

I also predict inevitable delays to the 20/20a during the works and then endless bleating on about priority measures at the lights after they've been finished.
Then potentially more works to install priority measures if DCC are feeling generous. Then the subsequent withdrawal or diversion of the 20/20a a year or two later.

I must admit I usually moan about lights but those both junctions badly need something in particular Pittington Lane. It's a dangerous junction especially at peak times.

Can't imagine them causing too much issue as there's already lights at the P&R junction which work fine. It's not Gateshead, North Tyneside or Newcastle who are hopeless.

(20 Jan 2023, 6:57 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Chucking people onto the Metro wouldn't work for people with concessionary bus passes, which they wouldn't be able to use.

Can they not buy a gold card to give them free travel?

(21 Jan 2023, 8:04 am)Rob44 wrote Can they not buy a gold card to give them free travel?

Do they buy it, or is it free?

It's one or the other, it can't be both

Sent from my SM-F721B using Tapatalk

(21 Jan 2023, 8:06 am)streetdeckfan wrote Do they buy it, or is it free?

It's one or the other, it can't be both

Sent from my SM-F721B using Tapatalk

Well they pay £25 quid then the travel as much as they like without have to pay using coins or debit/credit card folr 364 days a year.... but i guess you know that already

(21 Jan 2023, 9:29 am)Rob44 wrote Well they pay £25 quid then the travel as much as they like without have to pay using coins or debit/credit card folr 364 days a year.... but i guess you know that already

It’s £12 a year for T&W residents, I believe it’s more for Northumberland.