(15 Nov 2013, 6:01 pm)Liam wrote Aren't Go North East usually the only company who provide commercially ran services on Boxing day? Last year at least, all of Stagecoach's services on Boxing day were funded by Nexus, admittedly a few of Go North East's were too. It seems a bit harsh suggesting that Go North East need to provide more services, when in reality neither Arriva or Stagecoach actually run services on a commercial basis on the day.
(15 Nov 2013, 6:16 pm)JP6004 wrote On a different note, with all these new arrivals, the resulting spares is enough to get rid of the Olympians and SPD (providing GNE are willing to replace the DD with singles)
(15 Nov 2013, 7:10 pm)Dan wrote Which is why, in previous years, Go North East have been approached to operate Arriva's 306 and 308 services.
(15 Nov 2013, 7:24 pm)JakeSavage wrote Yes, I think everyone's had a go on the Boxing Day 306/308. I remember travelling on a stagecoach tub Trident in 1999! I also seem to recall classic ran it back in the day with minis? Don't think the 306/308 ran last year though, did it?
I do find it rather amusing seeing all the branded vehicles many miles from home on Boxing Day! Wonder what'll be furthest away this year?
(15 Nov 2013, 7:24 pm)JakeSavage wrote Don't think the 306/308 ran last year though, did it?
(15 Nov 2013, 7:23 pm)aureolin wrote Does the Metro not run too? I have no idea if it ran last year. That's if it's not too Christmasy for them.
(16 Nov 2013, 12:26 am)fozzovmurton wrote It has done in the past, I got it from Sunderland to Newcastle in 2010 on Boxing Day...
I wish there was a bus on to Murton, even if it was only every hour, I like to go out and about on Boxing Day and it has caused my pain and grief as I have to walk miles to get a bus and I have hurt myself a couple of times in 2010, walking on the grass verge of the A19(rather stupidly) behind the crash barrier, 2 massive lorries come hurtling past and blew me over, later on walking from Easington Lane to Murton twisted my ankle and had to hobble the last mile home, in 2012 taking a shortcut round the fields near where I live, I fell down an uncovered manhole, nearly breaking my ribs, the fact I am a fat b*****d stopped me falling right through...
(16 Nov 2013, 1:06 am)aureolin wrote That bit reminds me of the only fools and horses episode that uncle Albert falls down a cellar.
I do see what you mean though. I think it'd make sense running some sort of special shuttles on boxing day just to link all the Durham villages up to a main corridor where you have things like the 20 and 21 running.
(16 Nov 2013, 1:20 am)fozzovmurton wrote lol, great episode, when Del is talking to Mike he says something like 'he could be hurt and all your worried about is your rotten Gregory'...Only difference being I dont have Paratrooper training(like Uncle Albert did) and it hurt like a bitch lmao
But yes, as commercial as Boxing Day is these days with the start of the sales, and football on Boxing Day as well, even a very limited skeleton service to outlying areas would be appreciated
(15 Nov 2013, 6:20 pm)Liam wrote I would imagine some work has gone into analysing the risk of operating services and the potential gains which can be made on the day. If the company don't see potential in certain routes on the day, they won't operate.
Last year, the 1 operated between North Shields and Whitley Bay with Nexus funding. If the route was to operate at a standard where it could be taken on commercially, Go North East would potentially operate the route commercially. They aren't operating it commercially this year, which suggests it didn't run to a minimal operational level last year.
I assume that the Coast Road does require that volume of vehicles per hour, as Nexus also provided funding for Arriva's 306 and 308 on Boxing day 2011. There obviously must be demand for services on the Coast Road for Nexus to implement additional services running alongside Go North East's own 309/310.
(16 Nov 2013, 8:53 am)andreos1 wrote If 52,000 more people are heading into Newcastle for the first time on Boxing Day for however many years, (apart from the park n ride) why are services similar to previous years?
Sunderland will be a ghost town and the 40 odd thousand + people who have gone there in the past, will be somewhere else...
Surely it would have made sense to add extra services into Newcastle/Metrocentre (shopping traffic and football traffic isn't a good mix) - rather than have buses duplicating each other along Ryhope Road and at Herrington Burn?
I agree with what you are saying about the analysing of services to identify risk - but this is GNE remember.
Consolidating services in areas they have seen a reasonable patronage in the past, isn't going to help anyone stuck on the Western Bypass.
(16 Nov 2013, 9:20 am)Kuyoyo wrote You do understand that it is a Voluntary shift on Boxing Day, therefore they can only put on services depending on the amount of drivers that have put their name forward. There then also the question - what is commercially viable when the drivers are on double time plus anything extra?
(16 Nov 2013, 9:26 am)andreos1 wrote Read through the previous posts - it has already been said that services should be added instead of services which are duplicating others.
I reckon a viable service is one which links key shopping areas with key residential areas - Low Moorsley, Hetton, Herrington Burn etc are all receiving regular services to Sunderland, which will be a ghost town compared to the Metrocentre and Newcastle.
Just a hunch like, but with one of the biggest indoor shopping centres in Europe and 52,000 people wanting to watch a football match, just a few miles away - fed by one of the busiest main roads outside London, a few extra buses heading in that direction rather than carrying fresh air in other places may be a tad more viable.
(16 Nov 2013, 10:09 am)Kuyoyo wrote So you want Deptford based drivers who have voultneered to work Boxing Day to be suddenly told 'by the way, the majority of the shifts are based out of Gateshead because there is where someone who has no idea about running a bus company thinks all the money is going to be', you would see the voultneer numbers drop and an even smaller skeleton services provided compared to what it is at present. It's logic that they've asked for voultneers and then put on the services they can provide instead of the other way round!
(16 Nov 2013, 10:09 am)Kuyoyo wrote So you want Deptford based drivers who have voultneered to work Boxing Day to be suddenly told 'by the way, the majority of the shifts are based out of Gateshead because there is where someone who has no idea about running a bus company thinks all the money is going to be', you would see the voultneer numbers drop and an even smaller skeleton services provided compared to what it is at present. It's logic that they've asked for voultneers and then put on the services they can provide instead of the other way round!
(15 Nov 2013, 6:18 pm)Dan wrote Yes, that's true. All Olympians and SPDs will be gone by January.
I believe Lolynes and Renowns are the agenda for next year's investment plan.