GNE now matching Arriva during Sundays on the Hartlepool - Peterlee corridor, and only 1 bus per hour down during the week, too. 

First Go North East (rather than Northern) buses to operate in Hartlepool on Sundays?

Chester had the 21A head down that way on a Sunday immediately prior to the 2006 changes, covering the DCC contracted section beyond Houghton. I cant remember if it went to Hartlepool or stopped at Peterlee.

Chester had the 21A head down that way on a Sunday immediately prior to the 2006 changes, covering the DCC contracted section beyond Houghton. I cant remember if it went to Hartlepool or stopped at Peterlee.

I'm not sure on the 21A either, but come to think about it I can't remember if GNE's evening contribution to the 229/230 extended to Sundays also.

Noticed on the new 8 timetable that Hylton retail towards Sunderland will; have a bus at 17:10pm and 17:11pm, could they not of ran the 17:11 later?

This is a mistake - I think it's due to be corrected today or tomorrow.

The existing weekday 15:55 8A service is revised to operate 1-2 minutes later throughout, and instead runs as an 8 service via Hylton Retail Park (arriving at 17:10), to compensate for the withdrawal of the existing short 17:11 trip (associated with the loss of Misc. Works contracts).

This is a mistake - I think it's due to be corrected today or tomorrow.

The existing weekday 15:55 8A service is revised to operate 1-2 minutes later throughout, and instead runs as an 8 service via Hylton Retail Park (arriving at 17:10), to compensate for the withdrawal of the existing short 17:11 trip (associated with the loss of Misc. Works contracts).

Ah right, good, i thought it was daft, shame the 8 and 36 still arrive within 5 minutes of each other throughout the day at Hylton Retail Park, can't be helped at the min due to interworking (8 and 78) and providing a service every 15 minutes on the 35/36 (on certain parts of the route), any chance that could ever change, so it's spread out so it provides a service every 15 minutes?


Then after 6, 18:11 for the 8 and then nothing until 18:37, complete nightmare.


I also thought with changes to the 35, it would be on a separate timetable to the 36. 

---

I have to say the changes around Doxford International on a Sunday are shocking, going from having a bus every 20 minutes in the form of the 20, to having one an hour in the revised X5.

Quite a lot of people who I talk to at work travel from South Shields & Durham to which the 20 provides direct link to Doxford International on a Sunday, from the 3rd September they will have either get the Bus to Herrington Board Inn and walk from there which takes around 20 Minutes for where we are on business park, or face changing in Sunderland or Houghton on to the X5. Once again these service changes from Go North East causes an inconvenience to those who rely on the services in there current form to get from A to B, and this example in particular is most definitely a loss of service.

Just think they have the half hourly 39 too, on a Sunday, so there's still still 2 services going to Doxford International.

Ah right, good, i thought it was daft, shame the 8 and 36 still arrive within 5 minutes of each other throughout the day at Hylton Retail Park, can't be helped at the min due to interworking (8 and 78) and providing a service every 15 minutes on the 35/36 (on certain parts of the route), any chance that could ever change, so it's spread out so it provides a service every 15 minutes?

Then after 6, 18:11 for the 8 and then nothing until 18:37, complete nightmare.

I also thought with changes to the 35, it would be on a separate timetable to the 36. 

It's not so much that the interworking of the 8 and 78 causes an issue, but trying to maintain an even headway on other corridors on the network.

As you rightly suggest, the timetable of the 35/36 needs to be built so that it provides a 15-minute headway on some parts of the route (or as close to a 15-minute headway as possible).

On top of that, the timetable of the 36 is built to provide a 10-minute headway between Silksworth, Barnes Park and City Centre (combined with service 33). The timetable of the 36 is also built to provide a relatively even headway (approximately every 15 minutes) between Chester-le-Street and Great Lumley together with service 78.

There are bound to be more examples, but not every shared corridor can have an even headway, and I think it's a case of prioritising some corridors over others (for example, there is competition between Stagecoach and Go North East on the corridor between Silksworth and the City Centre, so it is more important to maintain an even headway here, rather than to Hylton Retail Park where there is no real competition).

Ah right, good, i thought it was daft, shame the 8 and 36 still arrive within 5 minutes of each other throughout the day at Hylton Retail Park, can't be helped at the min due to interworking (8 and 78) and providing a service every 15 minutes on the 35/36 (on certain parts of the route), any chance that could ever change, so it's spread out so it provides a service every 15 minutes?


Then after 6, 18:11 for the 8 and then nothing until 18:37, complete nightmare.


I also thought with changes to the 35, it would be on a separate timetable to the 36. 

---

Just think they have the half hourly 39 too, on a Sunday, so there's still still 2 services going to Doxford International.

Absolutely shocking that like Michael.

Fancy having to wait half an hour for a bus just cos it's after 6

Dunno how you cope.

Imagine those poor punters having to put up with a half hourly frequency on a service all day!

Absolutely shocking that like Michael.

Fancy having to wait half an hour for a bus just cos it's after 6

Dunno how you cope.

Imagine those poor punters having to put up with a half hourly frequency on a service all day!

It is, was better when the 8 ran 10 minutes earlier..... luckily, there's a bus shelter and a seat haha

Just think they have the half hourly 39 too, on a Sunday, so there's still still 2 services going to Doxford International.

I think more passengers on the X5 route will benefit from a full Sunday service on the entire route, than passengers inconvenienced by the removal of the 20 service from Doxford Park on a Sunday.

Given that the direct link between South Shields, Durham and Doxford International doesn't exist during the day on weekdays or Saturdays, I don't think it's a major issue that it won't exist on Sunday daytimes either.

Travelling from Durham; there is 9-minute connection window at Houghton-le-Spring (from the 20 onto the X5), which is enough time to account for any potential delays on route, keeping in mind that the traffic commissioners guideline is up to 5 minutes late. Weekdays, by comparison, have a 12-minute connection on weekdays and Saturdays (given that a connection time should be more than 2 minutes).

Just think they have the half hourly 39 too, on a Sunday, so there's still still 2 services going to Doxford International.

While there maybe a total 3 Buses an hour and alternative ways of making connections to other services, those who work Sundays at Doxford International are still losing a frequent service and more importantly direct links, whether that be to Sunderland and South Shields or towards Houghton and Durham.

If compare that to other Business Parks locally such as the Quorum and Cobalt on a Sunday, the service provided is poor.

Quorum on a Sunday: Arriva X7/X8 - Hourly = 2 Buses
                                Arriva 52/54 - Hourly = 2 Buses
                                Stagecoach 62 - Half Hourly = 2 Buses

Four Lanes End is also only 10 Minutes walk offering connections region-wide on the Metro, and to service 55 and 63 also.

Cobalt on a Sunday: Go North East 309 - Half Hourly = 2 Buses
                              Stagecoach 22 - Every 20 Minutes = 3 Buses

Coast Road is a short walk where you can catch the 57, 306, 308 and 310 which all operate frequently.

While there maybe a total 3 Buses an hour and alternative ways of making connections to other services, those who work Sundays at Doxford International are still losing a frequent service and more importantly direct links, whether that be to Sunderland and South Shields or towards Houghton and Durham.

If compare that to other Business Parks locally such as the Quorum and Cobalt on a Sunday, the service provided is poor.

Quorum on a Sunday: Arriva X7/X8 - Hourly = 2 Buses
                                Arriva 52/54 - Hourly = 2 Buses
                                Stagecoach 62 - Half Hourly = 2 Buses

Four Lanes End is also only 10 Minutes walk offering connections region-wide on the Metro, and to service 55 and 63 also.

Cobalt on a Sunday: Go North East 309 - Half Hourly = 2 Buses
                              Stagecoach 22 - Every 20 Minutes = 3 Buses

Coast Road is a short walk where you can catch the 57, 306, 308 and 310 which all operate frequently.

Maybe the simple answer is that there is more demand at other business parks on Sundays?

Approximately 14,000 people are employed at Cobalt Business Park, while just 8,000 are employed at Doxford International. For that reason alone, I would assume that there is less of a demand for bus services to Doxford International? Or would you still suggest that there should be an equal number of buses serving the business park on a Sunday, despite there being fewer workers at one than the other?

Let's not forget that bus operators have the ability to analyse, right down to the bus stop, how many passengers board a service each day. If a lot of people were using the 20 service through Doxford Park on a Sunday, I very much doubt the company would cut it.


Doxford International source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxford_In...iness_Park
Cobalt Business Park source: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/...e-11174568

Maybe the simple answer is that there is more demand at other business parks on Sundays?

Approximately 14,000 people are employed at Cobalt Business Park, while just 8,000 are employed at Doxford International. For that reason alone, I would assume that there is less of a demand for bus services to Doxford International? Or would you still suggest that there should be an equal number of buses serving the business park on a Sunday, despite there being fewer workers at one than the other?

Let's not forget that bus operators have the ability to analyse, right down to the bus stop, how many passengers board a service each day. If a lot of people were using the 20 service through Doxford Park on a Sunday, I very much doubt the company would cut it.


Doxford International source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxford_In...iness_Park
Cobalt Business Park source: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/...e-11174568

Of course there is going to be a higher demand for a bus service when a business park like Cobalt employs almost double that of Doxford International, my argument is that once again Go North East have cut a service in order to improve reliability of the Sunday daytime service, this being due roadworks etc around Durham and elsewhere along the route, however the 20 continues to serve Doxford after 17:30pm on Sunday every half an hour, and on an improved frequency compared to the X5 during the day from September 3rd, are you telling me with the ability to analyse, right down to the bus stop, that more people use 20 during the evening on a Sunday than they do during day when shifts are usually 10 till 4, no I really don't think so.

Of course there is going to be a higher demand for a bus service when a business park like Cobalt employs almost double that of Doxford International, my argument is that once again Go North East have cut a service in order to improve reliability of the Sunday daytime service, this being due roadworks etc around Durham and elsewhere along the route, however the 20 continues to serve Doxford after 17:30pm on Sunday every half an hour, and on an improved frequency compared to the X5 during the day from September 3rd, are you telling me with the ability to analyse, right down to the bus stop, that more people use 20 during the evening on a Sunday than they do during day when shifts are usually 10 till 4, no I really don't think so.

Email Go North East about it, not sure they can do much on here.

I still don't quite understand the argument made. Yes the direct bus is being taken away, but if the people affected can manage the change Monday - Saturday daytimes, i see no reason why they can't manage on a Sunday either.

Of course there is going to be a higher demand for a bus service when a business park like Cobalt employs almost double that of Doxford International, my argument is that once again Go North East have cut a service in order to improve reliability of the Sunday daytime service, this being due roadworks etc around Durham and elsewhere along the route, however the 20 continues to serve Doxford after 17:30pm on Sunday every half an hour, and on an improved frequency compared to the X5 during the day from September 3rd, are you telling me with the ability to analyse, right down to the bus stop, that more people use 20 during the evening on a Sunday than they do during day when shifts are usually 10 till 4, no I really don't think so.

Why not have a trip through Doxford on a Sunday evening to find out? I very much doubt the majority of non call centre workers will be on a standard "shop hours" shift of 10-4.

Email Go North East about it, not sure they can do much on here.

I'm still waiting for a response from them about the Washington changes Michael, obviously couldn't care less about customers opinions otherwise they would do more consultations like they did a few years ago, before making changes to a network of services.

The last consultation I can recall was the one at Park Lane before they merged 20/35 together, that had to of been around 3 year ago.

I can't understand it either, it's not okay to take away the direct bus on a Sunday but it is fine for this direct link to have never existed Monday to Saturday daytimes? The road works in Durham were finished long ago now, so surely the road works completed nearly a year ago now is unlikely to be the reason for improving the reliability of the service a year after the works were completed.

I can somewhat see the annoyance about the direct link being lost but it's not like Go North East have completely abandoned Doxford Park, direct links being lost is nothing new with any operator. Could argue the same point about the X22 no longer running between Durham and Chester-le-Street on a Sunday from the same date which is essentially the same argument as this.

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I'm still waiting for a response from them about the Washington changes Michael, obviously couldn't care less about customers opinions otherwise they would do more consultations like they did a few years ago, before making changes to a network of services.

The last consultation I can recall was the one at Park Lane before they merged 20/35 together, that had to of been around 3 year ago.

That's not good, i would keep emailing them haha

It's not so much that the interworking of the 8 and 78 causes an issue, but trying to maintain an even headway on other corridors on the network.

As you rightly suggest, the timetable of the 35/36 needs to be built so that it provides a 15-minute headway on some parts of the route (or as close to a 15-minute headway as possible).

On top of that, the timetable of the 36 is built to provide a 10-minute headway between Silksworth, Barnes Park and City Centre (combined with service 33). The timetable of the 36 is also built to provide a relatively even headway (approximately every 15 minutes) between Chester-le-Street and Great Lumley together with service 78.

There are bound to be more examples, but not every shared corridor can have an even headway, and I think it's a case of prioritising some corridors over others (for example, there is competition between Stagecoach and Go North East on the corridor between Silksworth and the City Centre, so it is more important to maintain an even headway here, rather than to Hylton Retail Park where there is no real competition).

So basically they have a monolopy so GNE don't care!

Quorum on a Sunday: Arriva X7/X8 - Hourly = 2 Buses
                                Arriva 52/54 - Hourly = 2 Buses
                                Stagecoach 62 - Half Hourly = 2 Buses

Four Lanes End is also only 10 Minutes walk offering connections region-wide on the Metro, and to service 55 and 63 also.

Cobalt on a Sunday: Go North East 309 - Half Hourly = 2 Buses
                              Stagecoach 22 - Every 20 Minutes = 3 Buses

Coast Road is a short walk where you can catch the 57, 306, 308 and 310 which all operate frequently.

Quorum isn't a fair comparison. All of those services are major services which simply pass Quorum en route to Killingworth, Blyth etc etc. Quorum was built in that location because of its proximity to major transport networks like the A1, airport, metro etc. Quorum is on the edge of a major city and near many major road networks.

Doxford is the arse end of nowhere. 

With respect

Quorum isn't a fair comparison. All of those services are major services which simply pass Quorum en route to Killingworth, Blyth etc etc. Quorum was built in that location because of its proximity to major transport networks like the A1, airport, metro etc. Quorum is on the edge of a major city and near many major road networks.

Doxford is the arse end of nowhere. 

With respect

It's 15 Minutes out of Sunderland City Centre and is in close proximity of the A19, Quorum again 15 Minutes of Newcastle City Centre, don't see any difference between two if I am honest other than Quorum being situated near to the Metro.

It's 15 Minutes out of Sunderland City Centre and is in close proximity of the A19, Quorum again 15 Minutes of Newcastle City Centre, don't see any difference between two if I am honest other than Quorum being situated near to the Metro.

You don't see the difference between Newcastle and Sunderland?

Really?

Quorum is is surrounded by major residential, commercial and part industrial conurbations like West Moor, Forest Hall, Heaton,Freeman Hospital,  Killingworth, Longbenton, Gosforth et al. Doxford isn't. Quorum will by this nature have much better links. 

Newcastle is a major U.K. City growing in size...Sunderland....isn't.

I still don't quite understand the argument made. Yes the direct bus is being taken away, but if the people affected can manage the change Monday - Saturday daytimes, i see no reason why they can't manage on a Sunday either.

That's the thing. During the working week when shifts are prescribed, the X5 links Doxford Park to other services, such as the 20.
When the X5 ends for the day, the 20 fills that particular void.

Despite most people being in wowork the X5 whizzes through the business park - very rarely stopping. It has very little need to stop if people are already busy doing whatever they do within their workplaces, on that prescribed shift.
If there was a time bus stops and passenger embarkations/disembarkations were analysed and changes made, surely it would be to the daytime X5 service around Doxford Park?
I imagine there will be a similar number of people utilising stops on the X5 during the day as there will be with the 20 on a Sunday.

It goes without saying, things are different during peaks.

Rather than debate whether or not the service should/shouldnt go through Doxford Park, it should be whether or not the service should do it prior to and immediately a shift has finished.

PB0003954/843 Registered
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Durham City Centre to Consett Bus Station via Lanchester
Service number: 15
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 16 Nov 2017

PB0003954/842 Registered
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Durham City Centre to Stanley Bus Station via Sacriston
Service number: 16
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 16 Nov 2017

PB0003954/841 Registered
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Durham City Centre to Seaham Byron Place via Hetton Le Hole, Murton
Service number: 265
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 16 Nov 2017

Judging by the effective date for the above registrations, these will probably be just extra runs for the Durham Lumiere event.

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Special buses for the British Masters at Close House


http://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/s...use-256819

PB0003954/844 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Belmont Park & Ride to Chester le Street via Durham County Cricket Ground
Service number: Park and Ride 2
Service type: Limited Stop
Effective date: 16 Sep 2017

PB0003954/658 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Bedlington Station, Clayton Arms to Linton, First Row
Service number: 434
Service type: Hail & Ride, Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

PB0003954/659 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Guide Post, Cleaswell Hill to Bedlington Station, Clayton Arms
Service number: 448
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 03 Sep 2017

New 700/701 timetable is on the NEXUS site... changes take place on 17/09/2017.

700 - https://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/f...170917.pdf

701 - https://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/f...170917.pdf - Operates Sunderland University Term-Time Only 18th September 2017 - 15th December 2017, 8th January 2018 - 23rd March 2018, 16th April 2018 - 6th July 2018

PB0003954/631 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Hexham Bus Station to Bellingham Heritage Centre
Service number: 680 (680S)
Service type: Hail & Ride, Normal Stopping
Effective date: 09 Oct 2017

PB0003954/849 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Blackhall Mill, Mill Race to St Thomas More RC School
Service number: 891
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 18 Sep 2017

PB0003954/848 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Joseph Swan School to Bolam Street
Service number: 866
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 18 Sep 2017

PB0003954/847 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: St Thomas More RC School to Crookgate Bank Top
Service number: 841
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 18 Sep 2017


PB0003954/718 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Newcastle, Market Street (East) to Kenton Bar Estate
Service number: 32A
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 29 Oct 2017

PB0003954/849 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Blackhall Mill, Mill Race to St Thomas More RC School
Service number: 891
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 18 Sep 2017

PB0003954/848 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: Joseph Swan School to Bolam Street
Service number: 866
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 18 Sep 2017

PB0003954/847 Registered (Short notice)
GO NORTH EAST LIMITED
Route: St Thomas More RC School to Crookgate Bank Top
Service number: 841
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 18 Sep 2017


The above registrations are showing a start date of 18/9/17 and an end date of 22/9/17 and the routes were all originally contracted to Nightingale Coaches.