Service changes - January 2021
Service changes - January 2021
(06 Dec 2020, 8:38 pm)big mac The x20 is unique amongst xlines services in that I can't think of another service where at least one of the criteria applies to part of the route but not all of it.
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(06 Dec 2020, 8:38 pm)big mac The x20 is unique amongst xlines services in that I can't think of another service where at least one of the criteria applies to part of the route but not all of it.
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(06 Dec 2020, 8:48 pm)MurdnunoC Well...X84 and x85 are quicker than the 10 between Newcastle and Hexham so they can qualify because of that.
If I were travelling between Newcastle and Consett, I wouldn't be driving my car through Tantobie and Burnopfield; or Medomsley, Hamsterley Mill and Burnopfield.
I also wouldn't be driving through Throckley, Wylam, Ovigham or Ovington if driving between Newcastle and Hexham either. If that's not meandering, I don't know what is...
(06 Dec 2020, 8:48 pm)MurdnunoC Well...X84 and x85 are quicker than the 10 between Newcastle and Hexham so they can qualify because of that.
If I were travelling between Newcastle and Consett, I wouldn't be driving my car through Tantobie and Burnopfield; or Medomsley, Hamsterley Mill and Burnopfield.
I also wouldn't be driving through Throckley, Wylam, Ovigham or Ovington if driving between Newcastle and Hexham either. If that's not meandering, I don't know what is...
(06 Dec 2020, 8:48 pm)MurdnunoC Well...
If I were travelling between Newcastle and Consett, I wouldn't be driving my car through Tantobie and Burnopfield; or Medomsley, Hamsterley Mill and Burnopfield.
I also wouldn't be driving through Throckley, Wylam, Ovigham or Ovington if driving between Newcastle and Hexham either. If that's not meandering, I don't know what is...
(06 Dec 2020, 8:48 pm)MurdnunoC Well...
If I were travelling between Newcastle and Consett, I wouldn't be driving my car through Tantobie and Burnopfield; or Medomsley, Hamsterley Mill and Burnopfield.
I also wouldn't be driving through Throckley, Wylam, Ovigham or Ovington if driving between Newcastle and Hexham either. If that's not meandering, I don't know what is...
(06 Dec 2020, 6:15 pm)MurdnunoC
Is it true that it is being renumbered back to the 14 post-COVID as the route doesn't adhere to the X-Lines ethos, as explained by Roger French in his blog, of being:
"an X-line route will pretty much take a direct trajectory much as you would if you drove a car between the communities across the region. Meandering routes are left for other bus services."
Source: [color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54)]https://busandtrainuser.com/2020/11/05/a...n-x-lines/[/color]
(06 Dec 2020, 6:15 pm)MurdnunoC
Is it true that it is being renumbered back to the 14 post-COVID as the route doesn't adhere to the X-Lines ethos, as explained by Roger French in his blog, of being:
"an X-line route will pretty much take a direct trajectory much as you would if you drove a car between the communities across the region. Meandering routes are left for other bus services."
Source: [color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54)]https://busandtrainuser.com/2020/11/05/a...n-x-lines/[/color]
(06 Dec 2020, 9:53 pm)Storx tbf is there any bus route in the whole North East you'd travel using the bus route it takes in a car, I can't think of any. Certainly none of the X Lines routes you'd use the route they use to get from A to B and I wouldn't expect them to either.
btw going through Medomsley is the quickest way through to the Swalwell rather than via Shotley Bridge and whoever said the X45/X46 is the way you'd drive you wouldn't you'd go through Sunniside and Dipton, it's much quicker.
(06 Dec 2020, 9:53 pm)Storx tbf is there any bus route in the whole North East you'd travel using the bus route it takes in a car, I can't think of any. Certainly none of the X Lines routes you'd use the route they use to get from A to B and I wouldn't expect them to either.
btw going through Medomsley is the quickest way through to the Swalwell rather than via Shotley Bridge and whoever said the X45/X46 is the way you'd drive you wouldn't you'd go through Sunniside and Dipton, it's much quicker.
(06 Dec 2020, 10:43 pm)streetdeckfan To be fair, the X21 does go basically the same way we go in the car.
Obviously there are a few little differences like missing out Spennymoor and Chester le Street because it's faster going a long the bypass, and we'd continue up the A1 instead of going through Low Fell because the traffic is a nightmare and you always get caught behind a bus! But the general route is basically the same.
We do sometimes use the A1 but it either means going past Amazon where the traffic is always bad, or going miles out the way to save a few minutes.
(06 Dec 2020, 10:43 pm)streetdeckfan To be fair, the X21 does go basically the same way we go in the car.
Obviously there are a few little differences like missing out Spennymoor and Chester le Street because it's faster going a long the bypass, and we'd continue up the A1 instead of going through Low Fell because the traffic is a nightmare and you always get caught behind a bus! But the general route is basically the same.
We do sometimes use the A1 but it either means going past Amazon where the traffic is always bad, or going miles out the way to save a few minutes.
(06 Dec 2020, 10:50 pm)Storx Surely most people would go by Amazon though especially Northbound, Southbound is a nightmare at that roundabout though with every takeaway company that exists now (literally) which I always forget it's name (starts with T though). Nevilles Cross is a nightmare at rush hour aswell though.
Whoever approved the Costa needs shot as they've pretty much made it impossible to widen now and it badly needs more lanes. Edit: Thinford.
(06 Dec 2020, 10:50 pm)Storx Surely most people would go by Amazon though especially Northbound, Southbound is a nightmare at that roundabout though with every takeaway company that exists now (literally) which I always forget it's name (starts with T though). Nevilles Cross is a nightmare at rush hour aswell though.
Whoever approved the Costa needs shot as they've pretty much made it impossible to widen now and it badly needs more lanes. Edit: Thinford.
(06 Dec 2020, 6:47 pm)Storx The X20 is slower than the 13 so it doesn't hit that either.The 13 deoesn't go to the Arnison centre, though, so the X20 is definitely quicker than the 13 if you want to pop to Sainsburys. There's always a good queue for it.
(06 Dec 2020, 9:53 pm)Storx tbf is there any bus route in the whole North East you'd travel using the bus route it takes in a car, I can't think of any. Certainly none of the X Lines routes you'd use the route they use to get from A to B and I wouldn't expect them to either.The 62 from Durham city centre to the Arnison centre
btw going through Medomsley is the quickest way through to the Swalwell rather than via Shotley Bridge and whoever said the X45/X46 is the way you'd drive you wouldn't you'd go through Sunniside and Dipton, it's much quicker.
(06 Dec 2020, 6:47 pm)Storx The X20 is slower than the 13 so it doesn't hit that either.The 13 deoesn't go to the Arnison centre, though, so the X20 is definitely quicker than the 13 if you want to pop to Sainsburys. There's always a good queue for it.
(06 Dec 2020, 9:53 pm)Storx tbf is there any bus route in the whole North East you'd travel using the bus route it takes in a car, I can't think of any. Certainly none of the X Lines routes you'd use the route they use to get from A to B and I wouldn't expect them to either.The 62 from Durham city centre to the Arnison centre
btw going through Medomsley is the quickest way through to the Swalwell rather than via Shotley Bridge and whoever said the X45/X46 is the way you'd drive you wouldn't you'd go through Sunniside and Dipton, it's much quicker.
(06 Dec 2020, 11:47 pm)BusLoverMum The 13 deoesn't go to the Arnison centre, though, so the X20 is definitely quicker than the 13 if you want to pop to Sainsburys. There's always a good queue for it.
The 62 from Durham city centre to the Arnison centre
if we're heading into Newcastle, we often take pretty much the X21 route from Durham, save for ducking into CLS and the route into the Eldon square car park.
(06 Dec 2020, 11:47 pm)BusLoverMum The 13 deoesn't go to the Arnison centre, though, so the X20 is definitely quicker than the 13 if you want to pop to Sainsburys. There's always a good queue for it.
The 62 from Durham city centre to the Arnison centre
if we're heading into Newcastle, we often take pretty much the X21 route from Durham, save for ducking into CLS and the route into the Eldon square car park.
(07 Dec 2020, 12:22 am)streetdeckfan That assumes it even goes to Sainsburys, it seems like there's constant tweets going out saying Arnison is too busy and to catch your bus from LIDL!
(07 Dec 2020, 12:22 am)streetdeckfan That assumes it even goes to Sainsburys, it seems like there's constant tweets going out saying Arnison is too busy and to catch your bus from LIDL!
(07 Dec 2020, 7:41 am)S813 FVK To be fair to them I was there on Saturday and it was an absolute nightmare. I’d hazard a guess that buses were losing about 10 minutes in each direction.
The queue for the McDonalds drive thru seems to be spilling out onto the main exit road, and nobody moves anywhere fast as a result.
(07 Dec 2020, 7:41 am)S813 FVK To be fair to them I was there on Saturday and it was an absolute nightmare. I’d hazard a guess that buses were losing about 10 minutes in each direction.
The queue for the McDonalds drive thru seems to be spilling out onto the main exit road, and nobody moves anywhere fast as a result.
McDonald's stopped paying for traffic management at all of their restaurants within weeks of reopening after the first lockdown, so I think delays because of queues at their peak times are going to last a while yet...
(07 Dec 2020, 7:41 am)S813 FVK To be fair to them I was there on Saturday and it was an absolute nightmare. I’d hazard a guess that buses were losing about 10 minutes in each direction.
The queue for the McDonalds drive thru seems to be spilling out onto the main exit road, and nobody moves anywhere fast as a result.
(07 Dec 2020, 8:15 am)omnicity4659 McDonald's stopped paying for traffic management at all of their restaurants within weeks of reopening after the first lockdown, so I think delays because of queues at their peak times are going to last a while yet...
(07 Dec 2020, 7:41 am)S813 FVK To be fair to them I was there on Saturday and it was an absolute nightmare. I’d hazard a guess that buses were losing about 10 minutes in each direction.
The queue for the McDonalds drive thru seems to be spilling out onto the main exit road, and nobody moves anywhere fast as a result.
(07 Dec 2020, 8:15 am)omnicity4659 McDonald's stopped paying for traffic management at all of their restaurants within weeks of reopening after the first lockdown, so I think delays because of queues at their peak times are going to last a while yet...
(07 Dec 2020, 8:23 am)Andreos1 I'm just surprised that people are surprised.
(07 Dec 2020, 8:23 am)Andreos1 I'm just surprised that people are surprised.
The bus-link at the Arnison Centre is quite the contradiction. Great for getting buses into the place but horrendous for getting buses out. My only concern is that if operators do decide to divert their buses to the perimeter when busy (which I'm not criticising), how do you let passengers waiting at the bus-link know that you are doing this? Personally, I only check social media for information about my bus when it is already late. I'd be a bit annoyed if I was standing at the bus-link and saw my bus go straight across the roundabout at the top on Abbey Road before seeing it again passing the car park at Sainsburys.
(07 Dec 2020, 8:31 am)Dan I don't think anyone is surprised - but it's surely within the best interests of the Arnison Centre if they get to grips with their parking management?
As I mentioned, I was there on Saturday and the car parks were heaving. I didn't attempt to park up but I'd have struggled to find a space. It struck me how it was absolutely the right thing to do, sending the 21 via the Arnison Centre, and how if just 1% of the car users travelled by bus instead, it would result in a significant increase in patronage on the 21, whilst also alleviating some of the parking woes.
It's a growing place with a lot of customers. I think you'll see more promotion and marketing of the 21 via Arnison Centre in the coming days.
(07 Dec 2020, 8:31 am)Dan I don't think anyone is surprised - but it's surely within the best interests of the Arnison Centre if they get to grips with their parking management?
As I mentioned, I was there on Saturday and the car parks were heaving. I didn't attempt to park up but I'd have struggled to find a space. It struck me how it was absolutely the right thing to do, sending the 21 via the Arnison Centre, and how if just 1% of the car users travelled by bus instead, it would result in a significant increase in patronage on the 21, whilst also alleviating some of the parking woes.
It's a growing place with a lot of customers. I think you'll see more promotion and marketing of the 21 via Arnison Centre in the coming days.
(07 Dec 2020, 8:23 am)Andreos1 Queues at this time of year in any retail park are inevitable. Particularly the ones with poor or limited access in and out of the place.
The 50 has often been impacted with traffic in and around the Arnison Centre and that only skirts the outside.
Quite why they thought it would be different with the 21 and X20 is anyones guess.
At the Arnison, someone has blocked off the right turn in to the McDonald's car park.
As a result, the traffic is forced to go up to the mini-roundabout and turn back on itself.
Obviously there's the people rocking up who are going to one of the other shops and then there's the buses joining the queue from the bus-link.
The buses often got stuck prior to all of this. I'm just surprised that people are surprised.
(07 Dec 2020, 8:23 am)Andreos1 Queues at this time of year in any retail park are inevitable. Particularly the ones with poor or limited access in and out of the place.
The 50 has often been impacted with traffic in and around the Arnison Centre and that only skirts the outside.
Quite why they thought it would be different with the 21 and X20 is anyones guess.
At the Arnison, someone has blocked off the right turn in to the McDonald's car park.
As a result, the traffic is forced to go up to the mini-roundabout and turn back on itself.
Obviously there's the people rocking up who are going to one of the other shops and then there's the buses joining the queue from the bus-link.
The buses often got stuck prior to all of this. I'm just surprised that people are surprised.
I think everyone saw this issue coming with the 21 and the Arnison Centre as soon as it was announced it wax going to serve there.
The decision in itself to send it through their was always going to negativity affect reliability, but GNE also did it at the same time as reducing the layover time at Durham Bus Station to just four minutes, so they're not even giving it a chance to stick to schedule with a timetable like that.
Hopefully the timings will be amended in the upcoming January changes.
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