I'm sure if there's an unopened tin of paint at Saltmeadows, I'm sure they find a reason to open it to paint something.

The 13 looks to be a gonner too.

When you've four 16s (16 / 16A) per hour between Sacriston and Durham and the 13 still did that loop for the stop a Fyndon, people are going to get the 16 / 16A.

Meanwhile from Langley Park, you're only talking about a few extra minutes on the X20.

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Noticed that! Thought GNE would have put an article out to say which services won't be though. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the X21 wasn't every 15 minutes during the Summer & Autumn, whereas the X7 was still there. Like the X21, maybe they'll think about reintroducing after Covid...

Again, you've four Arriva buses per hour travelling between Peterlee and Sunderland.   The X6 for Go North East buzzfare holders transferring to other services is perhaps all that's needed.

Are express routes still observing all stops along the route? 
I can't see any mention of it on the website anymore

Are express routes still observing all stops along the route? 
I can't see any mention of it on the website anymore

MG mentioned in his live video earlier today that they are. He also said the mutual ticket acceptance is still in place, thought that ended last year sometime.

MG mentioned in his live video earlier today that they are. He also said the mutual ticket acceptance is still in place, thought that ended last year sometime.

All operator ticket acceptance has been in place all the time, however, I do think probably October 20 til March 21 it was promoted intensely almost daily on all social media networks. It is mentioned still as you state, but not as regular.

Noticed that! Thought GNE would have put an article out to say which services won't be though. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the X21 wasn't every 15 minutes during the Summer & Autumn, whereas the X7 was still there. Like the X21, maybe they'll think about reintroducing after Covid...

Is it known whether GNE's plan is to reintroduce absolutely everything as it was pre-covid once all covid restrictions get lifted, or does what we have now count as full service levels from now on, and they've sneakily cut the odd service without publicising it, such as the 13 and x7?

Is it known whether GNE's plan is to reintroduce absolutely everything as it was pre-covid once all covid restrictions get lifted, or does what we have now count as full service levels from now on, and they've sneakily cut the odd service without publicising it, such as the 13 and x7?

Doubt it. Where the X7 is concerned, both that and the X6 have usually looked dead on the regular occasion I've passed them — even at peak times. It likely won't be long before the Peterlee–Sunderland leg gets cut from GNE's network. The removal of the X7 now sees only one express service an hour between Peterlee and Sunderland. Compare that to Arriva with the 22 and 23 interworking every 15 minutes, I think it's safe to say where people are going to turn towards and that Arriva is going to dominate this journey section like they have done with Peterlee–Hartlepool. Saying that though, there's still the 55 — I got that up to Sunderland last Friday morning and it got very busy to a point where people were having to stand.

Not sure what passenger numbers on the 13 were like as it's not a familiar route to myself, but obviously you now have the X20 going up to Langley Park every half an hour, which is also allocated higher-spec buses than the 13 ever has been.

Is it known whether GNE's plan is to reintroduce absolutely everything as it was pre-covid once all covid restrictions get lifted, or does what we have now count as full service levels from now on, and they've sneakily cut the odd service without publicising it, such as the 13 and x7?

Also the 26 is still curtailed at Jarrow and lost the Jarrow to Newcastle section.

Also the 26 is still curtailed at Jarrow and lost the Jarrow to Newcastle section.

The change to the 26 was a permanent change - in this press release, Go North East stated which of the changes from 1 June were permanent.

The 13 and X7 remain as temporary changes until demand increases - it's better that the resource (vehicle and driver) from these services goes into something which is more advantageous, which, in the wider context of NEbus and operators working together collaboratively, may be operating duplicate services on behalf of Arriva or Stagecoach. Of course if that demand doesn't increase, there may not be a requirement for these services to return. We're in a bit of an unknown state at the moment.

Doubt it. Where the X7 is concerned, both that and the X6 have usually looked dead on the regular occasion I've passed them — even at peak times. It likely won't be long before the Peterlee–Sunderland leg gets cut from GNE's network. The removal of the X7 now sees only one express service an hour between Peterlee and Sunderland. Compare that to Arriva with the 22 and 23 interworking every 15 minutes, I think it's safe to say where people are going to turn towards and that Arriva is going to dominate this journey section like they have done with Peterlee–Hartlepool. Saying that though, there's still the 55 — I got that up to Sunderland last Friday morning and it got very busy to a point where people were having to stand.

Not sure what passenger numbers on the 13 were like as it's not a familiar route to myself, but obviously you now have the X20 going up to Langley Park every half an hour, which is also allocated higher-spec buses than the 13 ever has been.

Are passengers allowed to stand in the aisle in the bus? Thought under social distancing it wouldn’t be allowed, passengers would be in close contact if there get out of the seat to walk along the aisle to get off the bus


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The change to the 26 was a permanent change - in this press release, Go North East stated which of the changes from 1 June were permanent.

The 13 and X7 remain as temporary changes until demand increases - it's better that the resource (vehicle and driver) from these services goes into something which is more advantageous, which, in the wider context of NEbus and operators working together collaboratively, may be operating duplicate services on behalf of Arriva or Stagecoach. Of course if that demand doesn't increase, there may not be a requirement for these services to return. We're in a bit of an unknown state at the moment.

Thats a shame about the 26, as Nexus always state on thrie updates re Metro Failure 26/27 ticket acceptance available  and as 26 observes near to Brockley Whins it was handy for unexpected metro suspensions.

Are passengers allowed to stand in the aisle in the bus? Thought under social distancing it wouldn’t be allowed, passengers would be in close contact if there get out of the seat to walk along the aisle to get off the bus


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Obviously, standing isn't permitted in the current climate; however, I think the driver let extra people on out of courtesy. Not doing so would have left umpteen people stranded at the bus stop for at least half an hour (when the next 55 was due). Any decent driver would feel guilty doing that — particularly when it was primarily elderly people who were waiting for the bus — so it's understandable. Not a big deal, really — everyone was wearing masks, and most of the people who boarded were those who have likely had the vaccine.

Obviously, standing isn't permitted in the current climate; however, I think the driver let extra people on out of courtesy. Not doing so would have left umpteen people stranded at the bus stop for at least half an hour (when the next 55 was due). Any decent driver would feel guilty doing that — particularly when it was primarily elderly people who were waiting for the bus — so it's understandable. Not a big deal, really — everyone was wearing masks, and most of the people who boarded were those who have likely had the vaccine.

Going the extra mile for passengers

Obviously, standing isn't permitted in the current climate; however, I think the driver let extra people on out of courtesy. Not doing so would have left umpteen people stranded at the bus stop for at least half an hour (when the next 55 was due). Any decent driver would feel guilty doing that — particularly when it was primarily elderly people who were waiting for the bus — so it's understandable. Not a big deal, really — everyone was wearing masks, and most of the people who boarded were those who have likely had the vaccine.

So the driver didn’t put health and safety first since we are in a pandemic, if you say passengers have had the vaccine so you must mean the elderly, even if the passenger has had the 1st or both doses you can still catch the virus specially in close contact on the bus, wearing face masks doesn’t mean you are invincible unless you probably wearing the proper masks, which the general public are unable to purchase


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So the driver didn’t put health and safety first since we are in a pandemic, if you say passengers have had the vaccine so you must mean the elderly, even if the passenger has had the 1st or both doses you can still catch the virus specially in close contact on the bus, wearing face masks doesn’t mean you are invincible unless you probably wearing the proper masks, which the general public are unable to purchase


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Unfortunately he didn't, no. It won't have been the first time it's happened, but I guess it shows the compassion from the driver to get people to where they need to be. On the bright side, it was refreshing to see a large passenger load on a bus service again, which is kind of what I was trying to get across in my post

Will the 309/310/311 PVR go back up to 16?

So the driver didn’t put health and safety first since we are in a pandemic, if you say passengers have had the vaccine so you must mean the elderly, even if the passenger has had the 1st or both doses you can still catch the virus specially in close contact on the bus, wearing face masks doesn’t mean you are invincible unless you probably wearing the proper masks, which the general public are unable to purchase


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I mean, MG himself has said plenty of times during the Facebook Lives that if people are only travelling a few stops then it's fine to let a few extra passengers on rather than leaving them stranded.

Will the 309/310/311 PVR go back up to 16?

I thought it was?, all the buses are running every 20 minutes again.

Are there any changes for the 74 in the near future? Recently a Tynedale Links Optare Solo has been passing Cowgate, but not sure where it comes from, maybe a timetable change for the 74? I see it an hour before the 74 is due (13:15, and the 74 due at 14:20). Surprised the 74 is still running. GNE keeping the contract for the long term?

I thought it was?, all the buses are running every 20 minutes again.

It's 15x at the moment although still every 20 mins each. But each service is standalone and running on either tighter times or reduced layover.

Another service that hasn't reverted to "normal" is the 56 which is still a 15 minute frequency, rather than every 12 minutes pre-covid. Is that permanent?

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Another service that hasn't reverted to "normal" is the 56 which is still a 15 minute frequency, rather than every 12 minutes pre-covid.  Is that permanent?

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And the X66, I wonder if it's permanently back to just running between Gateshead and Metrocentre.
I don't think the bingo club will be happy if they can't get the bus from M&S anymore!

Was the route around the Metrocentre subsidised by Intu or were GNE running that part commercially?

Another service that hasn't reverted to "normal" is the 56 which is still a 15 minute frequency, rather than every 12 minutes pre-covid.  Is that permanent?

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It's on the side of the new CityRider branding as every 15 mins, and they've reduced the PVR with some of the buses going to other depots. Pretty permanent.

And the X66, I wonder if it's permanently back to just running between Gateshead and Metrocentre.
I don't think the bingo club will be happy if they can't get the bus from M&S anymore!

Was the route around the Metrocentre subsidised by Intu or were GNE running that part commercially?

Car Parks were cut due to loss of payment from intu/wwhoever owns it now.

X66 was every 7.5 before lockdown v3 but still every 10 now I believe.

It's on the side of the new CityRider branding as every 15 mins, and they've reduced the PVR with some of the buses going to other depots. Pretty permanent.

Ah right, yes, doesn't get much more permanent than that. It does seem like that is another one they've kind of done on the sly, though

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Car Parks were cut due to loss of payment from intu/wwhoever owns it now.

X66 was every 7.5 before lockdown v3 but still every 10 now I believe.

That's what I thought, I wonder if it's the same story with IKEA, it'd probably be just as easy to send the 1A through IKEA is it is turning around and going back on itself to the MetroCentre

Are there any changes for the 74 in the near future? Recently a Tynedale Links Optare Solo has been passing Cowgate, but not sure where it comes from, maybe a timetable change for the 74? I see it an hour before the 74 is due (13:15, and the 74 due at 14:20). Surprised the 74 is still running. GNE keeping the contract for the long term?

Nope no changes, although 721 and 723 are both currently on loan elsewhere at the moment.

Nope no changes, although 721 and 723 are both currently on loan elsewhere at the moment.

Thank you for the reply. 

It was 668 I saw yesterday passing Cowgate.

Thank you for the reply. 

It was 668 I saw yesterday passing Cowgate.

wouldn’t necessarily tie up with the time you mentioned, but also a morning and afternoon scholars run in town.  Ticket machine wouldn’t necessarily tally as it was set to 671 until it was corrected today.

Ma apologies, it's 15:15 I see a Tynedale Links Solo passing Cowgate (I got 3 and 13 mixed up, 3pm/15:15). Thank you for your help, it does indeed do the scholar's 112 service. Shame it doesn't operate a trip into town in service and run onto the 112.