you might be thinking big but shame bus operator be they based in Gateshead, somewhere in Scotland or have there headquarter in Germany arnt.! I'm not against anything new to try to temp people back to using public transport but as a person who drives a 10 minute journey to work you couldn't get me on a bus now due to not having a direct service and cause i finish after 6 pm and its a Carp service on an evening.. WIFI, Newley painted buses, tables etc don't do anything for me but neither would a bus going to team valley and have to change to a train, bus, metro or electric scooter. - even if the was a spit and sawdust pub, a bookies, and a gentleman's club in the hub!

(04 Oct 2021, 3:26 pm)Rob44 wrote you might be thinking big but shame bus operator be they based in Gateshead, somewhere in Scotland or have there headquarter in Germany arnt.! I'm not against anything new to try to temp people back to using public transport  but as a person who drives a 10 minute journey to work you couldn't get me on a bus now due to not having a direct service and cause i finish after 6 pm and its a Carp service on an evening.. WIFI, Newley painted buses, tables etc don't do anything for me but neither would a bus going to team valley and have to change to a train, bus, metro or electric scooter. - even if the was a spit and sawdust pub, a bookies, and a gentleman's club in the hub!

Not even if there's a Sam Smiths pub? 
Anyway, I'm also going to invest in a collection of river boats that serve key locations (and maybe even a hub or two) along the Tyne.
As far west as Blaydon and as far east as the Shields ferry terminals.

Not sure the Wear lends itself to the river boats unfortunately.

Who needs bus lanes eh? A network that is fit for 2021 certainly doesn't.

(04 Oct 2021, 11:50 am)Rob44 wrote to be fair this wasn't aimed at you. I tend to agree with 99% of what you post!  But you could say Gateshead is a hub but how many buses turn around there and return to kibblesworth, birtly QE hospital, wreckenton? Not many I tell you.  I may have made this up but I'm sure when the Metro first started in the 80's the buses that did continue to Newcastle only dropped off at Gateshead metro - if you were in Gateshead and wanted to get to Newcastle the Metro ( and maybe the cross tyne service 1 ) were the only choices. Now it seems like GNE rival the metro by charging slightly less to get to Newcastle as do arriva from haymarket to regent centre.

If you are comparing team valley to a bus stop on Durham road personally i choose durham road due to the pubs i could pop into. I don't fancy sitting in McDonalds or costa then having to leg it to the bus stop for my connection. I rather be in a pub having a pint and just have to cross the road to the bus stop. Obviously talking about team valley as it sis now. If they spent ALOT of $$$ on it this may be different)

I get what your saying about Gateshead and it is true what your saying but imo Gateshead is too far into Tyneside to be worthwhile as a change point so there's no point stopping buses there as it's an inconvenience for passengers and the bus has done the worst bit already pollution wise etc.

The transport hubs need to be further out like Heworth, Four Lane Ends, Chichester and the Regent Centre for it to be worthwhile, but the Regent Centre needs a good refurb to make it good enough as it's a grim place to wait atm.

The first 3 work quite well as there's a few people going to town who change at each of them. It's more of a failure of a mass transit system heading to the West End and SE Gateshead which is the problem (I know I'm bringing trains in again). There's too many buses along certain corridors going further afield. West Road, Durham Road, Sheriff Hill, Great North Road and Bensham Bank are all particularly bad for it which argubly shouldn't be all there.

(04 Oct 2021, 11:05 am)Andreos1 wrote I've always been of the opinion that there doesn't need to be a chain of buses following each other in and out of the town. 

With a new, improved, fancy bus station (or rail network if storx gets his way), TVTE has an all signing/all dancing hub. It works for those working on the valley and works just as well at 10.30 at night too. Much better than a random stop on Durham Road (one of the options they encourage currently!)

You could say that about Grangetown - Sunderland. CLS-Durham, Hetton-Houghton, Metro-Blaydon.

2/2A (washington). Stand J

39/39A (Pennywell) Stand P

2/2A (Silksworth) Stand H

39/39A (Doxford Park) Stand V

33 to Fawcett Street Stand E. 

33 to Silksworth Stand A.

It would add all of 3-4 mins per journey. And it is better for passengers. 

And the 38 can go into Stand E/A.

(05 Oct 2021, 2:59 pm)Keeiajs wrote 2/2A (washington). Stand J

39/39A (Pennywell) Stand P

2/2A (Silksworth) Stand H

39/39A (Doxford Park) Stand V

33 to Fawcett Street Stand E. 

33 to Silksworth Stand A.

It would add all of 3-4 mins per journey. And it is better for passengers. 

And the 38 can go into Stand E/A.

That’s what the reasons for stagecoach pulling out of the interchange as it’s out of the way, adds 3 or 4 minutes per journey which would increase the pvr for each service, plus the charge costs for each bus that is scheduled to enter the interchange, Sunderland interchange is just a white elephant these days.

By the way does anyone know if older preserved buses get charged entering the nexus/council bus stations in the north east?


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(05 Oct 2021, 3:06 pm)cbma06 wrote That’s what the reasons for stagecoach pulling out of the interchange as it’s out of the way, adds 3 or 4 minutes per journey which would increase the pvr for each service, plus the charge costs for each bus that is scheduled to enter the interchange, Sunderland interchange is just a white elephant these days.

By the way does anyone know if older preserved buses get charged entering the nexus/council bus stations in the north east?


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I think it would just be easier for driver/passenger for every senario really.

(05 Oct 2021, 3:08 pm)Keeiajs wrote I think it would just be easier for driver/passenger for every senario really.

It’s like saying why walk upto the bus station when passengers can board the same bus at holmside/vine place or Fawcett st/John st, except for passengers traveling South, should knock down from Holmside to Brougham road and have that area as the new bus station, the metro and rail station is just round the corner, labour council likes to knock buildings down and hopefully make the bus station out of something called bricks and not a wind tunnel




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(05 Oct 2021, 3:22 pm)cbma06 wrote It’s like saying why walk upto the bus station when passengers can board the same bus at holmside/vine place or Fawcett st/John st, except for passengers traveling South, should knock down from Holmside to Brougham road and have that area as the new bus station, and have the bridges shopping complex extended to the side of bus station and the metro and rail station is just round the corner, labour council likes to knock buildings down and hopefully make the bus station out of something called bricks and not a wind tunnel




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I would extend the bulding into CrowTreet RD, to connect TK Max and the Bridges fully to add maybe a food area at the bottom, could have a fishshop, move the greggs from parklane, McDonalds. Have the bottom bus stops as Pull in ones, and send the 60/X6/62/61/9 down their. 

The rest are side bay stops. But i think it would need to be a bit bigger than that as many GNE/SCNE go through Fawcett Street and not terminate therefore I think they would have to have more stands. Like the current one has 19 stands, new one needs atleast 40 imo. maybe more.

(05 Oct 2021, 3:27 pm)Keeiajs wrote I would extend the bulding into CrowTreet RD, to connect TK Max and the Bridges fully to add maybe a food area at the bottom, could have a fishshop, move the greggs from parklane, McDonalds. Have the bottom bus stops as Pull in ones, and send the 60/X6/62/61/9 down their. 

The rest are side bay stops. But i think it would need to be a bit bigger than that as many GNE/SCNE go through Fawcett Street and not terminate therefore I think they would have to have more stands. Like the current one has 19 stands, new one needs atleast 40 imo. maybe more.

Could put Sunderland on the map as having the first double deck bus station


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(05 Oct 2021, 3:39 pm)cbma06 wrote Could put Sunderland on the map as having the first double deck bus station


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too me a minute to get it there, however if it was going to be it would need to be a NCL, they need like 60-70 stands. 

But I mean if you extend it to cowtree lane, town to Waterloo on the edge of fawcett street it would be big enough for all service, and it would help the drivers not be out in the freezing cold, and passengers for easier bus switches. Because the thought of going to Park Lane on a freezing day is not something I want to be doing, and if i had the option to get the car that is what i would 100% Do. Sunderland bus station is not very passenger/driver friendly to say the least. Neither is parts of Newcastle.

(05 Oct 2021, 3:39 pm)cbma06 wrote Could put Sunderland on the map as having the first double deck bus station


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Boro is technically a double deck bus station

It's really underrated imo, it's about the only thing actually decent about the place. Right in the centre and you can access every stand without going outside with loads of layover space aswell so it doesn't get clogged up.

(05 Oct 2021, 3:46 pm)Storx wrote Boro is technically a double deck bus station

It's really underrated imo, it's about the only thing actually decent about the place. Right in the centre and you can access every stand without going outside with loads of layover space aswell so it doesn't get clogged up.

I mean, loads of stands/layover would be good. And make sure it is **COVERED**

(05 Oct 2021, 3:46 pm)Storx wrote Boro is technically a double deck bus station

It's really underrated imo, it's about the only thing actually decent about the place. Right in the centre and you can access every stand without going outside with loads of layover space aswell so it doesn't get clogged up.

Sunderland interchange should of been roughly same design as the Middlesbrough bus station, at least waiting area is all indoors


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(05 Oct 2021, 3:56 pm)cbma06 wrote Sunderland interchange should of been roughly same design as the Middlesbrough bus station, at least waiting area is all indoors


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Maybe, but I would argue sunderland bus station needs to be a lot bigger than Middlesbrough, and I would love to meet the people who designed Park lane interchange and okayed it to be all open when it is in NE England and we have winter and rain and the wind, my god that bus station is nothing but a wind tunnel poor drivers.

(05 Oct 2021, 3:51 pm)Keeiajs wrote I mean, loads of stands/layover would be good. And make sure it is **COVERED**

I don’t think the bus station needs loads of bus stands as other services will be using it going the same corridor along the route, about layover the drivers can always pop down and wait for time down Hendon , or go and park up at the rear of the bridges on Brougham road so there out of the way instead of blocking bus stands in the case of Arriva do at Durham bus station (cough), bus services heading up holmside will still use and new bus stops going up holmside


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(05 Oct 2021, 4:02 pm)cbma06 wrote I don’t think the bus station needs loads of bus stands as other services will be using it going the same corridor along the route, about layover the drivers can always pop down and wait for time down Hendon , or go and park up at the rear of the bridges on Brougham road so there out of the way instead of blocking bus stands in the case of Arriva do at Durham bus station (cough), bus services heading up holmside will still use and new bus stops going up holmside


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Maybe, but I still think it would need double of what parklane has.With layover space.

(05 Oct 2021, 4:02 pm)Keeiajs wrote Maybe, but I would argue sunderland bus station needs to be a lot bigger than Middlesbrough, and I would love to meet the people who designed Park lane interchange and okayed it to be all open when it is in NE England and we have winter and rain and the wind, my god that bus station is nothing but a wind tunnel poor drivers.

There were 2 original bus station locations , there went for park lane as it was connected with the metro and also next door to the civic centre which really favoured the outcome, the second location is where Debenhams got built and car park, the buses would of entered from green terrace and exit out onto crowtree road, but the stands will be in lanes, but this would of been incorporated into the side of the bridges shopping complex extension where the ice rink building was


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(05 Oct 2021, 4:07 pm)cbma06 wrote There were 2 original bus station locations , there went for park lane as it was connected with the metro and also next door to the civic centre which really favoured the outcome, the second location is where Debenhams got built and car park, the buses would of entered from green terrace and exit out onto crowtree road, but the stands will be in lanes, but this would of been incorporated into the side of the bridges shopping complex extension where the ice rink building was


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Well the one near Debenhams could connect to the main station when that is renovated also it would be closer to the Cinema.

(05 Oct 2021, 3:56 pm)cbma06 wrote Sunderland interchange should of been roughly same design as the Middlesbrough bus station, at least waiting area is all indoors


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Aye agreed, I personally hate Gateshead aswell. Another badly designed bus station imo with so much wasted space that the majority of buses are trying to jam on 4 stands (K - M) which leads to timetables where buses are scheduled to be on the stand at the same time (17:45) X12 and 25 then on another stand the 57 and 51 being both due at (17:45) aswell. Just causes gridlock. The Newcastle bound stands are also really disconnected if you want to change aswell having to cross the road with buses usually driving like tools.

It's a shame because both have enough land to be done like Boro but in typical Nexus fashion they went for the cheap option.

(05 Oct 2021, 4:02 pm)Keeiajs wrote Maybe, but I would argue sunderland bus station needs to be a lot bigger than Middlesbrough, and I would love to meet the people who designed Park lane interchange and okayed it to be all open when it is in NE England and we have winter and rain and the wind, my god that bus station is nothing but a wind tunnel poor drivers.

Not sure it does tbh. Boro has 21 stands (+ 3 coach stands) with 14 layover stands to get out the way when there's too many buses. I'd be very surprised if there's more than 21 buses needing to be in the bus station at the same time tbh if it was done right.

(05 Oct 2021, 4:17 pm)Storx wrote Aye agreed, I personally hate Gateshead aswell. Another badly designed bus station imo with so much wasted space that the majority of buses are trying to jam on 4 stands (K - M) which leads to timetables where buses are scheduled to be on the stand at the same time (17:45) X12 and 25 then on another stand the 57 and 51 being both due at (17:45) aswell. Just causes gridlock. The Newcastle bound stands are also really disconnected if you want to change aswell having to cross the road with buses usually driving like tools.
It's a shame because both have enough land to be done like Boro but in typical Nexus fashion they went for the cheap option.
Not sure it does tbh. Boro has 21 stands (+ 3 coach stands) with 14 layover stands to get out the way when there's too many buses. I'd be very surprised if there's more than 21 buses needing to be in the bus station at the same time tbh if it was done right.

Maybe but Middlesbrough don't have buses going through the bus station as much as sunderland you have all the Stagecoaches bar the X1/e's. And 20/35/2A/2/39/39A/38. So you need two stands or each of those obvs 2/2a each way can share.

(05 Oct 2021, 4:22 pm)Keeiajs wrote Maybe but Middlesbrough don't have buses going through the bus station as much as sunderland you have all the Stagecoaches bar the X1/e's. And 20/35/2A/2/39/39A/38. So you need two stands or each of those obvs 2/2a each way can share.

Aye that's true but in fairness it would likely still be enough, you have to remember services that don't stop can get in and out in seconds. So you could easily have 10 buses an hour on a stand as long as it's a drive up and drive out service. So stuff like the Stagecoach 3/4/12/13/16 could easily all leave from 2 stands which they do already on Fawcett Street and that's the majority of their North services.

You only really have bother when it's a stopping service as they'll usually have a 7 - 8 minute layover and that's when you have bother like 8 buses an hour on the 306/308 stand at Haymarket and 9 buses on the 309/310/311 stand.

Gateshead has 15 buses an hour on one of their stands to show how much you can 'push' it. It's too much though in fairness and does cause bother.

(05 Oct 2021, 4:51 pm)Storx wrote Aye that's true but in fairness it would likely still be enough, you have to remember services that don't stop can get in and out in seconds. So you could easily have 10 buses an hour on a stand as long as it's a drive up and drive out service. So stuff like the Stagecoach 3/4/12/13/16 could easily all leave from 2 stands which they do already on Fawcett Street and that's the majority of their North services.

Gateshead has 15 buses an hour on one of their stands to show how much you can 'push' it. It's too much though in fairness and does cause bother.

WEll I mean basically every 35/X20 have driver switch overs on the way to Low Moorsley, 2 does at Sunderland I believe, and some of those driver change overs take time, one took like 8 mins. and the bus came in 5 mins late.

New Service M1:
Waldridge Park, Chester-Le-Street, Ayton, Lambton, Washington Galleries, Lobley Hill (Cragside Gardens), Dunston, Metrocentre.
Will operate on 701D route between Waldridge Park & Chester-Le-Street.
Will operate on 50 route between Chester-Le-Street & Washington Galleries.
Will operate between Lobley Hill & Metrocentre via Whickham Highway, Dunston Bank, Park Terrace, Wellington Road, Cross Lane & Scotswood View.
Would be run hourly with Solo SR M920.

(05 Oct 2021, 3:06 pm)cbma06 wrote That’s what the reasons for stagecoach pulling out of the interchange as it’s out of the way, adds 3 or 4 minutes per journey which would increase the pvr for each service, plus the charge costs for each bus that is scheduled to enter the interchange, Sunderland interchange is just a white elephant these days.

By the way does anyone know if older preserved buses get charged entering the nexus/council bus stations in the north east?


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I must admit, I prefer all services serving the bus station. If you’re just going to the shops then yeah alighting at Holmeside might be preferable but if you’re connecting via the bus station to a different bus service or onto the metro then getting dropped off at Holmeside and having to walk to the bus station in the winter, just annoys me. When really those going to just the shops or for leisure activities won’t be that inconvenienced by walking from the bus station to the shopping centre or whatever, as they’re not in a major rush unlike someone making connections. It’s also nicer to wait in a bus station which is lit up and has some shelter when waiting to board services too or even when waiting for someone else getting off a different service.

So the Peterlee solos have started to be branded up in Peterlee Purples, and we got Peterlee purples doing the Sunderland 38A route in Sunderland, Would of been better branded as little purples to compliment the purple colour on the x9/x10 coaches, or as little lilacs to compliment the lilacs on the 55, should of had the X6 going down burden road onto fawcett street then round trip to docks then back up to park lane interchange then outbound on the 62 to Peterlee, passengers missed getting of the X6/x7 at bottom of Burdon road as there were a lot closer to city centre than having to walk down park lane


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(07 Oct 2021, 9:08 am)Drifter60 wrote I must admit, I prefer all services serving the bus station. If you’re just going to the shops then yeah alighting at Holmeside might be preferable but if you’re connecting via the bus station to a different bus service or onto the metro then getting dropped off at Holmeside and having to walk to the bus station in the winter, just annoys me. When really those going to just the shops or for leisure activities won’t be that inconvenienced by walking from the bus station to the shopping centre or whatever, as they’re not in a major rush unlike someone making connections. It’s also nicer to wait in a bus station which is lit up and has some shelter when waiting to board services too or even when waiting for someone else getting off a different service.

The thing that bugs me, is the actual location vs the railway station or other places I'm likely to head to/from when I'm in Sunderland. 

If I stay on say the 20, I'm sitting there like a lemon whilst they change drivers and use the bus station to layover and absorb the ridiculous amount of running time it gets. 
Getting off and changing to the metro is potentially and extra cost. 
Getting off and walking is going to expose me to the cold, wind, rain, seagulls and the delights of the city centre. 

The return leg isn't too bad, but the stops on Fawcett St (or John St - always get mixed up) are pretty bad and I'm not a fan of Holmeside. So it means heading back up to Park Lane.

Rather makes a mockery of the Blonde idea really, despite the colour mess, the 62 seems well loaded even by Solo standards, which don't always reflect when a 300 size bus pops up like 8333 did yesterday. There's too many liveries now, and with Peterlee being a satellite of Deptford now, scènes like 5393 on the 39 yesterday are going to be more common. Confusing for many.

A Newcastle to Washington Service avoiding Old Durham Road.
I was thinking either:
Avoiding Gateshead

• Via Harlow Green, Low Fell & Saltwell Park 
  
• Via Team Valley 
  
• Via Metrocentre
  

Serving Gateshead

• Via Heworth 
  
• Via Harlow Green & Low Fell
  
• Via Team Valley
  

Would a 29A be of any use to passangers maybe to Birtley or Even Q.E Hospital/Wrekenton