It was, and passed the first stage of DfT assessment. Looks like all 'northern powerhouse' is dead now. no HS2 to Liverpool or very probably Leeds, some crap about upgrading Standedge that's it..

Ultimately it's us that lose out, and even Bebside for Blyth looks dead as they cut back on commitments for Ashington,.

Never realised it got onto the GRIP stages. It's a shame really tbh and it's grim. HS2 to Leeds is dead like, seen we're not getting any of the devolution funds neither since the Southern half of the county still refuse to come together.

I think Bebside is going ahead now, mainly because of Levy and the outburst that came, without him it would've been a gonna though.

North East councils 'incredibly disappointed' as region excluded from £7bn transport boost

Council leaders have been left “incredibly disappointed” after the North East was excluded from a £7bn boost for transport outside of London.



https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...d-21966236


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Well, well. Yet again the North-East loses out. First the rail improvements and increase in capacity scrapped, and now this... Special thanks to those in Blyth Valley, Hexham, Bishop Auckland, Middlesbrough South, Stockton South, Darlington, Hartlepool, Redcar and North West Durham. 

Levelling up, or simply levelling us out..

Well, well. Yet again the North-East loses out. First the rail improvements and increase in capacity scrapped, and now this... Special thanks to those in Blyth Valley, Hexham, Bishop Auckland, Middlesbrough South, Stockton South, Darlington, Hartlepool, Redcar and North West Durham. 

Levelling up, or simply levelling us out..

It's Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham who are the problem here for refusing to join the North East devolution. Tees Valley are getting money though, they've been saying it's for devolved regions only for ages and the councils South of the Tyne are refusing to join it. County Durham is particular who are being petty and are going their own way.

It was they who screwed up so much EURDF money in the past. Diabolical, but saying that if the regime had any intention of improving services they would have overridden the authorities. This could so easily have been avoided.

Transport leaders have today (Tuesday 26 October) approved the region’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) at a meeting of the North East Joint Transport Committee.

The BSIP is new £804 million bid to Government which transport leaders are confident would dramatically transform bus services across the North East and greatly improve the bus network for millions of passengers as well as helping the environment.


https://www.transportnortheast.gov.uk/la...ment-plan/

So they finally saw sense. Well, let's hope for progress, and not just paintjobs.

So they finally saw sense. Well, let's hope for progress, and not just paintjobs.

Hopefully it means better for everyone too, across county boundaries and not being centred on services within Nexus land, or within County Durham etc.

Transport leaders have today (Tuesday 26 October) approved the region’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) at a meeting of the North East Joint Transport Committee. 

The BSIP is new £804 million bid to Government which transport leaders are confident would dramatically transform bus services across the North East and greatly improve the bus network for millions of passengers as well as helping the environment.

https://www.transportnortheast.gov.uk/la...ment-plan/

Still no publication of the plan. In true fashion, the largest stakeholder (customers) are the last to know... got to brief the press and such first of course!

It's Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham who are the problem here for refusing to join the North East devolution. Tees Valley are getting money though, they've been saying it's for devolved regions only for ages and the councils South of the Tyne are refusing to join it. County Durham is particular who are being petty and are going their own way.

I just can't see it happening. North of Tyne only happened because Nick Forbes thought he was a shoe-in for the job.

The LA7 council leaderships are far too parochial for a North East devolution to happen. Even with the change of administration in Durham, it's largely speaking more of the same.

Well if they are getting this money then how about reopening travel shops. It's ridiculous there's not a single travel shop left in the entire region.

And please don't say people can find information on line. We all know it tends to be out of date and many people are not computer literate.

Covid just being used as an excuse to cut public services.

But hey it's keeping us all safe..


Charles

Well if they are getting this money then how about reopening travel shops. It's ridiculous there's not a single travel shop left in the entire region.

And please don't say people can find information on line. We all know it tends to be out of date and many people are not computer literate.

Covid just being used as an excuse to cut public services.

But hey it's keeping us all safe..


Charles

I understand why they closed the travel shops, like most public service they were highly unprofitable and barely used. The move to digital is complete as much as you or others may not like it. The travelshop was an archaic format and those that did use the centres were existing customers, they aren’t going to grow the nexus or bus company wallet sadly. Online travel information in this region is pretty solid too.

I do think they could have compromised and had tfl style customer ambassadors at key stations (as opposed to surly metro staff) to support Customers at minimal cost.

Can’t find a thread for it but I have just seen this at the Metrocentre about 20 mins ago, noticed it had been charging up in Electric Bus depot at Riverside presumably continuing its journey to Cop26 in Glasgow.

High Resolution Flickr Link : https://flic.kr/p/2mEBsMm


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Can’t find a thread for it but I have just seen this at the Metrocentre about 20 mins ago, noticed it had been charging up in Electric Bus depot at Riverside presumably continuing its journey to Cop26 in Glasgow.

High Resolution Flickr Link : https://flic.kr/p/2mEBsMm


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I posted in the electric vehicles thread in the GNE area with it being at Riverside.

I've collated the information that has been made available so far on the North East's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) / the £804 million pound plan quoted in the press. All information can be found in a dedicated section on my blog here: https://www.busesandbeyond.co.uk/north-east-bsip/

The full bus service improvement plan itself (as submitted) is also included in the 'Downloads' heading of that page.

I've collated the information that has been made available so far on the North East's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) / the £804 million pound plan quoted in the press. All information can be found in a dedicated section on my blog here: https://www.busesandbeyond.co.uk/north-east-bsip/

The full bus service improvement plan itself (as submitted) is also included in the 'Downloads' heading of that page.

Looks very good, lots of detail too.... a proper night time network is needed.

Do like the idea of upgrading the bus stations and bus stops and trying to stop overlapping on buses.

Meanwhile the Sunderland Echo are reporting that there's a £20 million shortfall to pay for buses and Nexus are warning that "routes will be slashed".

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/poli...IW4BfQUYSI

Nice red arrows x1 merc on the echo article

Meanwhile the Sunderland Echo are reporting that there's a £20 million shortfall to pay for buses and Nexus are warning that "routes will be slashed".

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/poli...IW4BfQUYSI

Perhaps the time has come to end the free bus pass. Bring back the concession fares, if £7.5m is to be cut from that budget, then it must be on the cards. The other £4.1m would also appear to revolve around the off peak=, predominantly free pass occupied services..

Perhaps the time has come to end the free bus pass. Bring back the concession fares, if £7.5m is to be cut from that budget, then it must be on the cards. The other £4.1m would also appear to revolve around the off peak=, predominantly free pass occupied services..

Rather than getting rid entirely, I'd make it a means tested benefit so it's available to those who need it rather than just those who are of a certain age.



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Rather than getting rid entirely, I'd make it a means tested benefit so it's available to those who need it rather than just those who are of a certain age.



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Retain for disabled, and perhaps those on single persons pension etc, but he concession should return. I don't use the bus that much compared to most on here but I can recall a trip on an X85 from Eldon Square where only I and a lady ahead of me payed a fare... And predominantly that all I see, free pass, free pass, free pass...

Retain for disabled, and perhaps those on single persons pension etc, but he concession should return. I don't use the bus that much compared to most on here but I can recall a trip on an X85 from Eldon Square where only I and a lady ahead of me payed a fare... And predominantly that all I see, free pass, free pass, free pass...

I think for once we agree on something!

I think for once we agree on something!

I suspect most would agree, but fear saying so..

Perhaps the time has come to end the free bus pass. Bring back the concession fares, if £7.5m is to be cut from that budget, then it must be on the cards. The other £4.1m would also appear to revolve around the off peak=, predominantly free pass occupied services..

Pretty sure any political party/La agreeing to this, would see their share of the vote fall next time there was any sort of vote.

My proposal is a little more radical and would see the end to Nexus subsidising these bus routes, the constant threat of withdrawals coming to an end (with Nexus, DCC or NCC being placed over a barrel by the operators) , passengers seeing the end to multiple operators running a route - depending on the time of day) and ticketing anomalies reducing etc. 

It involves the operators running services commercially. 
It involves operators not picking and choosing the runs they see the money in and not bothering with the ones they don't see money in. 
It means the end of bolting on a failing service on to a subsided service (see the 71) and still apparently failing to make it work commercially.

If the twirly passes were cancelled, I wonder what that would do to operator revenues?
Assuming they only receive the concession fare and aren't given any other rebate to cover the balance of the actual fare.

These operators can afford to pay out a dividend, give out staff shares and hefty salaries for those at the top of the pile, but they can't afford to run a service that doesn't tick a couple of commercial boxes.
Passengers shouldn't be the ones to lose out here (either by inconvenience of a route being cancelled, ran by a different operator or by paying a token fare).

Pretty sure any political party/La agreeing to this, would see their share of the vote fall next time there was any sort of vote.

My proposal is a little more radical and would see the end to Nexus subsidising these bus routes, the constant threat of withdrawals coming to an end (with Nexus, DCC or NCC being placed over a barrel by the operators, passengers seeing the end to multiple operators running a route (depending on the time of day) and ticketing anomalies reducing etc. 

It involves the operators running services commercially. 
It involves operators not picking and choosing the runs they see the money in and not bothering with the ones they don't see money in. 
It means the end of bolting on a failing service on to a subsided service (see the 71) and still apparently failing to make it work commercially.

If the twirly passes were cancelled, I wonder what that would do to operator revenues?
Assuming they only receive the concession fare and aren't given any other rebate to cover the balance of the actual fare.

I suspect your proposal is hugely different to that of Central Government, local authorities and commercial bus operators.

I suspect if operators were to go ahead with your proposal then they would go bust in less than a year. That's the harsh reality of the impact of Covid.

Pretty sure any political party/La agreeing to this, would see their share of the vote fall next time there was any sort of vote.

My proposal is a little more radical and would see the end to Nexus subsidising these bus routes, the constant threat of withdrawals coming to an end (with Nexus, DCC or NCC being placed over a barrel by the operators) , passengers seeing the end to multiple operators running a route - depending on the time of day) and ticketing anomalies reducing etc. 

It involves the operators running services commercially. 
It involves operators not picking and choosing the runs they see the money in and not bothering with the ones they don't see money in. 
It means the end of bolting on a failing service on to a subsided service (see the 71) and still apparently failing to make it work commercially.

If the twirly passes were cancelled, I wonder what that would do to operator revenues?
Assuming they only receive the concession fare and aren't given any other rebate to cover the balance of the actual fare.

These operators can afford to pay out a dividend, give out staff shares and hefty salaries for those at the top of the pile, but they can't afford to run a service that doesn't tick a couple of commercial boxes.
Passengers shouldn't be the ones to lose out here (either by inconvenience of a route being cancelled, ran by a different operator or by paying a token fare).

If you're thinking of what the current regime think, I seriously doubt they would care, it must have been in Sunak's mind...
As for any subsidy, it bewilders me that a pass can be subsidised for the same rate for a two stop hop as for a journey like a 309, or arriva X18..
Either way the bus company lose. Technology is there to have a smart pass, that doesn't need physical scanning, but can scan the card on entry and exit giving a far more accurate account to be balanced.. The subsidy would not be removed in my solution, just reduced.

I suspect your proposal is hugely different to that of Central Government, local authorities and commercial bus operators.

I suspect if operators were to go ahead with your proposal then they would go bust in less than a year. That's the harsh reality of the impact of Covid.

Maybe their proposals need to be different.

I'm not sure maintaining the status quo is going to work (just look at the quotes and figures released to the media). Something has to give. 

I also think this a fantastic opportunity for operators to change the way they're working and where buses run to/from.
We have been constantly told that changes to people's habits are impacting on services and certain runs are axed as a result. 
We are being told that working and shopping habits have changed.
Yet here we are, with a network very similar to the one on a wall in Beamish - with a focus on not much more than a bus to a town or city centre.

https://twitter.com/MartijnGNE/status/14...htYpYW49tg&s=19

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If you're thinking of what the current regime think, I seriously doubt they would care, it must have been in Sunak's mind...
As for any subsidy, it bewilders me that a pass can be subsidised for the same rate for a two stop hop as for a journey like a 309, or arriva X18.. 
Either way the bus company lose. Technology is there to have a smart pass, that doesn't need physical scanning, but can scan the card on entry and exit giving a far more accurate account to be balanced.. The subsidy would not be removed in my solution, just reduced.

Hence why singles have traditionally been so high. 
If they can get as much as they can for a twirly going two stops, they will structure their fares in the 'best' way they can.
Just us ordinary punters who suffer the consequence and those elastic ones will look for alternatives.

Singles are ridiculously priced. For example £1.70 from wheatsheaf to blue Bell in Sunderland.

Singles are ridiculously priced. For example £1.70 from wheatsheaf to blue Bell in Sunderland.

Its £1.60 I think from Newcastle - Gateshead 

Also, I thought for the free passes the Gov paid for the most expensive route charge.

Maybe their proposals need to be different.

I'm not sure maintaining the status quo is going to work (just look at the quotes and figures released to the media). Something has to give. 

I also think this a fantastic opportunity for operators to change the way they're working and where buses run to/from.
We have been constantly told that changes to people's habits are impacting on services and certain runs are axed as a result. 
We are being told that working and shopping habits have changed.
Yet here we are, with a network very similar to the one on a wall in Beamish - with a focus on not much more than a bus to a town or city centre.

https://twitter.com/MartijnGNE/status/14...htYpYW49tg&s=19

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Hence why I buy Day Rider Plus or All zones
Hence why singles have traditionally been so high. 
If they can get as much as they can for a twirly going two stops, they will structure their fares in the 'best' way they can.
Just us ordinary punters who suffer the consequence and those elastic ones will look for alternatives.

Hence why I buy Day Rider Plus or All zones