Pricing
Pricing
(19 Jun 2021, 3:12 am)streetdeckfan But what about those who don't already have a car, like myself?
(19 Jun 2021, 3:12 am)streetdeckfan But what about those who don't already have a car, like myself?
(19 Jun 2021, 6:03 pm)Andreos1 If you're anything like eldest Constantopolous or his mates, then you get a car.
Like most, they fall in to the categories mentioned previously (journey times, flexibility, comfort etc).
(19 Jun 2021, 6:03 pm)Andreos1 If you're anything like eldest Constantopolous or his mates, then you get a car.
Like most, they fall in to the categories mentioned previously (journey times, flexibility, comfort etc).
(19 Jun 2021, 3:12 am)streetdeckfan But what about those who don't already have a car, like myself?
(19 Jun 2021, 3:12 am)streetdeckfan But what about those who don't already have a car, like myself?
(20 Jun 2021, 11:45 am)mb134 I feel like that's already a losing battle to be honest. There are very few young people these days who don't have a car, don't want a car, or aren't in the process of getting a car (or don't have access to a car through other means, i.e parents, partners, friends, work colleagues).
Just in general, I think this is an interesting point. If the services operated by these companies are so good, then why are car parks at virtually every bus depot you ever go past jam packed with cars? Drivers, to a point, have no excuse as I'd imagine there are staff cars. Management/admin likely need to be in by 8/9am, by which time the network is up and running. I don't see how you can realistically convince Joe Public to drop their car for the bus if you can't even convince your staff.
(20 Jun 2021, 11:45 am)mb134 I feel like that's already a losing battle to be honest. There are very few young people these days who don't have a car, don't want a car, or aren't in the process of getting a car (or don't have access to a car through other means, i.e parents, partners, friends, work colleagues).
Just in general, I think this is an interesting point. If the services operated by these companies are so good, then why are car parks at virtually every bus depot you ever go past jam packed with cars? Drivers, to a point, have no excuse as I'd imagine there are staff cars. Management/admin likely need to be in by 8/9am, by which time the network is up and running. I don't see how you can realistically convince Joe Public to drop their car for the bus if you can't even convince your staff.
(20 Jun 2021, 12:08 pm)Rob44 your assuming that the cars in the car park are admin. surely most will be drivers on early shift before buses start running. Bit like how does the snow plough driver get to work if the road are impassable due to snow?
(20 Jun 2021, 12:08 pm)Rob44 your assuming that the cars in the car park are admin. surely most will be drivers on early shift before buses start running. Bit like how does the snow plough driver get to work if the road are impassable due to snow?
(20 Jun 2021, 12:08 pm)Rob44 your assuming that the cars in the car park are admin. surely most will be drivers on early shift before buses start running. Bit like how does the snow plough driver get to work if the road are impassable due to snow?
(20 Jun 2021, 12:08 pm)Rob44 your assuming that the cars in the car park are admin. surely most will be drivers on early shift before buses start running. Bit like how does the snow plough driver get to work if the road are impassable due to snow?
(20 Jun 2021, 11:12 am)streetdeckfan The only time I really feel like I need a car is if I need to get somewhere on a Sunday (but due to the archaic Sunday trading laws, that's rarely the case!)
For me, journey times aren't an issue, I'm lucky in that I can do my work from anywhere, so if I have a 2 hour bus journey I'm working for those two hours. The same journey may only take 40 minutes in the car, but those 40 minutes are 'wasted'. But I suppose if you work a 'normal' job, then that won't be the case.
As for the convenience, I suppose I'm also lucky in that I can literally see the bus stop from my window (I bought this house specifically based on public transport availability), and basically all of my family and friends live within a 2 minute walk of a bus stop.
That's not to say I won't get a car, I probably will (and it'll most certainly be electric because they're cheap to run), but I haven't reached the point yet where the inconvenience of a bus outweighs the increased cost of running a car.
(20 Jun 2021, 11:12 am)streetdeckfan The only time I really feel like I need a car is if I need to get somewhere on a Sunday (but due to the archaic Sunday trading laws, that's rarely the case!)
For me, journey times aren't an issue, I'm lucky in that I can do my work from anywhere, so if I have a 2 hour bus journey I'm working for those two hours. The same journey may only take 40 minutes in the car, but those 40 minutes are 'wasted'. But I suppose if you work a 'normal' job, then that won't be the case.
As for the convenience, I suppose I'm also lucky in that I can literally see the bus stop from my window (I bought this house specifically based on public transport availability), and basically all of my family and friends live within a 2 minute walk of a bus stop.
That's not to say I won't get a car, I probably will (and it'll most certainly be electric because they're cheap to run), but I haven't reached the point yet where the inconvenience of a bus outweighs the increased cost of running a car.
(20 Jun 2021, 12:19 pm)Adrian I don't think you can compare the two, and our economy is moving away from being a 9am-5pm Mon-Fri job. Public transport networks are still largely behind with this, although I recognise that GNE have moved some services to 24/7 and provide later runs, specifically for shift workers.
(20 Jun 2021, 12:20 pm)Andreos1 So it suits your needs, wants and expectations.
Not everyone is in the same position, not everyone lives outside a bus stop, not everyone has one bus taking them the majority of their journey and not everyone can 'work' on a bus.
Eldest C has a personal life and 3 buses just to see his girlfriend (who lives 10/15 mins away in the car) was just one of the reasons he learned to drive.
Price, practicality and his job role were other factors.
I've mentioned previously that I bought a house in the past and part of the decision to buy that house was based on its public transport links.
Those links have gone unfortunately.
Fortunately, the road network allows me to get to most places quicker, easier and cheaper than the bus ever did when it operated directly or since it became a military operation to ensure connections.
The soft improvements to the on-board experience doesn't make much difference and neither do the bus lanes which appear at some point en-route to either of the 3 City Centres or at various points at other stages of my drive in.
Pricing does (been chatting about the £1 fare this morning to some mates) as do the practicalities in getting a bus home at the end of the evening.
As attractive as that £1 fare is, it's looking like a taxi home that particular night as there isn't a bus which works for us.
(20 Jun 2021, 12:19 pm)Adrian I don't think you can compare the two, and our economy is moving away from being a 9am-5pm Mon-Fri job. Public transport networks are still largely behind with this, although I recognise that GNE have moved some services to 24/7 and provide later runs, specifically for shift workers.
(20 Jun 2021, 12:20 pm)Andreos1 So it suits your needs, wants and expectations.
Not everyone is in the same position, not everyone lives outside a bus stop, not everyone has one bus taking them the majority of their journey and not everyone can 'work' on a bus.
Eldest C has a personal life and 3 buses just to see his girlfriend (who lives 10/15 mins away in the car) was just one of the reasons he learned to drive.
Price, practicality and his job role were other factors.
I've mentioned previously that I bought a house in the past and part of the decision to buy that house was based on its public transport links.
Those links have gone unfortunately.
Fortunately, the road network allows me to get to most places quicker, easier and cheaper than the bus ever did when it operated directly or since it became a military operation to ensure connections.
The soft improvements to the on-board experience doesn't make much difference and neither do the bus lanes which appear at some point en-route to either of the 3 City Centres or at various points at other stages of my drive in.
Pricing does (been chatting about the £1 fare this morning to some mates) as do the practicalities in getting a bus home at the end of the evening.
As attractive as that £1 fare is, it's looking like a taxi home that particular night as there isn't a bus which works for us.
Go North East not running services on a Sunday is ridiculous. It's not fair leaving customers without a bus service (even an infrequent one) especially when it wastes days on a weekly or 28 day ticket. Flexi 5 is a massive improvement, but a lack of services on a Sunday is still not good customer service.
Hopefully GNE will improve this in the future. The X84/X85 should run later in the day and on Sundays.
(20 Jun 2021, 12:19 pm)Adrian You'll never convince the public to switch away from a private car, if you cannot convince your own staff.
(20 Jun 2021, 12:19 pm)Adrian You'll never convince the public to switch away from a private car, if you cannot convince your own staff.
(20 Jun 2021, 1:11 pm)OrangeArrow49 Go North East not running services on a Sunday is ridiculous. It's not fair leaving customers without a bus service (even an infrequent one) especially when it wastes days on a weekly or 28 day ticket. Flexi 5 is a massive improvement, but a lack of services on a Sunday is still not good customer service.
Hopefully GNE will improve this in the future. The X84/X85 should run later in the day and on Sundays.
(20 Jun 2021, 1:40 pm)mb134 Staff who will have free bus travel, at that.
Making people pay to leave behind their warm car at home, to stand in the freezing cold to wait for a bus isn't an attractive proposition regardless of how much the bus might be tarted up.
(20 Jun 2021, 1:11 pm)OrangeArrow49 Go North East not running services on a Sunday is ridiculous. It's not fair leaving customers without a bus service (even an infrequent one) especially when it wastes days on a weekly or 28 day ticket. Flexi 5 is a massive improvement, but a lack of services on a Sunday is still not good customer service.
Hopefully GNE will improve this in the future. The X84/X85 should run later in the day and on Sundays.
(20 Jun 2021, 1:40 pm)mb134 Staff who will have free bus travel, at that.
Making people pay to leave behind their warm car at home, to stand in the freezing cold to wait for a bus isn't an attractive proposition regardless of how much the bus might be tarted up.
(20 Jun 2021, 1:43 pm)streetdeckfan If anything, it's more likely to make me buy an Arriva ticket over the GNE ticket since I live on a shared route.
In fact, if it hadn't been for me regularly travelling up to Newcastle I think I probably would have already ditched my GNE ticket and switched mostly to Arriva since the services are more frequent (although with much worse buses), instead of mostly using GNE like I currently do.
You only have to stand and wait in the freezing cold if you aren't prepared enough!
With the wonders of live tracking, I can get to the stop 30 seconds before the bus arrives with basically no risk
Quote:One of the biggest annoyances for me using public transport is definitely the connections. It's not so bad when I'm connecting to a frequent service like the 49, but when I'm on my way back down home on an evening and I have to change from the X21 to the Arriva 6 (because the latest GNE bus to West Auckland leaves Newcastle at 4pm!), I have a 40-50 minute wait.
(20 Jun 2021, 1:43 pm)streetdeckfan If anything, it's more likely to make me buy an Arriva ticket over the GNE ticket since I live on a shared route.
In fact, if it hadn't been for me regularly travelling up to Newcastle I think I probably would have already ditched my GNE ticket and switched mostly to Arriva since the services are more frequent (although with much worse buses), instead of mostly using GNE like I currently do.
You only have to stand and wait in the freezing cold if you aren't prepared enough!
With the wonders of live tracking, I can get to the stop 30 seconds before the bus arrives with basically no risk
Quote:One of the biggest annoyances for me using public transport is definitely the connections. It's not so bad when I'm connecting to a frequent service like the 49, but when I'm on my way back down home on an evening and I have to change from the X21 to the Arriva 6 (because the latest GNE bus to West Auckland leaves Newcastle at 4pm!), I have a 40-50 minute wait.
(20 Jun 2021, 2:10 pm)Andreos1 Which one is it?
Not preparing enough or because connections are poor?
(20 Jun 2021, 2:10 pm)Andreos1 Which one is it?
Not preparing enough or because connections are poor?
(20 Jun 2021, 1:43 pm)streetdeckfan You only have to stand and wait in the freezing cold if you aren't prepared enough!
With the wonders of live tracking, I can get to the stop 30 seconds before the bus arrives with basically no risk
(20 Jun 2021, 1:43 pm)streetdeckfan You only have to stand and wait in the freezing cold if you aren't prepared enough!
With the wonders of live tracking, I can get to the stop 30 seconds before the bus arrives with basically no risk
I was looking back at Network One prices, in relation to the 'saving' that is being mooted under the BSIP plans.
Back in 1984, the All Zones ticket was £186 a year:
(23 Apr 2022, 7:05 pm)Rob44 has the cost of owning and running a standerd car gone up/ down in the same amount of time?
(23 Apr 2022, 7:05 pm)Rob44 has the cost of owning and running a standerd car gone up/ down in the same amount of time?
so the actual purchase of a the vehicle hasn't risen by as much as inflation but insurance and fuel have risen more.... which a bus needs on both counts. I wonder if you just looked fuel and insurance whether or not fares ( especially day, weekly month and yearly tickets) are that bad value?
(23 Apr 2022, 8:13 pm)Adrian Bit of an old article, but I did find this: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars...years.htmlInteresting article.
(23 Apr 2022, 8:13 pm)Adrian Bit of an old article, but I did find this: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars...years.htmlInteresting article.