(14 May 2022, 4:11 pm)DH9 wrote I'll stick to buses I can comment on.

X72: if 6 is reduced to hourly, then X72: Could become a 7, be restored to the Metrocentre and operate in combo with the 6.  That may increase patronage.  Durham County Council would probably ensure some form of service continues with it.

16: The Consett to Stanley stretch sees passengers between Leadgate and Consett, and also gathers passengers from Dipton onwards towards Stanley.  Its used morning and evening by New College pupils.  I don't see that changing, though it might be truncated to Consett and not go to Tesco.  Another alternative is it might get the Castleside extension back off the 78 and that truncated to Consett.

But I do think the Tesco extension is done for.

X30 and X31: I'd guess at half hourly in future with one bus going via Gateshead.  That was just plain odd, breaking the Gateshead link.  The bus sees decent loading at commuter times.

X70 / X71: One of these switched via Whickham and Dunston to replace and X30 or X31 rerouted via Gateshead.  How the timings would be adjusted, heavens knows.

However, I agree Sunniside will have to settle for four buses per hour and not six to Newcastle.

Evenings and Sundays.  X30 and X31 abandoned, 6 and 7 continue to operate.  7 diverted to Burnopfield from Tanfield on evening as X72 is now.

See for your 7 personally I think something along the line of this would be better hourly:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.97346...567195!3e0

With a second 7A running:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.97346...fa!1m0!3e0

Send the 49 or 49A down Ravensworth Road in Dunston and you've got a partial replacement in a few areas for the 28A/29, 67, 96 and X72 because let's be honest they're likely all on the chopping block.

(14 May 2022, 4:39 pm)Jack Gill wrote Could rename it the 6A rather than the 7.

7 better distinguishes the services and there's also the 16 still operating in Catchgate and Annfield Plain area.

I still take your point though.

Ian

(14 May 2022, 5:23 pm)DH9 wrote 7 better distinguishes the services and there's also the 16 still operating in Catchgate and Annfield Plain area.

I still take your point though.

Ian

Fair enough.

(14 May 2022, 2:45 pm)54APhotography wrote Absolutely, and there are some big cuts coming, no amount of chatter on forums will change that.

Yep, buses as public transport in the North East are dead. No amount of branding, gimmicks or whatever else will save it.

The Go Ahead share price should do ok tho.

(14 May 2022, 4:16 pm)Unber43 wrote It cost me £6 to get to Durham from Sunderland. 

Arriva sell ridiculously priced tickets when I can pay £1.20 on GNE. And get a nicer bus and charge my phone rather being stuck on a old rattly awful leaking solo.

Arriva have managed to keep their network stable, GNE seem to have serious problems with managing that (even before Covid). I'd rather have a rattly bus turn up than no buses at all.

Only Arriva casualties were frequencies and a handful of duplicating/commuter routes such as the X16, X6 and X85.

(14 May 2022, 4:16 pm)Unber43 wrote It cost me £6 to get to Durham from Sunderland. 

Arriva sell ridiculously priced tickets when I can pay £1.20 on GNE. And get a nicer bus and charge my phone rather being stuck on a old rattly awful leaking solo.

So Sunderland to Durham is £1.20 on GNE?

(14 May 2022, 6:45 pm)mb134 wrote So Sunderland to Durham is £1.20 on GNE?

Yes, for a 22 year old.

(14 May 2022, 6:46 pm)Unber43 wrote Yes, for a 22 year old.

Thought the £1.20 single was just for U19s? 

If they've put the age of that up to allow 22 year olds to travel for £1.20 then arguably it's no wonder the rumoured cuts are so severe.

(14 May 2022, 6:55 pm)mb134 wrote Thought the £1.20 single was just for U19s? 

If they've put the age of that up to allow 22 year olds to travel for £1.20 then arguably it's no wonder the rumoured cuts are so severe.

It is for under 19s only.

(14 May 2022, 7:02 pm)omnicity4659 wrote It is for under 19s only.

I thought it was 5-25 for £1.20 that is what I used in my example.

(14 May 2022, 7:05 pm)Unber43 wrote I thought it was 5-25 for £1.20 that is what I used in my example.

No, that’s only for day or week tickets

(14 May 2022, 8:21 pm)Thomas12 wrote No, that’s only for day or week tickets

Well then GNE are probs much cheaper for those

(14 May 2022, 8:23 pm)Unber43 wrote Well then GNE are probs much cheaper for those

GNE 5-25 Day: £4.50
GNE 5-25 7 Day: £17

ANE U19/Student Regionwide Day: £5.60
ANE U19/Student Regionwide Weekly: £22

So £1 more on ANE for a day ticket, though you could argue that it covers a much larger area (you can get from Carlisle to Scarborough on it, for example). 

That said 19-24 year olds need to pay full whack on ANE, though in fairness majority of those will be in full time employment so I'm not sure it's necessary to subsidise their travel (and those still in full time education still qualify for student ticketing).

(14 May 2022, 8:40 pm)mb134 wrote GNE 5-25 Day: £4.50
GNE 5-25 7 Day: £17

ANE U19/Student Regionwide Day: £5.60
ANE U19/Student Regionwide Weekly: £22

So £1 more on ANE for a day ticket, though you could argue that it covers a much larger area (you can get from Carlisle to Scarborough on it, for example). 

That said 19-24 year olds need to pay full whack on ANE, though in fairness majority of those will be in full time employment so I'm not sure it's necessary to subsidise their travel (and those still in full time education still qualify for student ticketing).

Since it was East Durham, there's an East Durham ticket aswell which is £3.60 for the day, depending on where your going. It covers Peterlee to Sunderland though.

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/buy-tickets/...one/ane026

It's only £5 for an adult aswell which is a bargain compared to other areas tbh. Not sure many people would be travelling Durham to Sunderland as it doesn't really make sense unless your bored.

(14 May 2022, 6:46 pm)Unber43 wrote Yes, for a 22 year old.

Perhaps it's the low fares that are causing GNE to cut so many services!

(15 May 2022, 8:17 am)busmanT wrote Perhaps it's the low fares that are causing GNE to cut so many services!

Especially if you have a load of new buses you need to pay off and passengers numbers are around 80% nationally when GNE probably expected to be over 100% at this stage before the pandemic.

(15 May 2022, 8:17 am)busmanT wrote Perhaps it's the low fares that are causing GNE to cut so many services!

Depends on that demand curve.
Used effectively, lower prices can increase demand.
Assuming the buses are taking people where they need to be.

If the buses don't take people where they need to be, you could make each fare 1p and it's not going to have that much of a positive impact in the areas that are most important to suits in offices.

Its like Poundland, easyjet or Ryanair.
They built their models on low pricing. 
However they also built their models on meeting the needs of the customers and supplying what the customers wanted or needed. Not what suits in offices thought they wanted or needed.

(15 May 2022, 8:17 am)busmanT wrote Perhaps it's the low fares that are causing GNE to cut so many services!

What's the solution though? Punish those that are using the services, for the failure to attract others back to them?

I get that there's a balance to be struck, but retention has to be as important as growth, and fares & convenience play a big part of that.

22 year olds still buying under-19 tickets, then people are wondering why they're cutting the network so much.

(15 May 2022, 4:53 pm)deanmachine wrote 22 year olds still buying under-19 tickets, then people are wondering why they're cutting the network so much.

22 year olds shouldn't be able to buy under 19 tickets, unless they look incredibly young, using fake ID or walking around in school uniform all day? They're bus only tickets, so drivers are selling the ticket at their discretion.

(15 May 2022, 4:53 pm)deanmachine wrote 22 year olds still buying under-19 tickets, then people are wondering why they're cutting the network so much.

Yes, that’s the sole problem here. Passengers buying the wrong tickets.

not a network that changes more than most people change pants, constant investment in pointless branding and a catalogue of poor decisions.

(14 May 2022, 4:11 pm)DH9 wrote I'll stick to buses I can comment on.

X72: if 6 is reduced to hourly, then X72: Could become a 7, be restored to the Metrocentre and operate in combo with the 6.  That may increase patronage.  Durham County Council would probably ensure some form of service continues with it.

16: The Consett to Stanley stretch sees passengers between Leadgate and Consett, and also gathers passengers from Dipton onwards towards Stanley.  Its used morning and evening by New College pupils.  I don't see that changing, though it might be truncated to Consett and not go to Tesco.  Another alternative is it might get the Castleside extension back off the 78 and that truncated to Consett.

But I do think the Tesco extension is done for.

X30 and X31: I'd guess at half hourly in future with one bus going via Gateshead.  That was just plain odd, breaking the Gateshead link.  The bus sees decent loading at commuter times.

X70 / X71: One of these switched via Whickham and Dunston to replace and X30 or X31 rerouted via Gateshead.  How the timings would be adjusted, heavens knows.

However, I agree Sunniside will have to settle for four buses per hour and not six to Newcastle.

Evenings and Sundays.  X30 and X31 abandoned, 6 and 7 continue to operate.  7 diverted to Burnopfield from Tanfield on evening as X72 is now.

Honestly i think the Venture Network could be redone.

V1 the same so: Town Centre - Delves Lane
V2: Town Centre - Castleside via Templetown & Tesco. This will replace the 16 & 78 extension
V3: Consett loop: Consett - Shotley Bridge - The Dene - Medomsley - Leadgate - Consett

I doubt X70 & X71 will change. been pretty much the same for a long time.

Red Kite Ranger could be looked into. Keep the 47 the same but have the 47A go the way the old 46A use to go. Consett - Leadgate - Medomsley then follow the X45 & X46 to MetroCentre & Newcastle. Not saying it needs to happen but would be nice just to bring back an old route that was eliminated in 2010 i think.

Could the X21 between West Auckland and Bishop Auckland be a casualty of any cuts? As much as I'm not a fan of the Volvo B5TL's, scaling the PVR back to 7x should somewhat help with spares and to an extent reliability whilst keeping the layover albeit at the Newcastle end now.

But.....if WA to BA is kept at same frequency, I'd strongly hope depending on changes in Derwentside that any low bridge working pattern from Consett would require significantly fewer E400's (no more than 5x), thus allowing a swap between CLS & Consett and a clean fleet of 9x solid vehicles all the same spec running the X21.

Apparently the BA-WA stretch gets decent loadings, so can't see that changing any time soon.

(15 May 2022, 7:48 pm)Jack Gill wrote Apparently the BA-WA stretch gets decent loadings, so can't see that changing any time soon.

It does quite well.

If it is removed imo that would be a massive mistake.

https://twitter.com/gonortheast/status/1...42624?s=21&t=Kqbdxji3T4N4IAlmycXb5w


There are a lot of changes - many Nexus dependant

Every 30 mins on X45 imo seems to be a mistake

Consultation on proposed service changes

The survey is open until 31 May 2022. All feedback will then be collated, analysed and proposals amended where necessary with a view to implementing any changes from 24 July 2022.

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/consultation

The 55 one is particularly egregious given they cocked up the intertiming of it with the X1!

(16 May 2022, 11:55 am)Unber43 wrote https://twitter.com/gonortheast/status/1...42624?s=21&t=Kqbdxji3T4N4IAlmycXb5w


There are a lot of changes - many Nexus dependant

Every 30 mins on X45 imo seems to be a mistake

Who would have guessed it?
Titivations and branding (however desirable) doesn't work and rather than look at network innovations, they're culling routes and reducing the network... 

I'll get my crystal ball out again and predict that due to low passenger numbers, the 2 hourly service they're proposing to the likes of the 65 and X10, will lead to further reductions and even fewer passengers. 
It's like an endless race to the bottom. 

If the powers that be in their ivory towers want any other advice and can get their heads out of their own backsides, I'm happy to offer more detailed advice on a paid for commercial basis. Pretty sure some of the other more savvy, sensible posters on here could do the same. 
I appreciate myself and those other posters may not be part of a clique and will say things that may put the noses out of joint for the established elite - but based on the comments made here over the years and the endless shambles we see eminating out of those ivory towers - maybe those in the ivory towers do need to listen to someone beyond their own echo chamber and maybe they don't know everything after all. 

Oh and this is the toned down, civil version of what I originally wrote.
They're an utter disgrace.

(16 May 2022, 12:14 pm)DeltaMan wrote The 55 one is particularly egregious given they cocked up the intertiming of it with the X1!

The 55 was always getting set up to be withdrawn when there doubled the frequency of the x1 to Peterlee, and there’s other bus services following the same corridor.

I wonder if the proposed 24 is standalone service, I would of thought that the 26 would of been better extended from shields to Sunderland on the 20 route, would of opened up new connections without change of bus, or extending the 60 or 61 to shields


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