Unless they're is a large layover that is going to suffer delays.

Also I wonder if the 20/20A change could also be that they're no longer going to Homeside

(12 Feb 2023, 6:06 pm)Unber43 wrote I remember Dan saying about the 8/65.

But nothing about the 57/53/54/97/60 etc

It makes complete sense to prioritise the most significant frequency reductions which are having the biggest impact on customers…

The 53/54, 60 and 97 aren’t major frequency reductions. The 8, 57 and 65 were.


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(12 Feb 2023, 8:51 pm)Dan wrote It makes complete sense to prioritise the most significant frequency reductions which are having the biggest impact on customers…

The 53/54, 60 and 97 aren’t major frequency reductions. The 8, 57 and 65 were.


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True, I just took it as the 8/65 were the only ones being brought back to previous frequency

Are the late X21s coming back any time soon lol

(12 Feb 2023, 8:51 pm)Dan wrote It makes complete sense to prioritise the most significant frequency reductions which are having the biggest impact on customers…

The 53/54, 60 and 97 aren’t major frequency reductions. The 8, 57 and 65 were.


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With the 65 going back to half hourly, will the 8 and 57 return back to normal?

What about the 39's?

(12 Feb 2023, 5:56 pm)Michael wrote CSV sheet:

20/20A: timetable change
65 - Back to half hourly


Nothing for the 58 yet.

Changes to the 58 are just minor changes to morning peak journeys.


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(10 Feb 2023, 6:50 pm)Dan wrote The 71 is a Durham County Council secured service.

If Go North East has cancelled it, it suggests that the service has not been ‘slashed’, but the contract awarded to another operator.


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The 71 has, unsurprisingly, been awarded to Gateshead Central Taxis

(24 Feb 2023, 12:09 pm)peter wrote The 71 has, unsurprisingly, been awarded to Gateshead Central Taxis

Half hourly, branded deckers, part of the flagship route - now whored out to the lowest bidder after years of managed decline by the operator. 

Decision makers should hang their heads in shame at what they've achieved with that route.

Just checked GNE web site and no cancelation for tomorrow or sunday on there? Do all GNE drivers support Sunderland???

(24 Feb 2023, 12:15 pm)Andreos1 wrote Half hourly, branded deckers, part of the flagship route - now whored out to the lowest bidder after years of managed decline by the operator. 

Decision makers should hang their heads in shame at what they've achieved with that route.

You’re a bit late to the party, Andreos!

This is the type of comment you ought to have made when Go North East ceased to operate the service commercially, and became the lowest bidder to run the contract themselves.


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(24 Feb 2023, 1:23 pm)Dan wrote You’re a bit late to the party, Andreos!

This is the type of comment you ought to have made when Go North East ceased to operate the service commercially, and became the lowest bidder to run the contract themselves.


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I did. You must have missed it Daniel.

(24 Feb 2023, 1:39 pm)Andreos1 wrote I did. You must have missed it Daniel.

Ah, that broken record back on again then? Tee-hee!


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(24 Feb 2023, 1:43 pm)Dan wrote Ah, that broken record back on again then? Tee-hee!


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I'm just surprised you didn't get the bingo cards out again.

(24 Feb 2023, 12:15 pm)Andreos1 wrote Half hourly, branded deckers, part of the flagship route - now whored out to the lowest bidder after years of managed decline by the operator. 

Decision makers should hang their heads in shame at what they've achieved with that route.

What would you have changed? 

Giving it to GCT isn't going to help the route.

(24 Feb 2023, 12:15 pm)Andreos1 wrote Half hourly, branded deckers, part of the flagship route - now whored out to the lowest bidder after years of managed decline by the operator. 

Decision makers should hang their heads in shame at what they've achieved with that route.

Racking my brains, when did it have branded deckers?

(24 Feb 2023, 6:40 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Racking my brains, when did it have branded deckers?

It could have been single deckers

(24 Feb 2023, 3:47 pm)Unber43 wrote What would you have changed? 

Giving it to GCT isn't going to help the route.

There's many things that could have been changed over the years. 
Pricing was beyond bizarre. 
Houghton - Chester didn't create any demand.
Timetables were awful.

Yet they stuck with it for however long and did nothing other than whack whatever was lying around the depot and sometimes change the number of the service.

---

(24 Feb 2023, 6:40 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Racking my brains, when did it have branded deckers?

When it was the 21a.

(just found a die-cast model image than a photo of an actual example for speed). 

From those practically brand new branded deckers part of a flagship route, to being bailed out by the council and then losing it completely to the Felling Cowboys. 

I'd be ashamed if I'd any role in any of the decisions that led to the current situation.

(24 Feb 2023, 7:16 pm)Andreos1 wrote There's many things that could have been changed over the years. 
Pricing was beyond bizarre. 
Houghton - Chester didn't create any demand.

Yet they stuck with it for however long.

Such as? 

Also how would u change Houghton-Chester leg causing it to have demand without removing links.

And the 71 going to GCT will that just decrease passenger numbers especially around 78 route where presumably thoses traveling to CLS to Newcastle will have daily/weekly tickets

Found a press release from when it got branded as Lambton Worm

(24 Feb 2023, 7:22 pm)Unber43 wrote Such as? 

Also how would u change Houghton-Chester leg causing it to have demand without removing links.

And the 71 going to GCT will that just decrease passenger numbers especially around 78 route where presumably thoses traveling to CLS to Newcastle will have daily/weekly tickets

When the 21a ran, the extension to the Chester - Houghton section was on the northern portion. Where the demand was.
The southern portion (the weaker part) was the extension. Clearly the stronger portion kept the weaker portion going.

Since they got rid of the 21a, the focus has been on the weaker portion and tagging even weaker portions on it. 
Whilst having it run in the shadows of the 78 both on the half hourly frequency and then the hourly frequency.

The extention of the 238 over Copt Hill didn't work. 
The shortlived X4 over Copt Hill didn't work. 
Why would the 71?

When it originally ran to Sunderland, it replaced the poorly performing 160 and 163. They didn't work. Why would the 71?

Fares fell into the ridiculous stage from day 1.
I can't remember the exact figures, but a T&W Day ticket that allowed travel to Birtley and beyond on the 21a was circa £3.
When the 71 was launched, a single to Chester was circa £3.
The T&W ticket was suddenly invalid and the equivalent day ticket was circa £6.

The 71 didn't work, so why did they think the 36 would? When that failed, why did they go back to the original 71 and go back to the work that didn't work originally?

(24 Feb 2023, 8:04 pm)Andreos1 wrote When the 21a ran, the extension to the Chester - Houghton section was on the northern portion. Where the demand was.
The southern portion (the weaker part) was the extension. Clearly the stronger portion kept the weaker portion going.

Since they got rid of the 21a, the focus has been on the weaker portion and tagging even weaker portions on it. 
Whilst having it run in the shadows of the 78 both on the half hourly frequency and then the hourly frequency.

The extention of the 238 over Copt Hill didn't work. 
The shortlived X4 over Copt Hill didn't work. 
Why would the 71?

When it originally ran to Sunderland, it replaced the poorly performing 160 and 163. They didn't work. Why would the 71?

Fares fell into the ridiculous stage from day 1.
I can't remember the exact figures, but a T&W Day ticket that allowed travel to Birtley and beyond on the 21a was circa £3.
When the 71 was launched, a single to Chester was circa £3.
The T&W ticket was suddenly invalid and the equivalent day ticket was circa £6.

The 71 didn't work, so why did they think the 36 would? When that failed, why did they go back to the original 71 and go back to the work that didn't work originally?

Yeah I remember the 21A having decent loadings, as did the old 231 prior to that. If I remember correctly, the 21A was half hourly along with the old X5 and the X94 was hourly to provide a combined five buses an hour between Newcastle and Houghton. The 21A was then scrapped and the Chester - Newcastle section replaced by the current 21. The Newcastle - Houghton section was replaced and merged with the old X5 and X94 to become the current X1. That left the gap between Chester le Street and Houghton but provided an extra bus an hour between Newcastle and Houghton. While I could understand this decision it took away options for people to connect with other places as you mentioned.

(24 Feb 2023, 12:09 pm)peter wrote The 71 has, unsurprisingly, been awarded to Gateshead Central Taxis

The 19 has also been awarded to GCT from the same date.

Depending on Schools contracts Percy Main might shut.

As well, theres another route which has gone to the dead and isn't coming back

(24 Feb 2023, 11:26 pm)peter wrote The 19 has also been awarded to GCT from the same date.

Wonder if that means they lost the 335/342 to SNE? or the W1 to arriva? or something....

also how do you know this?

I'm just suprised that Go North East haven't replaced Percy Main with a new eco depot similar design to Consett that costs less to run and has the potential to be converted to an electric bus depot, surely the land it's on must be worth something considering all of the new housing being built on the former industrial land to the North of the depot.

(24 Feb 2023, 11:34 pm)logidoodah wrote Wonder if that means they lost the 335/342 to SNE? or the W1 to arriva? or something....

also how do you know this?

https://bustimes.org/services/19-north-s...-ashington

(24 Feb 2023, 11:47 pm)peter wrote https://bustimes.org/services/19-north-s...-ashington

is bustimes reliable though....in many cases I think not.

(24 Feb 2023, 11:41 pm)Rapidsnap wrote I'm just suprised that Go North East haven't replaced Percy Main with a new eco depot similar design to Consett that costs less to run and has the potential to be converted to an electric bus depot, surely the land it's on must be worth something considering all of the new housing being built on the former industrial land to the North of the depot.

Finally with GNE, Arriva, Nexus and Northumberland working in partnership and hopefully a future bid for EV's on the 306/307/308/309, could GNE & Arriva not build a new 'joint' depot in North Tyneside

- Centralised charging points for EV's - Used by both GNE and Arriva

- GNE have their own depot within a depot

- Arriva have their own depot within a depot

(25 Feb 2023, 12:05 am)logidoodah wrote is bustimes reliable though....in many cases I think not.

The data is pulled from Traveline so I don’t see why it wouldn’t be reliable.

(25 Feb 2023, 3:14 am)L469 YVK wrote Finally with GNE, Arriva, Nexus and Northumberland working in partnership and hopefully a future bid for EV's on the 306/307/308/309, could GNE & Arriva not build a new 'joint' depot in North Tyneside

- Centralised charging points for EV's - Used by both GNE and Arriva

- GNE have their own depot within a depot

- Arriva have their own depot within a depot

Arriva don't need a depot at Percy Main it's no more helpful than what they've got now. 

Any Arriva depot needs to be based in the Cramlington / Sandy Lane area which is close to pretty much all there services. 

Also do they really need Percy Main GNE aswell. The 1/307/309 could easily be ran from Riverside especially now the PVR has been cut again. The 41/41A less so but it doesn't really work anyway. 

I wouldn't be surprised if it went at some point in the future or at least it becomes an outstation like Hexham.