(23 Jun 2023, 2:40 pm)Thomas12 wrote Wouldn’t it not depend on staff availability in a given location?

what i mean is it wouldnt look go to shoppers if wreckenton was under staff and they would tooting the horns about a new shop opening within the region.

Meanwhile, Gateshead Central have a bus missing from the 19, 342 and 335 today (and it isn't a one off). Awful service on hourly routes.

(23 Jun 2023, 4:10 pm)Thomas12 wrote Meanwhile, Gateshead Central have a bus missing from the 19, 342 and 335 today (and it isn't a one off). Awful service on hourly routes.

I'm not defending them but I'm not sure GCT's issues are staff related or more so vehicle related. Every bus that isn't broken is on the road as far I'm aware today, the 19 is missing 324 hence the gaps. 313/323/324 is the normal allocation.

They really don't have enough spares but it's a different problem.

Bit of pie in the sky thinking here.......but if Percy Main has further capacity beyond the 352/353/354/355 come September in terms of drivers, could the following not help with Riverside's situation

57:
- Moved to Percy Main
- Remains half hourly
- Extended back to Hadrian Park. Operates via the following route between Hadrian Park and Coast Road / Station Road then limited stop to Newcastle City Centre with only Cradlewell served https://goo.gl/maps/inzizBfc4ndVrGWS6
- Potential for Nexus & NT Council to move stops to the south side of the roundabout to help with journey times

307:
- Omits Hadrian Park

PVR Changes:
307: -1 (PVR 5x)
57: +2 (PVR 6x) - Note that the Newcastle to High Farm section could be subsidised to replace the 51. Would then only leave Nexus to find a replacement for the Whitley Bay - Holystone section of the 51.

PVR increase for Percy Main would be +5.

(23 Jun 2023, 2:40 pm)Thomas12 wrote Wouldn’t it not depend on staff availability in a given location?

I agree with Rob44 personally I feel it’s a bad look to have your current services still cancelled and many let’s remember on temporarily reduced timetables but then agreeing to take a number of new routes somewhere else. I’d also argue that Percy Main to Gateshead is hardly ‘another area’, if it was Arriva and talking about taking on new routes in Teesside whilst services in Tyneside were cancelled then there’s a considerable distance between locations. But this isn’t. It’s a 20 minute drive from Riverside to Percy Main, not to mention the new routes in question here are actually serving Newcastle so whilst other buses in the city are still reduced from ‘normal’ timetables and certain runs cancelled at short notice they’re agreeing to new route in the very same city?

(23 Jun 2023, 8:18 pm)Drifter60 wrote I agree with Rob44 personally I feel it’s a bad look to have your current services still cancelled and many let’s remember on temporarily reduced timetables but then agreeing to take a number of new routes somewhere else. I’d also argue that Percy Main to Gateshead is hardly ‘another area’, if it was Arriva and talking about taking on new routes in Teesside whilst services in Tyneside were cancelled then there’s a considerable distance between locations. But this isn’t. It’s a 20 minute drive from Riverside to Percy Main, not to mention the new routes in question here are actually serving Newcastle so whilst other buses in the city are still reduced from ‘normal’ timetables and certain runs cancelled at short notice they’re agreeing to new route in the very same city?

So many times on this forum we see folk criticise operators for not trying new things, being too heavily reliant upon local authorities, and for shrinking their networks… yet here we have an instance of an operator growing their commercial network in North Tyneside and they are criticised for it.

I get the points being made but they really are damned if they do and damned if they don’t here.


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(23 Jun 2023, 10:19 pm)Dan wrote So many times on this forum we see folk criticise operators for not trying new things, being too heavily reliant upon local authorities, and for shrinking their networks… yet here we have an instance of an operator growing their commercial network in North Tyneside and they are criticised for it.

I get the points being made but they really are damned if they do and damned if they don’t here.


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Speaking of which, is there any plans in regards to the 51 Dan?, or is it still in talks with Nexus at the moment?

(24 Jun 2023, 10:03 pm)V514DFT wrote Speaking of which, is there any plans in regards to the 51 Dan?, or is it still in talks with Nexus at the moment?

I know what you're saying and GNE might only be doing a little but at least they're trying to do something. Could it be the best path? Maybe not but at least they're trying.

Speaking of these services, does anyone know when Arriva is going to actually cancel them as I don't believe they have yet. I assume you have to give the usual notice and I'm not sure what leg they've got for a short notice especially when they've moaning about the exact the same thing in East Cleveland.

(24 Jun 2023, 10:55 pm)Storx wrote Speaking of these services, does anyone know when Arriva is going to actually cancel them as I don't believe they have yet. I assume you have to give the usual notice and I'm not sure what leg they've got for a short notice especially when they've moaning about the exact the same thing in East Cleveland.

70 days notice to the local authorities for start of September is this weekend.

(25 Jun 2023, 12:17 am)DeltaMan wrote 70 days notice to the local authorities for start of September is this weekend.

Under the Enhanced Partnership, which the north east operators have signed up to, operators must now start the consultation process with local authorities some 18 weeks ahead of a change, if it is going to have a negative impact on customers.


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(23 Jun 2023, 4:47 pm)Storx wrote I'm not defending them but I'm not sure GCT's issues are staff related or more so vehicle related. Every bus that isn't broken is on the road as far I'm aware today, the 19 is missing 324 hence the gaps. 313/323/324 is the normal allocation.

They really don't have enough spares but it's a different problem.

There's a bus missing from the 19 today too - surely there must be a shortage of drivers as you'd think they'd have enough spares on a Sunday.

(25 Jun 2023, 12:17 am)DeltaMan wrote 70 days notice to the local authorities for start of September is this weekend.

Aye you're right. I had a mix up last night thought it was getting done at the end of July. Not sure where I got that date from, guess I got mixed up with all the Sunderland and Durham changes.

what a piss take it has been to get a newcastle service today + with all the changes over.

I know some will disagree with this but day's like today they should've just canned everything at Gateshead and directed everyone to the Metro in both directions and/or run a shuttle bus between Newcastle and Gateshead. Made no sense sending anything over the water today as it was always going to lead to ridiculous delays and cancellations as a result.

I was surprised they didn’t divert via Redheugh at least during early peaks as it was still quicker than sitting on the Tyne Bridge

Metro had its own struggles today as well which didn’t help

(29 Jun 2023, 8:50 pm)Storx wrote I know some will disagree with this but day's like today they should've just canned everything at Gateshead and directed everyone to the Metro in both directions and/or run a shuttle bus between Newcastle and Gateshead. Made no sense sending anything over the water today as it was always going to lead to ridiculous delays and cancellations as a result.

Shuttle bus would have been the best thing.

Espeically with tight timetables, really the 56/X21 should have an extra PVR, but aswell I saw one which was 121 mins late

(29 Jun 2023, 8:50 pm)Storx wrote I know some will disagree with this but day's like today they should've just canned everything at Gateshead and directed everyone to the Metro in both directions and/or run a shuttle bus between Newcastle and Gateshead. Made no sense sending anything over the water today as it was always going to lead to ridiculous delays and cancellations as a result.

I was on an early bus into Newcastle, and this is exactly what the driver sensibly suggested to everyone.

Even after it opened up again, there was no recovery for anything. I watched 3x 21s bunched together on bustimes through Low Fell, including one running 30 late. Even later tonight, hours later, there was a 58 running 30+ late in a group of three.

I get they can't do anything about major unexpected road closures, but I'm baffled why control will let a bus trundle around all day getting later and later, rather than cut their losses and turn it early or run it light to get it back on time.

That 58 running 30+ late tonight was a prime example. It shadowed the on time 4 into Follingsby empty, which had already taken the Amazon loading from there. Could have clawed at least 15 back by turning it at Heworth instead.

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Turning at Gateshead and office people should have been running the shuttle between Newcastle and Gateshead.

I bet the 1 suffered quite bad.

Stagecoach Sunderland's 16 and 23 are always the same, 2 days in a row I've came out of work and they've ran in two's.

The 3/4s are the same

---

GNE 2/2A/56/20/20A/60/X1/X21 are all really bad for being late and following each other, these are just my expierence but I can imagine the 4, 58 getting bad. I know the 50 is also very prone to delays

(29 Jun 2023, 9:18 pm)Unber43 wrote The 3/4s are the same

No doubt it'll get worse from Monday, when the buses change to every 15 minutes.....

(29 Jun 2023, 9:15 pm)Unber43 wrote Turning at Gateshead and office people should have been running the shuttle between Newcastle and Gateshead.

I bet the 1 suffered quite bad.

Why? Office staff aren't employed to drive a bus.

Having an arrangement with Metro would have been a better solution.

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(29 Jun 2023, 9:21 pm)Adrian wrote Why? Office staff aren't employed to drive a bus.

Having an arrangement with Metro would have been a better solution.

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Office Staff who can drive obvs, they may not be employed but you always have to help out. 

I do think if Metro said free travel between Gateshead/Heworth through to Haymarket would be good

Metro are quick to rely on the bus when it goes tits up but it doesn’t seem a mutually beneficial relationship when it goes the other way.

(29 Jun 2023, 9:04 pm)Adrian wrote I was on an early bus into Newcastle, and this is exactly what the driver sensibly suggested to everyone.

Even after it opened up again, there was no recovery for anything. I watched 3x 21s bunched together on bustimes through Low Fell, including one running 30 late. Even later tonight, hours later, there was a 58 running 30+ late in a group of three.

I get they can't do anything about major unexpected road closures, but I'm baffled why control will let a bus trundle around all day getting later and later, rather than cut their losses and turn it early or run it light to get it back on time.

That 58 running 30+ late tonight was a prime example. It shadowed the on time 4 into Follingsby empty, which had already taken the Amazon loading from there. Could have clawed at least 15 back by turning it at Heworth instead.

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Yeah totally agreed, it's a shame like others have said there's no pricing integration as it's quite an expensive short fare for those without a valid ticket.

Would've helped with timings, I walked through Eldon Square heading to M&S and the place just looked a mess, people everywhere, no staff (since they always vanish when they're needed) and no buses in the bus station either.

The closure of Central Motorway will last until at least next week.

Looks like buses were using the Redheugh today

(30 Jun 2023, 3:02 pm)Ambassador wrote The closure of Central Motorway will last until at least next week.

Looks like buses were using the Redheugh today

It's more annoying that gne haven't updated there twitter to tell passengers that service are distrust and not serving normal route. Would say stagecoach but they don't serve any stop between Gateshead & Newcastle and I doubt Arriva would for the X12 cause it ain't serving John Dobson Street

There not posting as there is no delays

another shit show for GNE today, control basically said FU to the drivers. No updates via socials, buses running 20-30 mins late. Maybe even longer like seriously, an utter joke