i thought arriva and GNE were working together for the benefit of the customer not to create more buses for an area with already enough???

(15 Sep 2023, 2:03 pm)Rob44 wrote i thought arriva and GNE were working together for the benefit of the customer not to create more buses for an area with already enough???

X39 is seperate and it doesn't stop along the coast road like the other 4 do.

(15 Sep 2023, 2:22 pm)Unber43 wrote X39 is seperate and it doesn't stop along the coast road like the other 4 do.

Yeh i get that but why would GNE extend it to ashington to basicaly cause competition between themselves and ANE?

(15 Sep 2023, 10:02 am)Unber43 wrote 434 was contracted every 2 hours or less, and the 19 was a route which was never changed for years and went downhill as it was never adapted

Also this a key route from Newcaslte and the Silverlink, perhaps they could talk to Silverlink Employers and see where their staff live and offer routes to there.

Not sure there'd be the demand, you're basically just duplicating the Blyth and Tyne railway but making it much longer. No-one from down here wants to go anywhere near Bedlington and Ashington and that's why it'll struggle.

(14 Sep 2023, 9:28 pm)Ambassador wrote The 309 has become chronically unreliable. The sooner a regional ticket comes in the better, then at least the 22X which has become reliable is an option

High Farm isn't the issue with the 309. Effectively, the 309 has the same layover times as the March 2019 changes when last standalone, not forgetting pre QA that GNE timed the 309 to run minutes ahead of the 308. And although there's remote reliefs in New York, the drivers are normally quite efficient changing over.

The problems are......
- A193 & Whitley Bay Links
- Whitley Bay Town Centre
- Foxhunters roundabout
- Rake Lane
- That stupid roundabout at Murton Farm

Same goes for the 308 not forgetting Billy Mill junction.

Best thing I can suggest would be for the 308 & 309 to only serve Maughans towards Newcastle to save needing to do the loop around to Whitley Road / HSBC.

A lot of the blame lies with North Tyneside Council and their stupid traffic management & road planning policies! Only gonna get a lot worse when all the houses are up on Rake Lane!

NECA, Arriva and GNE can only throw so much money and resource at the issues!

This will be fun, on the current frequency...



Catch the Bus Month: more of a challenge than a statement.

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(18 Sep 2023, 5:58 am)Adrian wrote This will be fun, on the current frequency...



Catch the Bus Month: more of a challenge than a statement.

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Could be worse, if I'm right there isn't a bus from Whitley Bay beyond North Shields from 17:50 until 21:12. All peak time services towards the Coast are pretty much cancelled aswell.

Coaster 1

The following full journeys will not operate    

• From Whitley Bay: 15:47, 18:12, 18:42   
  
• From Metrocentre: 16:05, 16:25, 16:45, 18:08
  

The following journeys will only run as far as Percy Main the Redburn   

• From Whitley Bay:  13:44, 14:24 
  
• From Metrocentre: 10:39, 13:19, 15:45  
  

The following journeys will start at Percy Main the Redburn   

• From Whitley Bay: 19:12, 20:12   
  
• From Metrocentre: 20:08  
  

I notice 11 services that Arriva are cancelling within the next 3 hours from Haymarket - let us not all forgot there is not just 1 operator with staffing issues.

(18 Sep 2023, 12:54 pm)citaro5284 wrote I notice 11 services that Arriva are cancelling within the next 3 hours from Haymarket - let us not all forgot there is not just 1 operator with staffing issues.

Bit of whataboutery there mind like. We've been discussing the Arriva issues in the other thread but not many people are from up here so there's not as much discussion on it.

Can't remember the last time I used an Arriva service in the North East, so I don't really pay them much attention.

X1 into town this morning was fine, but surprised at the volume of passengers on board. I've said it dozens of times, but this really needs to go back to at least a 12 minute frequency. We were full by Springwell, heading into Newcastle.

On the way home, I didn't bother, I opted for the Metro and 4 instead.

Stagecoach Sunderland was bad today, every bus was at least 10 mins + late.

(18 Sep 2023, 5:53 pm)Adrian wrote Can't remember the last time I used an Arriva service in the North East, so I don't really pay them much attention.

X1 into town this morning was fine, but surprised at the volume of passengers on board. I've said it dozens of times, but this really needs to go back to at least a 12 minute frequency. We were full by Springwell, heading into Newcastle.

On the way home, I didn't bother, I opted for the Metro and 4 instead.

I admit I don't use the service but isn't the X1/X1A every 12 minutes already at peak times? Just looking at the timetable, it seems to be, dropping to every 15 minute off peak.

Not sure if it used to be more frequent though as those times.

(18 Sep 2023, 6:47 pm)Storx wrote I admit I don't use the service but isn't the X1/X1A every 12 minutes already at peak times? Just looking at the timetable, it seems to be, dropping to every 15 minute off peak.

Not sure if it used to be more frequent though as those times.

Not quite. It's a bit of a mash up first thing.

Dep. - Gap.
06.42 - 00:09
06.53 - 00:11
07.08 - 00:15

07.20, 07.32, 07.44 all operate with a 12 minute gap.
07.58 - 00:15

Then it's 17 minutes, 13 minutes, 12 minutes and 20 minutes respectively for the next ones.

(18 Sep 2023, 6:55 pm)Adrian wrote Not quite. It's a bit of a mash up first thing.

Dep. - Gap.
06.42 - 00:09
06.53 - 00:11
07.08 - 00:15

07.20, 07.32, 07.44 all operate with a 12 minute gap.
07.58 - 00:15

Then it's 17 minutes, 13 minutes, 12 minutes and 20 minutes respectively for the next ones.

Yeah thought that was what it's like, something in back of my head is saying it used to be every 10 minutes when it was every 12 minutes though.

(18 Sep 2023, 6:59 pm)Storx wrote Yeah thought that was what it's like, something in back of my head is saying it used to be every 10 minutes when it was every 12 minutes though.

When it was first introduced, it was every 10 minutes. It was a combined frequency at Washington from the X1, X2 and X3. Then when the routes were merged, it was a 10 minute frequency throughout, before being one of the services dropped to every 12 minutes in order to apparently aid reliability.

(18 Sep 2023, 6:07 pm)Michael wrote Stagecoach Sunderland was bad today, every bus was at least 10 mins + late.

Mine weren't.

I was in Eldon Square and as I was leaving Gateshead I saw a 25 to Gateshead it was the last 25 of the night no one knew it was terminating at Gateshead nothing on GNE or anything, it was only 20 mins late, I kinda thought it was a bit of a to use a nice word... inconsiderate

(19 Sep 2023, 8:35 am)Unber43 wrote I was in Eldon Square and as I was leaving Gateshead I saw a 25 to Gateshead it was the last 25 of the night no one knew it was terminating at Gateshead nothing on GNE or anything, it was only 20 mins late, I kinda thought it was a bit of a to use a nice word... inconsiderate

I am not suprised. at least the 25 has other routes like the X1, 21, 28, 56.

Why has the 309, 353, 354 not operated via Westminster Avenue and Norham Road North during the evenings and instead missed New York completely despite only the Shell & Vauxhall garage side being closed off.

Only thing I could put down too is inexperienced / new drivers or drivers from other depots being drafted in....hence avoiding the stress of a diversion.

(19 Sep 2023, 7:48 pm)L469 YVK wrote Why has the 309, 353, 354 not operated via Westminster Avenue and Norham Road North during the evenings and instead missed New York completely despite only the Shell & Vauxhall garage side being closed off.

Only thing I could put down too is inexperienced / new drivers or drivers from other depots being drafted in....hence avoiding the stress of a diversion.

Work being done on thr Road and its closed on evenings

4 355's are cancelled in a row, and the last 3 351's are

(21 Sep 2023, 11:44 pm)Unber43 wrote 4 355's are cancelled in a row, and the last 3 351's are

They’re a disgrace, the last two Q3 services from Wallsend are cancelled too. 

There was an hour and a half gap in the services in the 1 today too - this is fine if you live on a section where the 22 or 306 duplicates the service, but is an absolute disgrace otherwise.
 
The cancellations published on the website by Percy Main are also not reflective of the reality.

(22 Sep 2023, 12:01 am)Thomas12 wrote The cancellations published on the website by Percy Main are also not reflective of the reality.

The list on the website is accurate.

What that list doesn’t include is any journeys cancelled at short notice due to breakdowns or regulation.

There are a number of ETMs not communicating at the moment and are awaiting an engineer to attend. Lots of people on this forum use bustimes as if it is gospel to check for additional journeys not running, but there a few buses (or ticket machines) not tracking correctly at the moment.


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(22 Sep 2023, 4:34 am)Dan wrote The list on the website is accurate.

What that list doesn’t include is any journeys cancelled at short notice due to breakdowns or regulation.

There are a number of ETMs not communicating at the moment and are awaiting an engineer to attend. Lots of people on this forum use bustimes as if it is gospel to check for additional journeys not running, but there a few buses (or ticket machines) not tracking correctly at the moment.


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Fair enough, there must be a lot of breakdowns then!

(22 Sep 2023, 10:55 am)Thomas12 wrote Fair enough, there must be a lot of breakdowns then!

Of course there is have you seen what they have at PM

Something need to be done about the 21 currently on Brandon Service left Eldon Square on time by the time we got to Gateshead we were 10 mins late, there are Angels 25 mins late, its especially bad from Brandon and Durham as half the time they run dead to CLS like 4 did in a row the other day, no 21 for over 2 hrs

(22 Sep 2023, 2:28 pm)Unber43 wrote Something need to be done about the 21 currently on Brandon Service left Eldon Square on time by the time we got to Gateshead we were 10 mins late, there are angles 25 mins late, its especially bad from Brandon and Durham as half the time they run dead to CLS like 4 did in a row the other day, no 21 for over 2 hrs

Including right angles? 

Or even Kurt?

(22 Sep 2023, 3:13 pm)Adrian wrote Including right angles? 

Or even Kurt?

If it's not a right angle, it's a WRONG! angle.

- Eddie Murphy, Beverly Hills Cop II (1987).

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(22 Sep 2023, 3:22 pm)MurdnunoC wrote If it's not a right angle, it's a WRONG! angle.

- Eddie Murphy, Beverly Hills Cop II (1987).

I'll get Sergeant Angle on the case

There’s quite a lot of posts and comments similar to this on the Forest Hall and Killingworth Facebook groups. People are sick of having terrible bus services and it sums up the public’s view on buses.


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