But it's not though is it? And unlikely ever to be so your point is moot.

Where is the line drawn? How much is the Metro worth? Very happy the new tickets offer value for money so it's now irrelevant.

Where is the line drawn? How much is the Metro worth? Very happy the new tickets offer value for money so it's now irrelevant.

£4.85 for a day saver (with POP card) is nothing. It's a 25 mile round trip give or take, so roughly 17p per mile. Extremely low in transport terms.

It's also only £15.27 a week if you get a yearly season pass. It's really nothing.

Seriously, will someone just ban my account, please. I've got absolutely zero interest in contributing to this forum.

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For me, I respect people's choices. So I commute however I like and feel most comfortable. Metro stations attract so much anti social behaviour it's unreal. No issue with the Metro and grateful form the freedom the new tickets bring.

This forum is full of idiots and I want out.

You know they should increase the 685 timings into every 30 minutes on a Monday-Sunday basis as 1.currently there are no other service serving Corbridge and Beyond except 685 due to GNE strike and an increased service would be better 2.On a Sunday it is quite bad,as if you want to go to Carlisle or Brampton you would have to wait an hour from eldon square then wait at least another half an hour to one hour depending what time the bus comes which I find ridiculous.They should definetly do this and maybe could make Sunday services at least every 45 mins instead of having to wait 1 hour from Monday-Sunday.

You know they should increase the 685 timings into every 30 minutes on a Monday-Sunday basis as 1.currently there are no other service serving Corbridge and Beyond except 685 due to GNE strike and an increased service would be better 2.On a Sunday it is quite bad,as if you want to go to Carlisle or Brampton you would have to wait an hour from eldon square then wait at least another half an hour to one hour depending what time the bus comes which I find ridiculous.They should definetly do this and maybe could make Sunday services at least every 45 mins instead of having to wait 1 hour from Monday-Sunday.

I've noticed the 685 is now full decekrs now due to the strikes. It was rumours while ago that it would be decekrs and that seeks to be the case now

You know they should increase the 685 timings into every 30 minutes on a Monday-Sunday basis as 1.currently there are no other service serving Corbridge and Beyond except 685 due to GNE strike and an increased service would be better 2.On a Sunday it is quite bad,as if you want to go to Carlisle or Brampton you would have to wait an hour from eldon square then wait at least another half an hour to one hour depending what time the bus comes which I find ridiculous.They should definetly do this and maybe could make Sunday services at least every 45 mins instead of having to wait 1 hour from Monday-Sunday.

Most people from Hexham and Carlisle, use the train. It's upto 3 TPH and much quicker than the 685. I know someone will say they're not using trains because of some reason but most people do in reality.

287k people from a rural station is quite a lot.

287k people from a rural station is quite a lot.

Nearly 1000 people per day, probably more than the 685 could handle.

Nearly 1000 people per day, probably more than the 685 could handle.

Yeah pretty much, quite impressive really and I can't imagine there's thousands of people travelling towards Hexham either. Believe all the intermediate stations are around 80k aswell and some are only hourly.

One of the few local lines in the North East that isn't completely crap tbh.

Yeah pretty much, quite impressive really and I can't imagine there's thousands of people travelling towards Hexham either. Believe all the intermediate stations are around 80k aswell and some are only hourly.

One of the few local lines in the North East that isn't completely crap tbh.

I forgot about the train because i haven't taken it to Hexham for so long

Also they should definitely have and express service connecting Welbeck Road and maybe even connecting as far as Regent Centre via City Centre and the West End via Stanhope Street and West Road.This suggestion is here because during peak time runs buses are very delayed on the 39 and 40 and 9 times out of 10 you will find it full even with deckers so I think there should definitely be an express maybe going like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Welbeck+...?entry=ttu

Ignore the little road on Sandyford road it is an error.It would definetly be better for an every 15 minute service as it would help boost reliability so you dont have to change at City Centre to transfer and get the 30/1/5 and walk nor take the metro plus in the morning and before school periods it would help so doesn't take so long getting other people at lots of different stops. and maybe a 30 minute service on Sundays and should be called the X39 or X40 ,idk which one.And for the other people wondering on the west end ,there should be an every 15 minute one from Welbeck road to Dumpling hall/Chapel House via Stanhope Street,first stop on Stanhope Street,3rd stop on Stanhope Street,5th stop on Stanhope Street,General Hospital,1st stop on the West Road,3rd stop on West Road,Fox and Hounds then runs express to Denton Burn Library and express to Lemingtion Road Ends then Dumpling Hall/Chapel House,Dumpling Hall first then Chapel House so would be every 7.5 minutes combined.

Also they should definitely have and express service connecting Welbeck Road and maybe even connecting as far as Regent Centre via City Centre as during peak time runs buses are very delayed on the 39 and 40 and 9 times out of 10 you will find it full even with deckers so I think there should definitely be an express maybe going like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Welbeck+...?entry=ttu

Ignore the little road on Sandyford road it is an error.It would definetly be better for an every 15 minute service as it would help boost reliability so you dont have to change at City Centre to transfer and get the 30/1/5 and walk nor take the metro plus in the morning and before school periods it would help so doesn't take so long getting other people at lots of different stops. and maybe a 30 minute service on Sundays and should be called the X39 or X40 ,idk which one.And for the other people wondering on the west end ,there should be an every 15 minute one from Welbeck road to Dumpling hall/Chapel House via Stanhope Street,first stop on Stanhope Street,3rd stop on Stanhope Street,5th stop on Stanhope Street,General Hospital,1st stop on the West Road,3rd stop on West Road,Fox and Hounds then runs express to Denton Burn Library and express to Lemingtion Road Ends then Dumpling Hall/Chapel House,Dumpling Hall first then Chapel House so would be every 7.5 minutes combined.

Don't really see the point in this, it doesn't really add anything to the current network.

Nearly 1000 people per day, probably more than the 685 could handle.

I think what is being overlooked here is the 685 is a very different animal to both South Tyne Valley services and the train. 

It serves Blucher, Walbottle, Throckley, Heddon, Corbridge and Dilston.

Can see the bus appealing with Stagecoach day/mega riders, the 685 does offer pretty much Tyneside wide connections where they connect around Eldon Square.

Still not sure even during the strike 30 mins frequency would be worth while. Stagecoach would be better off registering a service from Blackett St via Central, Bensham, MetroCentre, Blaydon, Prudhoe and Stocksfield, run it via Askew and don't bother with the 100 at all.

I think what is being overlooked here is the 685 is a very different animal to both South Tyne Valley services and the train. 

It serves Blucher, Walbottle, Throckley, Hendon, Corbridge and Dilston.

Can see the bus appealing with Stagecoach day/mega riders, the 685 does offer pretty much Tyneside wide connections where they connect around Eldon Square.

Still not sure even during the strike 30 mins frequency would be worth while. Stagecoach would be better off registering a service from Blackett St via Central, Bensham, MetroCentre, Blaydon, Prudhoe and Stocksfield, run it via Askew and don't bother with the 100 at all.

They're all tiny hamlets though, it's an awkward area to serve because there's not much in the area. The 685 is technically 3 BPH between Throckley and Newcastle, if you count the X82 aswell which does the same route pretty much.

I'm not suggesting that Stagecoach should run it but a good service South of the Tyne would be

Prudhoe -> Crawcrook -> Ryton -> Blaydon -> NON STOP -> Newcastle and give those communities a quicker route skipping out the Metro Centre like the 604 used to do before GNE scrapped it.

Something like - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.97041...?entry=ttu

Then you could potentially scrap the 10B and have the 10 every 30 minutes aka 602 and 10A every 30 minutes, 15 minutes combined.

They're all tiny hamlets though, it's an awkward area to serve because there's not much in the area. The 685 is technically 3 BPH between Throckley and Newcastle, if you count the X82 aswell which does the same route pretty much.

I'm not suggesting that Stagecoach should run it but a good service South of the Tyne would be

Prudhoe -> Crawcrook -> Ryton -> Blaydon -> NON STOP -> Newcastle and give those communities a quicker route skipping out the Metro Centre like the 604 used to do before GNE scrapped it.

South Tyne has to be the one. Stagecoach are unusually sitting back and doing nothing. No point waiting on the traffic commissioner. Get some routes banged in now....

South Tyne has to be the one. Stagecoach are unusually sitting back and doing nothing. No point waiting on the traffic commissioner. Get some routes banged in now....

See if I was SNE and doing a route, if I can depending on the Cobalt funding situation. I'd be looking at splitting the 22 and sending half the buses along to either Whitley Bay or North Shields, depending how much you want to go into Arriva's 306 territory.

I'd be tempted to extend the 39/40 whichever one it is that goes to Wallsend through to Hadrian Park aswell.

It'll benefit your customers aswell with through links from Byker further East and with connections at North Shields to get through the tunnel, with the 317 aswell. Other than the Coast Road, you've pretty much just bullied GNE out of North Tyneside as there's only the 307/309 left with any purpose.

Can probably guess where I'd be going if I was Arriva and had drivers and buses spare aswell.

The 24 corridor in Sunderland / South Shields would be the other corridor I'd be looking at and dominate the South Shields to Sunderland flow combined with the E's

See if I was SNE and doing a route, if I can depending on the Cobalt funding situation. I'd be looking at splitting the 22 and sending half the buses along to either Whitley Bay or North Shields, depending how much you want to go into Arriva's 306 territory.

I'd be tempted to extend the 39/40 whichever one it is that goes to Wallsend through to Hadrian Park aswell.

It'll benefit your customers aswell with through links from Byker further East and with connections at North Shields to get through the tunnel, with the 317 aswell. Other than the Coast Road, you've pretty much just bullied GNE out of North Tyneside as there's only the 307/309 left with any purpose.

Can probably guess where I'd be going if I was Arriva and had drivers and buses spare aswell.

The 24 corridor in Sunderland / South Shields would be the other corridor I'd be looking at and dominate the South Shields to Sunderland flow combined with the E's

I agree the 24 and 20 along with X1 routes from Wearside/East Durham. North Tyneside to Blyth yes, South Tyne Valley and punt at the 21. It's all there for the taking, Walker doesn't seem to grasp what an opportunity he has, either that or is too frightened to ask for backing from Perth

I agree the 24 and 20 along with X1 routes from Wearside/East Durham. North Tyneside to Blyth yes, South Tyne Valley and punt at the 21. It's all there for the taking, Walker doesn't seem to grasp what an opportunity he has, either that or is too frightened to ask for backing from Perth

Given the 5 & 50 share corridors with 3, 4, 17 & X34 I would look into these as well. You would have a near monoply on Whiteleas, Boldon & Fellgate.

They're all tiny hamlets though, it's an awkward area to serve because there's not much in the area. The 685 is technically 3 BPH between Throckley and Newcastle, if you count the X82 aswell which does the same route pretty much.

I'm not suggesting that Stagecoach should run it but a good service South of the Tyne would be

Prudhoe -> Crawcrook -> Ryton -> Blaydon -> NON STOP -> Newcastle and give those communities a quicker route skipping out the Metro Centre like the 604 used to do before GNE scrapped it.

Something like - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.97041...?entry=ttu

Then you could potentially scrap the 10B and have the 10 every 30 minutes aka 602 and 10A every 30 minutes, 15 minutes combined.

Would actually be a good little route if an independent popped up (maybe a re-born NORTHUMBRIA).

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Other than the Coast Road, you've pretty much just bullied GNE out of North Tyneside as there's only the 307/309 left with any purpose.

Can probably guess where I'd be going if I was Arriva and had drivers and buses spare aswell.

And maybe that will happen naturally if ZEBRA funding is granted for the Coast Road corridor. Highly doubt GNE will go to the expense of fitting EV charging facilities at Percy Main depot not forgetting the covid & strike losses.

Going by the state of the 307 today, some serious opportunity for Stagecoach to exploit Hadrian Park if they can negotiate with the Cobalt.

22 (every 20 minutes) - Same route as now to Churchill Street then Hadrian Park loop. Extended to Silverlink on Sunday daytimes.

23 (every 20 minutes) - Current 22 route Throckley to Cobalt.

Not forgetting going off the current timetable, would give a later service back to Hadrian Park as opposed to 11pm from Haymarket (if that one turns up).

oh my god....just stop it

Going by the state of the 307 today, some serious opportunity for Stagecoach to exploit Hadrian Park if they can negotiate with the Cobalt.

22 (every 20 minutes) - Same route as now to Churchill Street then Hadrian Park loop. Extended to Silverlink on Sunday daytimes.

23 (every 20 minutes) - Current 22 route Throckley to Cobalt.

Not forgetting going off the current timetable, would give a later service back to Hadrian Park as opposed to 11pm from Haymarket (if that one turns up).

How many times is this gonna come up seriously. Its getting boring and annoying. Please stop mentioning this

oh my god....just stop it

Well it's a more than valid suggestion given the current situation GNE are in. If Stagecoach can offer a suitable alternative with journey times and stopping arrangements not to disimilar to the 57/58 and guarantee that they'll turn up 99% of the time, I'm sure most passengers in Hadrian Park heading to Newcastle or Wallsend would abandon the 41/41A/307 in favour of a revised 22.

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How many times is this gonna come up seriously. Its getting boring and annoying. Please stop mentioning this

Well that's the whole point of a suggestion forum. And it's actually a very valid suggestion given GNE's situation with not too much being meddled around with at Stagecoach's end.

The only stumbling block would be any funding agreements with Cobalt and how the 22X boards would work.

If them two issues could be addressed, would actually be a nice little earner for Stagecoach especially with the AM / PM peaks towards Newcastle.

Well it's a more than valid suggestion given the current situation GNE are in. If Stagecoach can offer a suitable alternative with journey times and stopping arrangements not to disimilar to the 57/58 and guarantee that they'll turn up 99% of the time, I'm sure most passengers in Hadrian Park heading to Newcastle or Wallsend would abandon the 41/41A/307 in favour of a revised 22.

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Well that's the whole point of a suggestion forum. And it's actually a very valid suggestion given GNE's situation with not too much being meddled around with at Stagecoach's end.

The only stumbling block would be any funding agreements with Cobalt and how the 22X boards would work.

If them two issues could be addressed, would actually be a nice little earner for Stagecoach especially with the AM / PM peaks towards Newcastle.

Name one way how. The 41/41A server Battle Hill & Wiltshire Drive which pick up people and the 307 goes along the coast road. Your suggestion still makes no sense. Hadrian Park wouldn't either make sense for the 22. The 22 would even need another bus or 2 added onto the pvr. Your suggestion is annoying to keep hearing.

What I find funny is you want the 22 to make a better alternative to the 307 yet it was you who sat here on this fourm in January complaining about the 310/311 and welcome the 307 change. Now you're saying the 307 isn't the best and the 22 is a better option. Stagecoach wouldn't push in on Hadrian Park since it's a gne area and always has been (at least I can remember)

The 22 to Hadrian Park makes no sense and I'm sure a lot of us are sick of hearing it

Your suggestion still makes no sense. Hadrian Park wouldn't either make sense for the 22. The 22 would even need another bus or 2 added onto the pvr. Your suggestion is annoying to keep hearing.

Depending how the peak time 22X boards would work, would actually reduce the PVR by 1x contrary to increasing PVR with a 20 minute split to Hadrian Park or Cobalt. Furthermore, it would offer links to Howdon, Wallsend, Byker, Quayside, and all the inner parts of Newcastle City Centre and beyond.

What I find funny is you want the 22 to make a better alternative to the 307 yet it was you who sat here on this fourm in January complaining about the 310/311 and welcome the 307 change. Now you're saying the 307 isn't the best and the 22 is a better option. Stagecoach wouldn't push in on Hadrian Park since it's a gne area and always has been (at least I can remember)

Stagecoach wouldn't push in on Hadrian Park? Well look at what they've done in other areas.......
- 22 > 1
- 37 > 352
- 38 > 355
- 317 - gave it a good go with some commercial risk

When Arriva had a poor offering on the 685, GNE stepped in with the X84/X85. No harm in Stagecoach doing the same.

Stagecoach wouldn't push in on Hadrian Park? Well look at what they've done in other areas.......
- 22 > 1
- 37 > 352
- 38 > 355
- 317 - gave it a good go with some commercial risk

Let me remind you on some of these

22 has been going to Cobalt since 2015 and had nothing to do with the 1

37 went to Cramlington to offer a every 30 minute service and to actually follow the old 52 route and run an evening and Sunday service (non of which the 352 provided)

38 went to Forest Hall due to the fact gne came up with the idea to complete miss out the 355 to not serve Four Lane Ends so nobody in Forest Hall/Meadway Estate had a link to Four Lane Ends anymore

317 is just a stupid idea to bring up since it's the withdrawal Go North East 11 which follow the exact same route. Arriva could have took it over and still would have no relevance to what your saying. Its the old GNE 11 and Stagecoach won it as the 317

Let me remind you on some of these

22 has been going to Cobalt since 2015 and had nothing to do with the 1

With funding from Cobalt, no brainer for Stagecoach and has actually taken passengers off the 1, with the 1 being reduced to every 20 minutes and back to single deckers. Also ended the 42/42A.

37 went to Cramlington to offer a every 30 minute service and to actually follow the old 52 route and run an evening and Sunday service (non of which the 352 provided)

Well there you have it. GNE went in with a lower frequency albeit a slightly different route and Stagecoach bettered it. Asides, Burradon to Cramlington is also covered by Arriva's X8.

38 went to Forest Hall due to the fact gne came up with the idea to complete miss out the 355 to not serve Four Lane Ends so nobody in Forest Hall/Meadway Estate had a link to Four Lane Ends anymore

Exactly that, 38 has replaced the old 55 mostly like for like excluding Matthews Bank and opened up new links too.

317 is just a stupid idea to bring up since it's the withdrawal Go North East 11 which follow the exact same route. Arriva could have took it over and still would have no relevance to what your saying. Its the old GNE 11 and Stagecoach won it as the 317

Actually also covers the old 41/41A too. Stagecoach made a good go with the 317 and have provided decent vehicles and marketing for the service. I'd imagine would just be above break even Monday to Saturday if ran on a commercial basis.


If anyone was to argue the Hadrian Park idea, it would instead be an extension of the 22 but heading towards the Coast, effectively wiping out the 1. But that would mean extra vehicles and risk unless GNE ever threw the towel in at Percy Main, ..........which could be a possibity if a successful ZEBRA bid was made for the Coast Road Corridor > meaning a move to Riverside as I doubt GNE could get the infrastructure in place at Percy Main.

Well it's a more than valid suggestion given the current situation GNE are in. If Stagecoach can offer a suitable alternative with journey times and stopping arrangements not to disimilar to the 57/58 and guarantee that they'll turn up 99% of the time, I'm sure most passengers in Hadrian Park heading to Newcastle or Wallsend would abandon the 41/41A/307 in favour of a revised 22.

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Well that's the whole point of a suggestion forum. And it's actually a very valid suggestion given GNE's situation with not too much being meddled around with at Stagecoach's end.

The only stumbling block would be any funding agreements with Cobalt and how the 22X boards would work.

If them two issues could be addressed, would actually be a nice little earner for Stagecoach especially with the AM / PM peaks towards Newcastle.

I know this is a different post but you were mentioning the 317. In an ideal world that would be better being split up in half then you could have:

57/57A: Ashington - Cramlington - Whitley Bay - 317 route - North Shields - North Shields Ferry
18: Quorum - Byker - Walker - Q3 Route - Wallsend - 317 Route - North Shields Ferry - North Shields
Q3: Curtailed at St Peter's

It would open new links North / South and East / West towards the Ferry across to South Shields. The 317 is just one long winded route right now which is long as an understatement. The tax payer is also currently paying for 5 buses an hour between St Peter's and Walker aswell which is just ridiculous use of funds.

I know this is a different post but you were mentioning the 317. In an ideal world that would be better being split up in half then you could have:

57/57A: Ashington - Cramlington - Whitley Bay - 317 route - North Shields - North Shields Ferry
18: Quorum - Byker - Walker - Q3 Route - Wallsend - 317 Route - North Shields Ferry - North Shields
Q3: Curtailed at St Peter's

It would open new links North / South and East / West towards the Ferry across to South Shields. The 317 is just one long winded route right now which is long as an understatement. The tax payer is also currently paying for 5 buses an hour between St Peter's and Walker aswell which is just ridiculous use of funds.

I do get your logic although the 317 is fairly stable.

If anything, Arriva should target the Billy Mill Lane to North Shields stretch of route (vs 353 and 354). But that's for the Arriva thread!

I do get your logic although the 317 is fairly stable.

If anything, Arriva should target the Billy Mill Lane to North Shields stretch of route (vs 353 and 354). But that's for the Arriva thread!

The 317 is one of the worst subsidies going. I can't remember how much it gets off the top of my head but it's in the millions and that's including Stagecoach taking risk.

It's not doing well from a tax payer point of view, it's no wonder Stagecoach like it, it'll be one of their most profitable routes. If it was doing well, it would be commercial. There's also a nice shiny bus station where people could interchange (if needed).

The 18/Q3 is a severe funding issue aswell, duplicating each other for 2 mile or so.

The 317, has one of the highest subsidies, if not the highest, in North Tyneside. That's a fact.