Just a thought. I was at the Haymarket last night and a couple weren't aware they could use Arriva day / return tickets on GNE's 307 & 309. I know it doesn't matter so much now with the £2 fares, TNE / NWrk1 tickets available. But should TNE/NTCA/Nexus/ANE/GNE not consider a joint unified brand for the Coast Road services?

I know both operators would have to be a bit more strict on allocations / branding, but inevitably would happen if a future ZEBRA bid was won. Maybe Coastline or CoastLink

(28 Apr 2024, 8:27 am)L469 YVK wrote Just a thought. I was at the Haymarket last night and a couple weren't aware they could use Arriva day / return tickets on GNE's 307 & 309. I know it doesn't matter so much now with the £2 fares, TNE / NWrk1 tickets available. But should TNE/NTCA/Nexus/ANE/GNE not consider a joint unified brand for the Coast Road services?

I know both operators would have to be a bit more strict on allocations / branding, but inevitably would happen if a future ZEBRA bid was won. Maybe Coastline or CoastLink

I would go with coastliner and paint the buses in the same colour scheme GNE used for the 100 years of tynemouth on 6101

(28 Apr 2024, 10:12 am)ASX_Terranova wrote I would go with coastliner and paint the buses in the same colour scheme GNE used for the 100 years of tynemouth on 6101

See, I don't think that would be a bad idea for the actual colour scheme.

'COASTLINE' would be instantly recognisable in North Tyneside & Blyth for a brand given the 300, 301, 305, 308, 310, 325, 326 and other former Coastline/GoCo/GNE services that covered areas the 306, 307, 308 and 309 serve.

Maybe GNE / Arriva aren't going to the expense on these services knowing that a future ZEBRA bid will be likely or depending on this coming Thursday, the 'F' word.

Would Coastline be a recognisable brand? It’s been what 20 plus years?

Personally I'd rather see these stupid tickets scrapped.

It'd be much better to have the following tickets with the area split into 4 zones imo using the Metro zones, with additional tickets for weekly, 4 weekly and yearly. *Prices are just examples.

Bus (Regionwide): £4.60
Metro / Rail (1 Zone): £4.00
Metro / Rail (2 Zones): £4.80
Metro / Rail (3 Zones): £5.40
Metro / Rail (All Zones): £6.00
Metro / Rail / Bus (1 Zone): £4.60
Metro / Rail / Bus (2 Zones): £5.40
Metro / Rail / Bus (3 Zones): £6.20
Metro / Rail / Bus (All Zones): £6.80

Network One, Metrosavers, TNE, Coast Road, Operator Specific + whatever else is around scrapped. It's ridiculous the number of pointless tickets there are up here and this is one of them. The vast majority of bus users will be just buying 2 singles anyway.

Hopefully all buses in the North East will eventually be in a single livery and along with integrated ticketing passengers won’t need to worry about who operates which route or which ticket they should buy.

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The odd bus in a heritage livery is bearable, but to paint all Coast Rd buses in that old fashioned livery is a terrible idea IMO. Drab old looking buses certainly won’t temp people out of their cars.

(28 Apr 2024, 6:40 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Hopefully all buses in the North East will eventually be in a single livery and along with integrated ticketing passengers won’t need to worry about who operates which route or which ticket they should buy.

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The odd bus in a heritage livery is bearable, but to paint all Coast Rd buses in that old fashioned livery is a terrible idea IMO. Drab old looking buses certainly won’t temp people out of their cars.

The only real benefit is Arriva 

Least a repaint will hide all the odd bits of recycled paneling that is used when they replace a damaged one least GNE get the colour blending right

(28 Apr 2024, 6:30 pm)Storx wrote Personally I'd rather see these stupid tickets scrapped.

It'd be much better to have the following tickets with the area split into 4 zones imo using the Metro zones, with additional tickets for weekly, 4 weekly and yearly. *Prices are just examples.

Bus (Regionwide): £4.60
Metro / Rail (1 Zone): £4.00
Metro / Rail (2 Zones): £4.80
Metro / Rail (3 Zones): £5.40
Metro / Rail (All Zones): £6.00
Metro / Rail / Bus (1 Zone): £4.60
Metro / Rail / Bus (2 Zones): £5.40
Metro / Rail / Bus (3 Zones): £6.20
Metro / Rail / Bus (All Zones): £6.80

Network One, Metrosavers, TNE, Coast Road, Operator Specific + whatever else is around scrapped. It's ridiculous the number of pointless tickets there are up here and this is one of them. The vast majority of bus users will be just buying 2 singles anyway.

Why anyone would want to use the metro zones as a structure for fares is beyond me!  I normally use my Maggie mover or get a £6 day ticket on the metro but always believed payed for the distance you travel .... no!!!  Its 2.80 from Central to Gateshead but for also 2.80 you can travel from felling to south Gosforth??

If you travel from pelaw to gateshead stadium or regent centre to Ilford road its 380??  Two journeys of under 5 minutes compare to 20 plus above.  Disgracefull!

(29 Apr 2024, 10:06 am)Rob44 wrote Why anyone would want to use the metro zones as a structure for fares is beyond me!  I normally use my Maggie mover or get a £6 day ticket on the metro but always believed payed for the distance you travel .... no!!!  Its 2.80 from Central to Gateshead but for also 2.80 you can travel from felling to south Gosforth??

If you travel from pelaw to gateshead stadium or regent centre to Ilford road its 380??  Two journeys of under 5 minutes compare to 20 plus above.  Disgracefull!

It's just generally how fares work pretty much. The main place is always more expensive. Remember that journeys like Pelaw to Jarrow is the type of journey people will happy to jump in their cars in comparison to Newcastle so if you want to reduce car usage it's to sort of journey that needs to be subsidised more, coming from the cost of those travelling to the city. 

Obviously you could do what other cities do and have Zonal fares which are cheaper if you avoid Zone A (which wouldn't be unfair) but the post would've got long. 

The biggest problem with the current zones is the Tyne and Wear boundaries. Places like Chester Le Street, Seaham etc should all be part of the Zone C which would give massive reduction for those areas which currently have £6.80 a day and nothing above daily tickets. It's already happening in SE Northumberland with the River Blyth being the Zone C / D boundary.

(29 Apr 2024, 1:36 pm)Storx wrote It's just generally how fares work pretty much. The main place is always more expensive. Remember that journeys like Pelaw to Jarrow is the type of journey people will happy to jump in their cars in comparison to Newcastle so if you want to reduce car usage it's to sort of journey that needs to be subsidised more, coming from the cost of those travelling to the city. 

Obviously you could do what other cities do and have Zonal fares which are cheaper if you avoid Zone A (which wouldn't be unfair) but the post would've got long. 

The biggest problem with the current zones is the Tyne and Wear boundaries. Places like Chester Le Street, Seaham etc should all be part of the Zone C which would give massive reduction for those areas which currently have £6.80 a day and nothing above daily tickets. It's already happening in SE Northumberland with the River Blyth being the Zone C / D boundary.

Is this a new thing... cause im sure when the metro first started there fares were based on distance. For example in my yongers days it was 45 single from hazlerigg to town, then road end to town was 37.5p the broadway 27p and from high street town was 22 p.  But hazlerigg to broadway was 32p and haxle rigg to haigh street was 37.5p.

As for journeys sure the most polluting are the short hops.  Who's going to pay 380 for 2 stop to go from pelaw to watch Gateshead at gateshead stadium  if they know they can jump on at at felling and get off south gosforth for 1 quid less. surely it should be more like under 5 stops 2 quid -6 to 10 3 quid 11-15 350, 15 + 450 or a t&w day ticket for 6.

Its all about value for money!

(29 Apr 2024, 1:48 pm)Rob44 wrote Is this a new thing... cause im sure when the metro first started there fares were based on distance. For example in my yongers days it was 45 single from hazlerigg to town, then road end to town was 37.5p the broadway 27p and from high street town was 22 p.  But hazlerigg to broadway was 32p and haxle rigg to haigh street was 37.5p.

As for journeys sure the most polluting are the short hops.  Who's going to pay 380 for 2 stop to go from pelaw to watch Gateshead at gateshead stadium  if they know they can jump on at at felling and get off south gosforth for 1 quid less. surely it should be more like under 5 stops 2 quid -6 to 10 3 quid 11-15 350, 15 + 450 or a t&w day ticket for 6.

Its all about value for money!

Not too sure if I had to be honest, it's been zones as long as I can remember. 

Don't disagree though to be fair. If you ever had a contactless option which actually works you could probably make a case for having the singles working like that then having the cap using the zones.

Would help the outliers like you mentioned there. I know Northumberland Park to Whitley Bay is a problem one aswell.

(10 Sep 2023, 4:41 pm)RobinHood wrote It may make things much prettier, but there is obviously a reason why it works the way it does now.

(29 Apr 2024, 3:19 pm)Storx wrote Not too sure if I had to be honest, it's been zones as long as I can remember. 

Don't disagree though to be fair. If you ever had a contactless option which actually works you could probably make a case for having the singles working like that then having the cap using the zones.

Would help the outliers like you mentioned there. I know Northumberland Park to Whitley Bay is a problem one aswell.

I believe it was in the mid 00's that this A,B,C zones crap came into force, but back in my youth i remember my "dad" (if he even deserves that title) having to state the zone number on the bus if it was a transfer

(29 Apr 2024, 7:02 pm)V514DFT wrote I believe it was in the mid 00's that this A,B,C zones crap came into force, but back in my youth i remember my "dad" (if he even deserves that title) having to state the zone number on the bus if it was a transfer

Must admit, I can't remember it. If I had to be honest.

(29 Apr 2024, 1:48 pm)Rob44 wrote Is this a new thing... cause im sure when the metro first started there fares were based on distance. For example in my yongers days it was 45 single from hazlerigg to town, then road end to town was 37.5p the broadway 27p and from high street town was 22 p.  But hazlerigg to broadway was 32p and haxle rigg to haigh street was 37.5p.

As for journeys sure the most polluting are the short hops.  Who's going to pay 380 for 2 stop to go from pelaw to watch Gateshead at gateshead stadium  if they know they can jump on at at felling and get off south gosforth for 1 quid less. surely it should be more like under 5 stops 2 quid -6 to 10 3 quid 11-15 350, 15 + 450 or a t&w day ticket for 6.

Its all about value for money!

Must admit I use the Pop Card I didn't realise how expensive singles are, 1Z used to be like £1.60 the last time I checked, some nasty hikes there.

They badly need reduced imo if you ask me so the 1Z to 2Z isn't such a big deal.

imo it should be
1Z: £2.20, 2Z: £2.80, 3Z: £3.40

About reasonable for the distances really.

(29 Apr 2024, 7:02 pm)V514DFT wrote  
I believe it was in the mid 00's that this A,B,C zones crap came into force, but back in my youth i remember my "dad" (if he even deserves that title) having to state the zone number on the bus if it was a transfer

As late as that? 
Thought it was earlier tbh. 

There was an old zone boundary sign on the central reservation of the western bypass, between Dunston and the Metrocentre that only went when that portion of the A1 was widened. 

Was gutted when it went. But hopefully a collector got it, rather than the scrapman.

(29 Apr 2024, 9:56 pm)Andreos1 wrote As late as that? 
Thought it was earlier tbh. 

There was an old zone boundary sign on the central reservation of the western bypass, between Dunston and the Metrocentre that only went when that portion of the A1 was widened. 

Was gutted when it went. But hopefully a collector got it, rather than the scrapman.

Nah mate, i think it was between 2005 and 2008 it came in to place, im sure it was when the Yellow Line and Green Line were swapped, whatever year that was

(29 Apr 2024, 9:56 pm)Andreos1 wrote As late as that? 
Thought it was earlier tbh. 

There was an old zone boundary sign on the central reservation of the western bypass, between Dunston and the Metrocentre that only went when that portion of the A1 was widened. 

Was gutted when it went. But hopefully a collector got it, rather than the scrapman.

I remember that sign.  I got a free pass from Newcastle  college but as i lived in hazlerigg it wasn't all zones just zones 8, 17 and 26. Im sure the metro centre was in zone 25 bu i used to use my bus pass to to get me there and hope the driver didn't notice on way back!

(30 Apr 2024, 3:56 pm)V514DFT wrote Nah mate, i think it was between 2005 and 2008 it came in to place, im sure it was when the Yellow Line and Green Line were swapped, whatever year that was

Just been looking for a map to reminisce and see what zones I lived in/the Metrocentre was for that sign mentioned and I've narrowed it down a bit. 


Arriva Trains are included in the map legend.

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arriva_Trains_Northern, their franchise ran between 1999 and 2004.

I was still using my network travel ticket up until approx 99/00. So I knew the zone system definitely existed then.

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(30 Apr 2024, 3:59 pm)Rob44 wrote I remember that sign.  I got a free pass from Newcastle  college but as i lived in hazlerigg it wasn't all zones just zones 8, 17 and 26. Im sure the metro centre was in zone 25 bu i used to use my bus pass to to get me there and hope the driver didn't notice on way back!

And did the driver ever notice? 

No free passes issued by my College unfortunately. But I was fortunate to live, study and work in my little part time job in 2 consecutive zones.
Then changed jobs and all of a sudden it was 3 zones.
If I dared venture out of those zones, then it was gamblin' time.

Just worked out that the legendary 638 went in to 9 different zones. 
Was there another that came close?!

(30 Apr 2024, 7:33 pm)Andreos1 wrote Just been looking for a map to reminisce and see what zones I lived in/the Metrocentre was for that sign mentioned and I've narrowed it down a bit. 


Arriva Trains are included in the map legend.

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arriva_Trains_Northern, their franchise ran between 1999 and 2004.

I was still using my network travel ticket up until approx 99/00. So I knew the zone system definitely existed then.

That's post December 2005 btw, since Northumberland Park is on it which is now complicated since ATN was gone by then but Pre 2008 since Simonside isn't on.

Must admit I forgot about them, invalid here completely but always wondered if there was plans to expand it within parts of Durham and SE Northumberland since Zones 1 - 5, 9 - 13, 20 - 22, 30 - 33, 40 - 44 and 49 - 54 are missing. All the gaps are conveniently around the outside aswell.

(30 Apr 2024, 7:33 pm)Andreos1 wrote

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And did the driver ever notice? 

nope, but on the 100 back from the Metro centre a RPO go on so i went to get off. He asked what the crack is and i said I forgot something. He asked for my ticket, checked it then said on your way!!

(29 Apr 2024, 9:56 pm)Andreos1 wrote As late as that? 
Thought it was earlier tbh. 

There was an old zone boundary sign on the central reservation of the western bypass, between Dunston and the Metrocentre that only went when that portion of the A1 was widened. 

Was gutted when it went. But hopefully a collector got it, rather than the scrapman.

When I lived in Felling, in the early 90s,I had a 2 zone pass to get me into Newcastle city centre for Uni. IIRC, felling was in a zone that extended from Pelaw or Heworth to Gateshead Stadium then the next was from there to Jesmond, extending to St James and Manors, so covering both town/city centres.

To get from Gateshead to the Metrocentre on the X66, I could pay a top up but stagecoach wouldn't allow that on the 100 so I had to pay the full single fare on that. 

I think the same zones were still in place when I moved out of Tyne and Wear, in 2002.

(30 Apr 2024, 3:59 pm)Rob44 wrote I remember that sign.  I got a free pass from Newcastle  college but as i lived in hazlerigg it wasn't all zones just zones 8, 17 and 26. Im sure the metro centre was in zone 25 bu i used to use my bus pass to to get me there and hope the driver didn't notice on way back!

Metrocentre was indeed zone 25.  Newcastle was 26.  I can remember when I was a YT I was paid travelling expenses, used to go to Haymarket to renew my bus pass every month.

A1058 Coast Road upcoming restrictions

FromNorth Tyneside Council’s Highways team.

I am writing to advise you of a temporary speed limit and overnight lane restrictions on part of the A1058 Coast Road in North Tyneside.

It is to enable safety barriers to be replaced and follow site investigations earlier this year. The works will be managed for North Tyneside Council by its partner Capita.

The section of barriers requiring immediate replacement stretches from the boundary with Newcastle (near the Wills Building) to near the Silverlink junction.

Subject to factors such as the weather, works in this area will start on Monday, June 17 and last at least six weeks.

During working hours, which will be from 7pm to 6am, the Coast Road’s outside lane next to the working area will be closed in both directions.

For safety reasons the speed limit next to the working area will be temporarily reduced to 30mph at all times until the works are completed.

The 70mph speed limit on the A1058 Coast Road, from the boundary with Newcastle (near the Wills Building) to just before the Silverlink junction, will be restored after the safety barriers have been replaced along this whole length.

Very much looking forward to the F1 drivers who operate the morning X39 at Percy Main returning to the fast lane

On another note.....if Arriva continue to have driver shortages and given the 30-40 mins sitting in Tynemouth doing sweet FA plus the dead mileage getting back to Blyth after the late runs, would they not be better off sub-contracting the evening 306 journeys to GNE as a temporary measure?

(04 Jun 2024, 10:56 am)L469 YVK wrote On another note.....if Arriva continue to have driver shortages and given the 30-40 mins sitting in Tynemouth doing sweet FA plus the dead mileage getting back to Blyth after the late runs, would they not be better off sub-contracting the evening 306 journeys to GNE as a temporary measure?

Evening services seem to be OK tbh everytime I have been getting it it has turned up on time 

The problem is capitalism trying to save money by combining it with other routes if there is an issues you have two long routes interworking which is the issue 

If reliability is to be improved cut the interworkings and make them standalone services

(04 Jun 2024, 12:27 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote Evening services seem to be OK tbh everytime I have been getting it it has turned up on time 

The problem is capitalism trying to save money by combining it with other routes if there is an issues you have two long routes interworking which is the issue 

If reliability is to be improved cut the interworkings and make them standalone services

The evening journeys are technically separate from the 308 although interwork with the X10/X11. But surely any resource saved could be used to fill other gaps?

Wouldnt it be better for GNE and Arriva to share the Coast Road workings

I've now heard Arriva's advert on Metro/The Hits Radio several times now promting the 306 & 308.

Surely this goes against the spirit of the agreement, unless Arriva & GNE have felt that one or both parties are not pulling their weight? Arriva with cancellations (although getting better) and GNE with their timekeeping & inconsistent vehicle allocations on the 309, some of which are worse than the 57 reg Sapphire E400's (ex London/GAG B9TL's with no legroom, StreetLites).

Such a shame that the agreement has amounted to nothing more than ticket acceptance.

Surely a radio advert should be promoting the partnership and other marketing activities taking place and further developments of the networks.

None of them are going to anything remotely cooperative or commercially risky (aside perhaps NorthStar) until Kim throws out the cash to them.

Sent NECA an Email regarding one of the Coast Road services. They've replied confirming a meeting is already planned with Arriva / GNE next week, discussing changes to timetables to help with reliability.