Hey all, hopefully this is ok to post here.

I spent sometime in Gateshead/ Newcastle this weekend for the first time in a while. I was doing some photography around the High Level Bridge area, and noticed X66s were once again running along the seemingly unnamed road by the side of the Tyne near Dunston/ Teams. I'm sure this had been closed for ages and buses had been routed via Askew Road (I know buses can go either way).

Two questions:

A: Does this particular bus-only road actually have a name?
B: When did it reopen/ why was it closed for a long while?

Ta.

(07 May 2024, 9:05 pm)WYBusSpotter wrote Hey all, hopefully this is ok to post here.

I spent sometime in Gateshead/ Newcastle this weekend for the first time in a while. I was doing some photography around the High Level Bridge area, and noticed X66s were once again running along the seemingly unnamed road by the side of the Tyne near Dunston/ Teams. I'm sure this had been closed for ages and buses had been routed via Askew Road (I know buses can go either way).

Two questions:

A: Does this particular bus-only road actually have a name?
B: When did it reopen/ why was it closed for a long while?

Ta.

It's called the centre link

It should be used more from the Swing Bridge to the Metro would be so much quicker than the way they go currently

(07 May 2024, 9:29 pm)Unber43 wrote It's called the centre link

It should be used more from the Swing Bridge to the Metro would be so much quicker than the way they go currently

The problem is, Hills Street is closed, so we have to join Tyne Bridge traffic to use it down Bottle Bank past the Hilton. Used to be great on an X66 at peak times when you could avoid all traffic, now it's just easier to go down Askew Road.

(07 May 2024, 9:56 pm)deanmachine wrote The problem is, Hills Street is closed, so we have to join Tyne Bridge traffic to use it down Bottle Bank past the Hilton. Used to be great on an X66 at peak times when you could avoid all traffic, now it's just easier to go down Askew Road.

I don't understand why they don't just open it to the public nowadays, it's so out the way and doesn't really serve anything to be useful as a rat run or for buses really like you said. It would still be much quicker to go via Central taking account that the Swing Bridge is slow as an understatement.

Same as the one linking Silverlink and Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate now that the A19 has been fixed at Silverlink.

(07 May 2024, 10:24 pm)Storx wrote I don't understand why they don't just open it to the public nowadays, it's so out the way and doesn't really serve anything to be useful as a rat run or for buses really like you said. It would still be much quicker to go via Central taking account that the Swing Bridge is slow as an understatement.

Same as the one linking Silverlink and Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate now that the A19 has been fixed at Silverlink.

Im sure they filled in the concrete tracks in the road on the Silverlink-TT Trading Estate bus only road, cars can use it......but get a fine for the pleasure of using it

(07 May 2024, 10:39 pm)V514DFT wrote Im sure they filled in the concrete tracks in the road on the Silverlink-TT Trading Estate bus only road, cars can use it......but get a fine for the pleasure of using it

Yeah they did, not sure if they ever fixed the thing though but last time I was down there on the 19, the road service was akin to the moon. Pot hole central. 

Very good chance you'd damage your car.

(07 May 2024, 9:05 pm)WYBusSpotter wrote Hey all, hopefully this is ok to post here.

I spent sometime in Gateshead/ Newcastle this weekend for the first time in a while. I was doing some photography around the High Level Bridge area, and noticed X66s were once again running along the seemingly unnamed road by the side of the Tyne near Dunston/ Teams. I'm sure this had been closed for ages and buses had been routed via Askew Road (I know buses can go either way).

Two questions:

A: Does this particular bus-only road actually have a name?
B: When did it reopen/ why was it closed for a long while?

Ta.

There was a landslide if I remember right. This may be the closure you mentioned. 

But ultimately, it's an under-utilised resource, which came about because of bus operators shouting repeatedly about 'bus lanes and bus priority measures'.
Very similar to the ones on the High Street in Gateshead and the crossing at Wardley on the Felling Bypass.

(08 May 2024, 9:06 am)Andreos1 wrote There was a landslide if I remember right. This may be the closure you mentioned. 

But ultimately, it's an under-utilised resource, which came about because of bus operators shouting repeatedly about 'bus lanes and bus priority measures'.
Very similar to the ones on the High Street in Gateshead and the crossing at Wardley on the Felling Bypass.

To be fair, I'm not sure it is under-utilised, it's effectively a bypass of Gateshead avoiding a road which rarely has traffic anyway (Askew Road). I'm not sure what they were thinking, in the first place. Complete waste of tax payers money.

Every bus, and always pretty much has from the Metro Centre heads over the Redheugh Bridge to the place where people really want to be (Newcastle) and the Swing Bridge route into Newcastle is longer and passes through pedestrianised streets (Dene Street).

The High Street West one was just as bad, what is saves 2 minutes for 1 bus route, absolutely bonkers waste of money.

Thanks all for your replies.

Are the morning peak time Tyne Valley Tens back to going via the Swing Bridge then?

(08 May 2024, 1:23 pm)WYBusSpotter wrote Thanks all for your replies.

Are the morning peak time Tyne Valley Tens back to going via the Swing Bridge then?

Should be, it's on the timetable that they run that way between 7:30 and 9:30. 

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2024-05-08&direction=outbound

Morning peak 10s, 47s and X45s bound for Newcastle use the “Centrelink” to avoid the congestion on Redheugh Bridge, St. James Boulevard, Plummer St & Railway St. They’re able to serve Gateshead & Newcastle Quaysides as a result.

X66s bound for Gateshead Interchange can use the Centrelink which is especially helpful in the morning peak as it avoids the congestion on the approach to Redheugh roundabout.
(There was a period where the closure of Rabbit Banks Road (due an apartment development) prevented this however it reopened as soon as the scaffolding was able to be cleared from that narrow stretch of road). 
Since the Askew Road Bus Gate greatly reduced traffic congestion on Askew Rd, it’s been quicker for X66s bound for Metrocentre Interchange to use Askew Rd, rather than heading in the opposite direction to snake down to Pipewellgate to reach the Centrelink.

‘Centrelink’ presumably was named so as it helped buses LINK MetroCENTRE to Gateshead Town CENTRE.

(09 May 2024, 7:56 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Morning peak 10s, 47s and X45s bound for Newcastle use the “Centrelink” to avoid the congestion on Redheugh Bridge, St. James Boulevard, Plummer St & Railway St. They’re able to serve Gateshead & Newcastle Quaysides as a result.

X66s bound for Gateshead Interchange can use the Centrelink which is especially helpful in the morning peak as it avoids the congestion on the approach to Redheugh roundabout.
(There was a period where the closure of Rabbit Banks Road (due an apartment development) prevented this however it reopened as soon as the scaffolding was able to be cleared from that narrow stretch of road). 
Since the Askew Road Bus Gate greatly reduced traffic congestion on Askew Rd, it’s been quicker for X66s bound for Metrocentre Interchange to use Askew Rd, rather than heading in the opposite direction to snake down to Pipewellgate to reach the Centrelink.

‘Centrelink’ presumably was named so as it helped buses LINK MetroCENTRE to Gateshead Town CENTRE.

Thanks.

Well the X66 was branded as Centrelink with the Scania L94UA / Wright Solar Fusions painted as such - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...4023327564

(12 May 2024, 12:15 am)Rapidsnap wrote Well the X66 was branded as Centrelink with the Scania L94UA / Wright Solar Fusions painted as such - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjm-photog...4023327564

Metrocentre’s website still refers to the ‘Centrelink X66’. They mustn’t be able keep up with GNE changes either.

https://themetrocentre.co.uk/centre-info...-transport

(12 May 2024, 10:06 am)ne14ne1 wrote Metrocentre’s website still refers to the ‘Centrelink X66’. They mustn’t be able keep up with GNE changes either.

https://themetrocentre.co.uk/centre-info...-transport

That hasn't been updated for a long time, other than getting the right number (X66) about everything in that is wrong ie:

• Arriva serve the place (thats over 15 year now nearly)
  
• Frequencies
  
• Circular bus route (long gone)
  
• Centrelink
  
• Over 100 buses... I'd be surprised if it's that now
  
• Trains are 3 TPH not 4 TPH
  

(12 May 2024, 10:34 am)Storx wrote That hasn't been updated for a long time, other than getting the right number (X66) about everything in that is wrong ie:

• Arriva serve the place (thats over 15 year now nearly)
  
• Frequencies
  
• Circular bus route (long gone)
  
• Centrelink
  
• Over 100 buses... I'd be surprised if it's that now
  
• Trains are 3 TPH not 4 TPH
  

Circular bus route?, was that the 64/64A

(12 May 2024, 12:10 pm)V514DFT wrote Circular bus route?, was that the 64/64A

I'm guessing it was the S1 which has been replaced by numerous extensions since.