Potentially coming from S106 funding, a mate of Eldest Constantopolus and his parents, have recently moved in to a new property. 

Unsure of the ins and outs, but I do know the mate is making use of a £100 travel voucher (may be Pop, may be GNE specific) to get to and from work.

He doesn't drive, but it will be interesting to see what impact this ticket has long-term for him and other residents on the estate.

(11 Apr 2024, 10:30 pm)Ambassador wrote It did actually come up that the X39 used to operate to Gateshead. If it returned it has  the air of a BSIP funding option to it..

The Metro is interesting, it barely came up tbh. Whether people are conditioned to bus transfers or just put off by the reputation or difficulty of getting to Northumberland park…

A northstar contracted e200 silver link to Northumberland park incoming…

Very slow reply, I missed it, that'll be a messy one being stuck in traffic to Gateshead aswell mind.

Always a strange one Northumberland Park. It's even worse the announcements have for Cobalt and Silverlink. Wonder how many people have got off before expecting to just walk there and find it's a mile away and good luck trying to find the bus there. Mind I always feel like it should be part of the Cobalt Free Zone.

Dare I say it, it's the sort of route where autonomous pods would be ideal if they ever did come into existence tbh.

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/may-bank-h...and-31-may

May Bank Hol travel advice from Go North East

Get the 29 to Beamish....I mean it doesn't run on Sunday's or Bank Holidays but you can try....

Try getting the X31 aswell

On Sundays, the X20 doesn't run from Sunderland either

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clke3g03rljo

Just glanced over this. Will read/digest fully later.

(20 May 2024, 12:21 pm)Andreos1 wrote https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clke3g03rljo

Just glanced over this. Will read/digest fully later.

Interesting piece, whereas I'm supportive of a true public service, I still think putting competent people at the forefront is key. 

Something I don't think we'll see when Kim hands the keys to Nexus, equally I don't think Burnham has succesfully implemented the Bee Network as much as he potrays

(21 May 2024, 1:50 pm)Ambassador wrote Interesting piece, whereas I'm supportive of a true public service, I still think putting competent people at the forefront is key. 

100%. 

Two of the largest operators in the region have Nigel Featham and John Rochford at the helm. We're seeing one of those operators let their standards slip to arguably their lowest ever point, while the other is suffering from a chronic staff shortage and hasn't met PVR for months (at this point it could be years). The worst part about that is that honestly it's hard to know which part of that statement applies to each operator, just to show the extent of the failings. 

The industry needs new blood with fresh ideas, but also needs to be far more transparent. The public, who at this point are pretty much paying for these services to run anyway, deserve a far better service than the one currently being 'delivered'. 

Essentially I don't think we can simply move to a system where the same old people are running the show, all you will get is a continuation of the public being treat with utter contempt.

(22 May 2024, 9:12 pm)mb134 wrote 100%. 

Two of the largest operators in the region have Nigel Featham and John Rochford at the helm. We're seeing one of those operators let their standards slip to arguably their lowest ever point, while the other is suffering from a chronic staff shortage and hasn't met PVR for months (at this point it could be years). The worst part about that is that honestly it's hard to know which part of that statement applies to each operator, just to show the extent of the failings. 

The industry needs new blood with fresh ideas, but also needs to be far more transparent. The public, who at this point are pretty much paying for these services to run anyway, deserve a far better service than the one currently being 'delivered'. 

Essentially I don't think we can simply move to a system where the same old people are running the show, all you will get is a continuation of the public being treat with utter contempt.

John Rochford at the helm of Arriva? When did that happen?

(23 May 2024, 5:47 am)RobinHood wrote John Rochford at the helm of Arriva? When did that happen?

Perhaps my wording was wrong, however he is 'Head of Service Delivery' if his LinkedIn is anything to go by. 

The services aren't being delivered, so my point stands. 

Maybe I should have used Maxfield as the GNE equivalent, as nobody really knows what he does either.

Invite them both to this forum (if they are not already here) they may be educated

Just had a great example of why the public don't trust using buses today. My other half left a bit too late to make it for the 9:36 24 from the Nook to Westoe. With it being a Sunday service that means there was nothing else to Westoe until after 10am.

Or was there? I looked on Apple Maps and it told me there was an E6 due at 9:48. My other half didn't believe it, as the paper timetable, and Stagecoach app didn't have anything listed of the sort. So I had to go and pick her up in my car and take her to work, but guess what was leaving her stop as we got there? The E6.

The Stagecoach website has an update from the 22nd April that the E1, E2, & E6 are running a Saturday timetable on the May bank holidays, but it's not like it was front page info, I had to go digging for it. What use is that information when it doesn't appear anywhere else for the public easily, except for weirdly, Apple Maps. My other half is now looking at cars for us to buy a second one, and she has a free pass.

The general timetable on a Sunday/bank holiday morning here is absolutely shocking, considering she usually has at least 12 buses an hour to get to work on a regular weekday, and that changes to 1 on a bank holiday Monday. The lack of information is just as bad though, It's good that Stagecoach put on more of the E buses, but that's no good if nobody knows they exist. It just shows how desperate we actually are for an integrated system here, even more so for up to date information in bus stops in this age.

A while ago i asked on hear about getting from the pelaw penthouse to Eston outside of Boro by public transport.. Got some good replies and when i looked it was either an explorer at £12.30, or just £2 on each bus ( no more than 6)  or train then bus at what cost.  Anyway drove there and back yesterday, 45 minutes each way, full tank of fuel when i left.  Filled up  at whitemere pool on way back and journey cost me 8.97p in petrol to brim. also picked up and dropped off at door. Nothing to worry about missing connections or not turn up ( although it was getting "admired" in boro!!) and of course my own company with my own tunes.

Not sure how a bus can compete with that.  its either make travel free or increase the cost to use a car?

Would share taxis with a set route work in some areas. The turks have it figured out, so why can't we.

Durham Council pravda re Bishop Auckland Bus Station

Yes, I can definitely see that shiny new Bus Station bringing in folks to see all the boarded up shops.

BBC News - Hope new bus station will boost town visitors
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9wjvdqjppo

Yes

(24 Aug 2024, 7:20 am)DeltaMan wrote Durham Council pravda re Bishop Auckland Bus Station

Yes, I can definitely see that shiny new Bus Station bringing in folks to see all the boarded up shops.

BBC News - Hope new bus station will boost town visitors
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9wjvdqjppo

Yes

Just another white elephant like the one at North Shields. No-one is not going to either because of lack of a bus station. 

Typical councillors who live in a different dimension when it comes to transport.

Personally I'd rather they used the space for something else like a cinema and bowling alley and used the market place for buses. You know things which bring people into a town... Good thing Tindale exists for that though...

(24 Aug 2024, 7:51 am)Storx wrote Just another white elephant like the one at North Shields. No-one is not going to either because of lack of a bus station. 

Typical councillors who live in a different dimension when it comes to transport.

Personally I'd rather they used the space for something else like a cinema and bowling alley and used the market place for buses. You know things which bring people into a town... Good thing Tindale exists for that though...

As has been mentioned before, the North Shields transport hub is part of the wider North Shields masterplan. The relocating of the ferry landing also forms part of that masterplan: https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/sites/de...012021.pdf

Bishop Auckland is much the same. The new bus station forms part of a wider masterplan (https://www.bishopaucklandregeneration.com/projects/), but as with most regeneration schemes, the doom-mongers are always out in force.

God forbid that the council invest money in an area to give them a new piece of infrastructure.

(24 Aug 2024, 2:34 pm)Adrian wrote As has been mentioned before, the North Shields transport hub is part of the wider North Shields masterplan. The relocating of the ferry landing also forms part of that masterplan: https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/sites/de...012021.pdf

Bishop Auckland is much the same. The new bus station forms part of a wider masterplan (https://www.bishopaucklandregeneration.com/projects/), but as with most regeneration schemes, the doom-mongers are always out in force.

Personally I think bus stations anywhere are a waste of money, bar for regional buses. Our European friends can mostly do without and they take up a lot of space (in a country with limited space) with very little benefit.

Darlington, Cramlington and Stockton have some of the strongest bus usership in the North East, none of these have a bus station.

Others might disagree but I can't think of any examples where a new bus station has been part of a resurgence of a town because Stanley, Consett and Hexham have done absolutely nothing to improve the area around them which have had them in recent'ish times, if anything they've got worse and the first two bus usership has fell off a cliff aswell, in recent years aswell. Hexham has arguably got much worse since they moved it 5 minutes down the road in the middle of nowhere, fine for someone able to walk, not so fine for a pensioner who can't walk well - the people who use buses to shop. Didn't someone actually mention the X84/X85 died pretty partially because people couldn't be bothered to walk down there and got on the 685 instead.

Obviously warm waiting areas etc are a benefit, but surely there's other solutions ie. converting empty shop units with seating etc which could be a local hub for other services aswell. Frequent services are irrelevant as you won't be waiting long anyway.

Darlo does OK without a bus station because it has the big wide streets to facilitate it. I'm avoiding Durham City centre less now that we have our bus station back - getting a bus home was always so stressful with half our services leaving from one end of North road and half from the far end with an absolute scrum in between and I'm a fairly fit middle aged woman rather than someone elderly or with disabilities.

(25 Aug 2024, 4:38 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Darlo does OK without a bus station because it has the big wide streets to facilitate it. I'm avoiding Durham City centre less now that we have our bus station back - getting a bus home was always so stressful with half our services leaving from one end of North road and half from the far end with an absolute scrum in between and I'm a fairly fit middle aged woman rather than someone elderly or with disabilities.

Yeah no arguments about Durham, it probably deserves one anyway. Lots of interchanging happens between services and also with the train aswell so it kinda makes sense being there and like you say it doesn't have the space anyway. 

Makes sense when people interchange, it's when it's secondary towns where no-one changes buses they become a bit worthless. 

Like personally the likes of Chester Le Street is perfect, few stands right in the core and you can get a bus. Never seen anyone moan about not having a station because they won't. If you have 20 minutes to burn you'd just pop into B&M or something to burn some time.

(24 Aug 2024, 10:47 pm)Storx wrote Personally I think bus stations anywhere are a waste of money, bar for regional buses. Our European friends can mostly do without and they take up a lot of space (in a country with limited space) with very little benefit.

Darlington, Cramlington and Stockton have some of the strongest bus usership in the North East, none of these have a bus station.

Others might disagree but I can't think of any examples where a new bus station has been part of a resurgence of a town because Stanley, Consett and Hexham have done absolutely nothing to improve the area around them which have had them in recent'ish times, if anything they've got worse and the first two bus usership has fell off a cliff aswell, in recent years aswell. Hexham has arguably got much worse since they moved it 5 minutes down the road in the middle of nowhere, fine for someone able to walk, not so fine for a pensioner who can't walk well - the people who use buses to shop. Didn't someone actually mention the X84/X85 died pretty partially because people couldn't be bothered to walk down there and got on the 685 instead.

Obviously warm waiting areas etc are a benefit, but surely there's other solutions ie. converting empty shop units with seating etc which could be a local hub for other services aswell. Frequent services are irrelevant as you won't be waiting long anyway.

I wonder if the bus stations aren't actually the issue. 
Might sound like a broken record (again), but if the operators network isn't fit for purpose - then bus stops, stations or interchanges won't be fit for purpose either.

I don't think the bus stations in Consett, Stanley or wherever else are actually the issue.

(26 Aug 2024, 7:23 pm)Andreos1 wrote I wonder if the bus stations aren't actually the issue. 
Might sound like a broken record (again), but if the operators network isn't fit for purpose - then bus stops, stations or interchanges won't be fit for purpose either.

I don't think the bus stations in Consett, Stanley or wherever else are actually the issue.

Whilst there's other reasons for using it - the train station is well out of the way - and ridership seems to be continually increasing

(26 Aug 2024, 7:23 pm)Andreos1 wrote I wonder if the bus stations aren't actually the issue. 
Might sound like a broken record (again), but if the operators network isn't fit for purpose - then bus stops, stations or interchanges won't be fit for purpose either.

I don't think the bus stations in Consett, Stanley or wherever else are actually the issue.

Aye no arguments about that to be fair. Definitely that, to me the bus station is irrelevant so the money would be better spent elsewhere. 

Mind talking about networks no doubt most people wouldn't want to be anywhere near Consett, Stanley or Bishop Auckland town centres at all and would rather have a decent bus link to the out of town shopping place instead of just anywhere in the case of Stanley.

---

(27 Aug 2024, 10:04 am)Ambassador wrote Whilst there's other reasons for using it - the train station is well out of the way - and ridership seems to be continually increasing

To be fair train stations have a larger reach though, people are willing to walk further (believe it's 15 minutes max) vs a bus (believe it's 5 minutes max) to their nearest stop. 

The minutes might be slightly off*

Ignoring the massive hill it won't be much further to the train station from the marketplace than it is to the bus station nowadays.

Stanley Town centre is a semi derelict dump but it does have the Asda and Laldidl which are well used.

Bus stations, if done right, can be a good thing.

I'm from Sunderland so will use Park Lane as my example. The main user is Go North East with some coaching departures too and a smattering of Arriva. I remember when it opened, Stagecoach using it for their services too. Now if I wanted to use a Stagecoach Bus after getting off in Park Lane I would need to walk to one of the various streets or the stop that was installed near the crossing at the top of the station (a stop with no shelter or seats). Would Park Lane be able to cope with todays frequency of buses?

Park Lane replaced the old Park Lane and the more central bus station. I would argue that Park Lane isn't great when it's windy, wet or winter due to the fact it isn't enclosed. So the actual building design is poor (considering our weather). It does however have Metro Interchange facilities and a taxi rank.

You move to South Shields with its new Interchange. Its all indoors so plus points there. The town centre in Shields isn't a patch on what I remember it being as a kid, in particular the market. You also have the ferry landing which is a fair walk from the Interchange.

I've just returned from Palma which has a very good, central Interchange facility. Admittedly the bus bus station gave off old Eldon Square vibes with it being underground but once you got off the bus you were faced with railway platforms, shops, travel offices (remember those?), up to date departure boards and timetables as well as staff who were very helpful.

For me, bus stations need to be in the right location for everyone (Hexham), be of a good standard (indoor with facilities) and actually have services using them. I would also argue to bring back staff and travel shops/offices which would be particularly useful in touristy spots (Newcastle) and to help those who don't often use public transport. Also, not everyone has Internet access for timetables or to buy tickets. Whilst what we have may work for the majority (insert your own percentage here) , its not working for everyone.

not everyone has Internet access for timetables or to buy tickets

Or to check bus apps. We were at Park Lane yesterday and people there had no idea that their 8 or the arriva 22 were going to be no shows. The poor saps waiting for the 22 had another hour to wait for the next one. 

Of course it's lamentable that the displays at bus stops don't relay this information to passengers, especially in bus stations.

(27 Aug 2024, 4:48 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Or to check bus apps. We were at Park Lane yesterday and people there had no idea that their 8 or the arriva 22 were going to be no shows. The poor saps waiting for the 22 had another hour to wait for the next one. 

Of course it's lamentable that the displays at bus stops don't relay this information to passengers, especially in bus stations.

It's simply inexcusable in 2024 for the local transport authorities NOT to have real time displays working. 

I believe the ones at Central Station still say "coming soon", or words to that effect.

(27 Aug 2024, 4:18 pm)morritt89 wrote Bus stations, if done right, can be a good thing.

I'm from Sunderland so will use Park Lane as my example. The main user is Go North East with some coaching departures too and a smattering of Arriva. I remember when it opened, Stagecoach using it for their services too. Now if I wanted to use a Stagecoach Bus after getting off in Park Lane I would need to walk to one of the various streets or the stop that was installed near the crossing at the top of the station (a stop with no shelter or seats). Would Park Lane be able to cope with todays frequency of buses?

Park Lane replaced the old Park Lane and the more central bus station. I would argue that Park Lane isn't great when it's windy, wet or winter due to the fact it isn't enclosed. So the actual building design is poor (considering our weather). It does however have Metro Interchange facilities and a taxi rank.

You move to South Shields with its new Interchange. Its all indoors so plus points there. The town centre in Shields isn't a patch on what I remember it being as a kid, in particular the market. You also have the ferry landing  which is a fair walk from the Interchange.

I've just returned from Palma which has a very good,  central Interchange facility. Admittedly the bus bus station gave off old Eldon Square vibes with it being underground but once you got off the bus you were faced with railway platforms, shops, travel offices (remember those?), up to date departure boards and timetables as well as staff who were very helpful.

For me, bus stations need to be in the right location for everyone (Hexham), be of a good standard (indoor with facilities) and actually have services using them. I would also argue to bring back staff and travel shops/offices which would be particularly useful in touristy spots (Newcastle) and to help those who don't often use public transport. Also, not everyone has Internet access for timetables or to buy tickets. Whilst what we have may work for the majority (insert your own percentage here) , its not working for everyone.

See to me you've described what a bus interchange (not station) should be but most of them don't do that.

Stuff like South Shields is ideal because it has the Metro interchange, so a fair chunk of people don't actually want to be in South Shields so being to change modals of transport indoors is ideal. Having interchanges near a train station would be an ideal. The most ironic part about Newcastle is the services which actually belong in a bus station (Flixbus / National Express / Megabus) serve a bus stop in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no services at all and miles away from most bus services in Newcastle and the Metro.

We need more interchanges, what we don't need is bus stations in town centres which are quite often out the way as if the town is doing well your not going to make space for a bus station anyway.

I still stand that 99% of people couldn't give a toss where they get on unless the alternative is inconvenient like Durham, if they're shopping or for leisure activities, as most people will know what time the bus is and head towards the bus for that specific time anyway and if they missed it would just pop to another shop to waste time anyway. I know my Grandma used to do it in Newcastle Haymarket and went to buy stuff in M&S instead as she'd rather be anywhere than sitting around pigeons and beggars. Not to mention the fact a fair chunk of people using the Coast Road services use St Mary's Place instead anyway.

Obviously Newcastle needs one because not everyone is leisure/shopping and there is interchanging there so it makes more sense, same with Durham. Mind I do think all the frequent services should be no-where near one like the X1 and 21 as it just clogs the place up though.

As a frequent user of Coast Road services, I would say most people alight in St Mary’s Place. However, if you look at the queues in the 3 bays heading towards the Coast Road you will see that the majority actually board in the Haymarket. Put those 3 queues together in St Mary’s Place and there would be little shelter and traffic chaos.