(22 Feb 2015, 10:19 pm)aureolin wrote Any such discussions can't happen to my knowledge, as it's collusion and anti competitive. The latter certainly can't happen, as nexus need to select the most economically advantageous tender.

So what would the Go North East and Arriva Hexham/Ashington Depot/Service/Vehicle Swap a few years back be classed as then, if that was able to go ahead then I cant see an issue in a merger of the GNE 40/41 and SNE 40 with GNE getting a Stagecoach Service in exchange to sweeten the Deal, Plus if Quality Contracts come into play would these Services not get merged anyway.

(22 Feb 2015, 10:44 pm)Malarkey wrote So what would the Go North East and Arriva Hexham/Ashington Depot/Service/Vehicle Swap a few years back be classed as then, if that was able to go ahead then I cant see an issue in a merger of the GNE 40/41 and SNE 40 with GNE getting a Stagecoach Service in exchange to sweeten the Deal, Plus if Quality Contracts come into play would these Services not get merged anyway.

Both companies got slammed for it, and it ultimately led to two executives stepping down...

There's a competition commission report kicking around somewhere, and plenty of news articles to go with it.

So, in short Adam... Think GNE best keep their 40 service and SNE likewise....

Just to clear up any confusion I've had confirmation from Nexus that the tenders awarded for March were indeed to Stagecoach (15/15A) and Go North East (17/17A/40/41)

(23 Feb 2015, 7:08 pm)tyresmoke wrote Just to clear up any confusion I've had confirmation from Nexus that the tenders awarded for March were indeed to Stagecoach (15/15A) and Go North East (17/17A/40/41)

Expect for the 15/15A, which are going up to euro 5, is the euro specification changing for the 17/17A/40/41?

(23 Feb 2015, 9:36 pm)Michael wrote Expect for the 15/15A, which are going up to euro 5, is the euro specification changing for the 17/17A/40/41?

It shouldn't - Go North East aren't in a position to provide Euro 5 vehicles. The Volvo B10BLE / MPD are CRT-fitted and are Euro 4, as such.

(23 Feb 2015, 9:38 pm)Dan wrote It shouldn't - Go North East aren't in a position to provide Euro 5 vehicles. The Volvo B10BLE / MPD are CRT-fitted and are Euro 4, as such.

Thanks for the quick reply.

They seem to be using the B10BLE's more now as opposed to the MPDs for some reason.

(23 Feb 2015, 9:42 pm)Tom wrote They seem to be using the B10BLE's more now as opposed to the MPDs for some reason.

Should still be 6x MPD allocated... As 5247 - 5249 and 5274 are something of a rarity on the 9, with Percy Main considering them to be spare buses opposed to buses which form part of the 9's allocation, I dread to think what the reason may be!

(23 Feb 2015, 9:49 pm)Dan wrote Should still be 6x MPD allocated... As 5247 - 5249 and 5274 are something of a rarity on the 9, as Percy Main consider them to be spare buses opposed to forming part of the 9's allocation, I dread to think what the reason may be!

Ah okay!
It's Percy Main, so what do you expect?

Northumberland Council have/are rewarding WATbus (Wansbeck Accessible Transport) with a new revised Ashington A2 service. Passengers have to pay £10 for a card that will give them unlimited travel on the service, this means that Concessionary Passes are not valid on the route.

(07 Mar 2015, 12:09 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Northumberland Council have/are rewarding WATbus (Wansbeck Accessible Transport) with a new revised Ashington A2 service. Passengers have to pay £10 for a card that will give them unlimited travel on the service, this means that Concessionary Passes are not valid on the route.

More information on this 3 month trial is available here - http://www.ashingtontowncouncil.gov.uk/h...ed-the-bus
There are more and more of these "community bus" projects popping up and appears to be the future for the very thin routes like this one. It will operate one day a week

Reprieve for Hadrian's Wall AD122 tourism bus:-
http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/repr...-1.1198205

Keep meaning to share this, but have managed to forget every time until today... Details of latest Nexus contracts are given on the attached document.

(15 Mar 2015, 2:54 pm)Dan wrote Keep meaning to share this, but have managed to forget every time until today... Details of latest Nexus contracts are given on the attached document.

I would love to know the difference between Go Northern and Go North East 

(15 Mar 2015, 3:07 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I would love to know the difference between Go Northern and Go North East 

'Go North East' refers to the depots held in the North Division of the company: Riverside, Percy Main and Hexham. 'Go Northern' refers to the depots held in the South Division of the company: Chester-le-Street, Deptford, Washington, Stanley, Peterlee and Crook.

Similarly, Stagecoach North East is divided into two legal companies (Busways and Transit), and Arriva's comparable example is of course Northumbria and Durham County.

Don't Stagecoach have very few contracts.

I wish bus companies would show on timetables like they used to which journeys are secured by Nexus. Seems a lot of Stagecoach are operated commercially where as GNE won't take the commercial risk.

(15 Mar 2015, 5:13 pm)idiot wrote I wish bus companies would show on timetables like they used to which journeys are secured by Nexus. Seems a lot of Stagecoach are operated commercially where as GNE won't take the commercial risk.

They often used to be.
The last indicator, was the 'Nexus pipes' logo, placed above the specific run on the paper timetables.
Before then, there was a long flip over oblong, which had different stickered images on each of the 4 fronts.
The 'secured service' sticker was on one of the sides.
Think some of the others were 'transfer bus' or something like that.

Not sure why it stopped being common practice on the timetables like. Would be a huge political gain for Nexus to insist on them appearing again.
Would show exactly which services (including busier runs), are being paid for out of taxpayer pockets.

(16 Mar 2015, 7:40 pm)Andreos1 wrote They often used to be.
The last indicator, was the 'Nexus pipes' logo, placed above the specific run on the paper timetables.
Before then, there was a long flip over oblong, which had different stickered images on each of the 4 fronts.
The 'secured service' sticker was on one of the sides.
Think some of the others were 'transfer bus' or something like that.

Not sure why it stopped being common practice on the timetables like. Would be a huge political gain for Nexus to insist on them appearing again.
Would show exactly which services (including busier runs), are being paid for out of taxpayer pockets.

That could look very messy on timetables as Nexus do not always secure all of the trip shown, just part in a lot of instances.

(16 Mar 2015, 8:28 pm)RM2186 wrote That could look very messy on timetables as Nexus do not always secure all of the trip shown, just part in a lot of instances.

It wouldn't take much to add to the key/legend that the symbol means that whole or part of a journey is secured. Doesn't need to say how much.
Petty sure that was how it worked in the past.

Will have a look and see if the Bygone Era has an example or two.

edit: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/archive/GoNo...ch2003.pdf First timetable I found.

To some degree, if Nexus chose to print their own timetable leaflets again, they'd be entirely able to do so.

(23 Jan 2015, 5:27 pm)tyresmoke wrote Nexus have issued a tender for evening services 238/239 and 39 to start from 31st May.

Any more info on the 238/239, like what the euro specification have to be?

Same as the 39 will that stay as euro 4?

The following one-year Nexus contracts have been awarded from 31/05/15:

TB10 Fewster Sq – Wrekenton – Eighton Banks - Felling: Gateshead Central Taxis
39 Pennywell – Sunderland – Doxford International: Go North East
238/239 Barnwell – Houghton – Hall Lane/Fence Houses: Go North East
TB503 South Shields – Boldon Asda: Eurocars
TB503/TB504 South Shields – Boldon Asda/Horsley Hill: No Award

No award? Does that mean still to award it or the services been curtailed?

Also it's good for customers that GNE have the 39 back!

(31 Mar 2015, 1:27 pm)Dan wrote The following one-year Nexus contracts have been awarded from 31/05/15:

TB10 Fewster Sq – Wrekenton – Eighton Banks - Felling: Gateshead Central Taxis
39 Pennywell – Sunderland – Doxford International: Go North East
238/239 Barnwell – Houghton – Hall Lane/Fence Houses: Go North East
TB503 South Shields – Boldon Asda: Eurocars
TB503/TB504 South Shields – Boldon Asda/Horsley Hill: No Award

What is the current euro engine needed for the 39?

(31 Mar 2015, 3:43 pm)Michael wrote What is the current euro engine needed for the 39?

I'm guessing Euro 4. Providing i have read the code thing right (L3604)

(31 Mar 2015, 3:43 pm)Michael wrote What is the current euro engine needed for the 39?

Under Stagecoach operation, the contract requirement was for three low-floor Euro 4 vehicles with a minimum capacity of 23. 

I cannot remember what the contractual requirements were for the new tender, but Go North East has won the contract on a non-conforming basis, with the tender instead representing the best value for money in terms of service specification and tender conditions. This also applies to the tenders for services 238/239.

(31 Mar 2015, 3:53 pm)Dan wrote Under Stagecoach operation, the contract requirement was for three low-floor Euro 4 vehicles with a minimum capacity of 23. 

I cannot remember what the contractual requirements were for the new tender, but Go North East has won the contract on a non-conforming basis, with the tender instead representing the best value for money in terms of service specification and tender conditions. This also applies to the tenders for services 238/239.

Will the 238/239 be replacing the 38C to on a night and Sunday??
Be interesting to see what they're gonna use on the 238/239...

Any news on the Sunderland Connect contract (700/701), i think that ends in June?