The GNE Santa Bus is returning from the 16th to 23rd.

Any idea how to find the last read post, without having to scroll backwards and forwards?

Anyone know what the crack is with the stars?  Im on 3 but would rather be 5Star

6155 now in full Elite Bus Driver Training Academy advertising:

https://flic.kr/p/2pkqww3

With this Loop liveried B9 receiving a full wrap, it does make you think the yellow Streetlites about to arrive may indeed be for something else*, as the B9 has shown the vehicle doesn’t need to be in base yellow for Training Academy advertising. 

*Then again they do look to be in the same shade of yellow as the training Omnicity below.

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Training vehicle 5244 in full yellow:

https://flic.kr/p/2pkoCyZ

1598 on loan to Stockton currently on the 8 tracking as SPSN

So obviously a few people know about the diversion currently due to Tynemouth Sea Banks Road and Tynemouth Seafront being a 1 way system due to the new cycle path. What annoys me more is the fact Nexus or Go North East or Arriva have not put 1 single notice out whatsoever. The bus stops along the seafront (towards Whitley Bay) say they are closed and to use alternative stops. Same with the other side (towards Newcastle/Metrocentre). The 306 is mental as they use the village (of which they ain't serving) and Percy Park Road but they go down Percy Park Road to Whitley Bay but coming back its a lottery of where your 306 is gonna go. On the other hand the 1 is currently using the Broadway and completely not using Percy Park Road at all towards Metrocentre. This diversion is on until spring next year yet no one has posted about it

As 1565 been transferred to Durham as it was seen on the 56 yesterday

Not sure if this has been mentioned but there are at least 2 E200s that have returned to Hownsgill from Manchester. 5498 is one of them. They're parked up tonight.

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Proposed changes to Arriva Services 35 and X21 within Newbiggin & Woodhorn
with effect from Sunday 28th January 2024


What are we proposing to do and why?

Over recent months, the reliability and punctuality of Services 35, X21 and X22 have seen decline in the face of increasing levels of traffic congestion within the region. Arriva, as the operator of these services have an obligation to ensure that we provide a service that is as reliable and punctual as possible.

With this in mind, we've been analysing passenger data along with punctuality and reliability data with a view of understanding what needs to be done to improve the situation. The summary of this is that we need to increase scheduled journey time, particularly on Services X21 and X22 into Newcastle, however we also need to ensure that we do this in a sustainable way.

Our proposal is to revise the way in which Services 35 and X21 operate around Newbiggin & Woodhorn. There will be no change to service frequency, buses will still run up to every 20 minutes during Mon-Fri daytimes, up to every 30 minutes on Saturdays and hourly on evenings and Sundays, however the routes in which they may operate is subject to change.

This survey will briefly explain the plans and allow you to feedback some comments at the end. It shouldn't take any more than a few minutes to complete.

If this proposal progresses, the proposed start date would be Sunday 28th January 2024.

What will change on Service 35?

Service 35 will continue to operate between Morpeth, Ashington, Newbiggin and Woodhorn as it does now, up to every 20 minutes during Monday to Friday daytimes, up to every 30 minutes during Saturday daytimes and hourly on evenings and Sundays.

However, we're proposing to revise the route in which the service operates within Newbiggin and Woodhorn into a one-way loop.

This revised Service 35 route would therefore commence its journey towards Morpeth from Woodhorn Crossroads, then via Woodlea and Seacrest Road as normal. From Seacrest Road and Woodlea, buses would then turn left as normal, but would additionally serve Cresswell Arms (currently not served by Service 35). From Cresswell Arms, buses would then head along Newbiggin Front Street and Sandy Bay Holiday Park, resuming the normal route at North Seaton Demesme towards Ashington and Morpeth.

What does this mean?

What this means is that all Service 35 journeys will operate in a one-way clockwise loop of Woodhorn & Newbiggin, but will additionally serve Cresswell Arms as an improvement over current service, providing more journey opportunities, and permitting reallocation of the time saved by only operating one-way, into the service schedule to improve punctuality.

Service X21 is proposed to operate via the exact opposite of this route within Newbiggin & Woodhorn, providing local short hop journey opportunities within the area (i.e. if you are only travelling between Woodhorn and Cresswell Arms, you would catch Service 35 towards Cresswell Arms, but return on Service X21 in this proposal).

What will change on Service X21?

Service X21 will continue to operate between Newcastle, Bedlington, Ashington and Newbiggin as it does now, up to every 20 minutes during Monday to Friday daytimes, up to every 30 minutes during Saturday daytimes and hourly on evenings and Sundays.

However, we're proposing to revise the route in which the service operates within Newbiggin into a one-way loop and additionally serving Woodhorn too.

This revised Service X21 route would therefore commence its journey towards Newcastle from Newbiggin West End, Spital Road and operate via Newbiggin Front Street to Cresswell Arms. From Cresswell Arms, buses would then operate via Woodhorn Road and Woodlea to serve Seacrest Road as they do now. From Seacrest Road and Woodlea however, buses would then turn right and continue north to Woodhorn, before turning left onto the A197 and resuming normal route towards Newcastle from Wansbeck Hospital (meaning they wont go back to Cresswell Arms or Spital Road).

What does this mean?

What this means is that all Service X21 journeys will operate in a one-way anticlockwise loop of Newbiggin & Woodhorn, but will serve both Cresswell Arms and Seacrest Road as it does now, whilst additionally serving Woodhorn and providing more journey opportunities, and permitting reallocation of the time saved by only operating one-way, into the service schedule to improve punctuality.

Existing passengers of Service X21 would therefore need to board the service towards Newcastle on the northbound side of the road between Spital Road and Cresswell Arms.

Service 35 is proposed to operate via the exact opposite of this route within Woodhorn & Newbiggin, providing local short hop journey opportunities within the area (i.e. if you are only travelling between Cresswell Arms and Woodhorn, you would catch Service X21 towards Woodhorn, but return on Service 35 in this proposal).

What else do I need to be aware of?

Below is a map of the proposed route options within the area, as described on the previous pages. This should hopefully help visualise and understand what is being proposed.

From an operational point of view, customers should be aware that within this proposal, Services 35 and X21 will 'interwork' or simply change number within Newbiggin & Woodhorn.

What this means is that passengers arriving on a Service X21 from Newcastle or Ashington for example, will see their bus turn left onto the Spine Road after Wansbeck Hospital and then turn right at Woodhorn Crossroads. The driver will then change the service number on the front of the bus to Service 35, but passengers who wish to alight anywhere within Newbiggin area can stay on the bus until it reaches their stop.

Conversely, passengers arriving on a Service 35 from Morpeth or Ashington will see their bus continue into Newbiggin as normal, but the driver will change the service number on the front of the bus to Service X21. However, as with the case above, passengers who intend to alight anywhere within Newbiggin or Woodhorn can remain on the bus until it reaches their stop.

This arrangement will be in place on every journey, so to remove any additional complication.

TLDR - It doesn't matter where within Newbiggin or Woodhorn that you got on at, the bus you come back on will take you back to that same location.

Service X22

As a by-product of this change, Service X22 will see a revised timetable on all days, however will continue to operate between Ashington and Newcastle via the same route as now and to the same service frequency.


Link to the survey: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsep...ZhXnqKQWOE

Thought it would be pointless creating a new thread so putting it in here. Nexus have put a consultation out for the Go North East Q3 & Stagecoach 35 service
https://www.nexus.org.uk/consultation/it...-35-and-q3

Our plan is to stop providing financial support for service Q3 to divert via Osborne Road. This will result in Go North East operating the route directly via Great North Road.

The money saved from paying for service Q3 would pay for changes to service 35. This will mean service 35 will operate as now between Newcastle (but start from Central Station) and Fawdon but will then extend to run via Gosforth High Street, Osborne Road, city centre and Central Station.

In addition, there will be an hourly service on evening and Sunday, between Newcastle, Pilgrim Street and Fawdon, Mormon Church via Osborne Road, Gosforth High Street, Kenton & Fawdon (note evening/Sunday trips would not serve Central Station, John Street/Welford Avenue, or Red House Farm estate).