(07 Apr 2022, 10:45 am)Ambassador wrote There's only 2 real viable options.

Divert over Redheugh (which is already heavily congested) and a potential bus lane along Askew Road towards Gateshead.

Restore the Wellington Street bus link and send traffic over the Tyne Bridge.

Gateshead have made such an utter pigs ear of their road network that its probably going to take a total remodel. They are by far the most wasteful and incompetent of the local authorities - they love a good white elephant (Centrelink, the entire town centre, the bus gate and the Angel Park and Ride)

(07 Apr 2022, 11:46 am)ASX_Terranova wrote I was going to say the swing bridge, but you would need to have the roads on the toon side changed so you could right turn off the close if you wanted services to serve Central Station.

(07 Apr 2022, 10:48 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Maybe the people who didn't know what a bus gate is (for those travelling into Durham,  that lane by Greggs in Fram is one) had this in mind https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/tyijfi/in_denmark_there_are_these_bus_traps_on_several/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

Gateshead needs to invest in road signs, outside the town (is it still a metropolitan Borough) centre so drivers from elsewhere don't end up doing ridiculous loops to avoid getting snarled up in the bus lanes.

(08 Apr 2022, 6:10 am)omnicity4659 wrote There's an apparent anti-car agenda from the council which is doing nothing but damaging the borough. The public transport network has failed, they continuously close major car parks popular with visitors, introduce charges/permits to others...and then the absurd changes to the already at capacity road network.

(08 Apr 2022, 7:05 am)ne14ne1 wrote You must be living under a rock if you think these things are unique to Gateshead or indeed the North East.

Its not the 60’s anymore where car is king. Sustainable and public transport is being prioritised now in cities nationwide. We have a health and climate emergency to address. 
Do you want to explain to your kids and grandkids what changes were made to improve our & their future one day or admit we sat back spinning the old anti-car agenda line.

(08 Apr 2022, 8:58 am)omnicity4659 wrote A failed public transport network is being prioritised over the 70+% of those who choose to drive instead. It may work elsewhere but it doesn't work here because of the lack of decent services.

It's all well and good having a bus lane that lets 5 people get there 10 minutes before everyone else, but what about the other 100 people in that queue who couldn't get on that bus because it's too expensive, they didn't know it was going to turn up...or doesn't even run from where they live!

Within city centres, e-scooter and bike hire schemes meet people's needs if they can afford it.

Park and rides work if there's actually a decent level of service provision, there's no unnecessary costs to the customer and it's accessible. We have multiple park and rides for Newcastle that aren't properly promoted, are half-arsed or cost more than driving all the way, yet those making the decisions want more?!

(08 Apr 2022, 8:58 am)omnicity4659 wrote A failed public transport network is being prioritised over the 70+% of those who choose to drive instead. It may work elsewhere but it doesn't work here because of the lack of decent services.

It's all well and good having a bus lane that lets 5 people get there 10 minutes before everyone else, but what about the other 100 people in that queue who couldn't get on that bus because it's too expensive, they didn't know it was going to turn up...or doesn't even run from where they live!

Within city centres, e-scooter and bike hire schemes meet people's needs if they can afford it.

Park and rides work if there's actually a decent level of service provision, there's no unnecessary costs to the customer and it's accessible. We have multiple park and rides for Newcastle that aren't properly promoted, are half-arsed or cost more than driving all the way, yet those making the decisions want more?!

(08 Apr 2022, 9:55 am)Storx wrote The biggest problem with the Tyne Bridge traffic is it seems that no-one has actually bothered to see where the traffic is going. 

You could put a P&R every 0.5 mile going to Newcastle and Gateshead. The catch-22 is the majority of the traffic going over the Tyne Bridge is likely to be travelling from the likes of Byker, Wallsend and Walker towards the Metro Centre and Team Valley or alternatively from Bensham, Saltwell, Teams towards Cobalt and Quorum.

(08 Apr 2022, 8:58 am)omnicity4659 wrote It's all well and good having a bus lane that lets 5 people get there 10 minutes before everyone else, but what about the other 100 people in that queue who couldn't get on that bus because it's too expensive, they didn't know it was going to turn up...or doesn't even run from where they live!

(08 Apr 2022, 10:51 am)ne14ne1 wrote So you’re saying prioritise those rich enough to have a car?
What about the many areas of low income where people cannot afford to buy a car, tax and insure it, fuel it and park it, and therefore have no option but to use public transport. 

Where you getting your figures from too?

(08 Apr 2022, 12:03 pm)F114TML wrote For me, I've calculated going to uni today has cost me between £3.47 - £3.81 in petrol (25 mile round trip, and the car says I do 40-44MPG on average), plus £1.30 parking (total approx £4.77 - £5.11).

The bus costs £3.20 return (free travel on the 700s - would've been £4.10 for day ticket if not; don't trust mobile tickets). I only drove because I needed to get to my flat ASAP before going in to uni.

Might not be true in all cases but I'm willing to bet for most it's currently much cheaper to get the bus (provided some people can get their head out their arse and be prepared to change buses/trains). Of course, not the be all and end all - there are obvious problems with driver shortages. We also need to sort out ticketing (or rather, when was the last time you saw the Network One tickets promoted?)

"Simplified range" and in most cases only applicable to one company.

(08 Apr 2022, 11:03 am)F114TML wrote There is a journey on the 91 from Battle Hill area to Team Valley, via Wallsend, Walker and Byker that people could use.


Provided they're prepared to get up at about 4.30am to catch it. Also there's no return trip.
Never understood the point of these kind of routes - do they just exist to suck up subsidy money from the council at minimal cost? Would be very surprised if that journey carts round much more than fresh air.

(08 Apr 2022, 11:03 am)F114TML wrote There is a journey on the 91 from Battle Hill area to Team Valley, via Wallsend, Walker and Byker that people could use.


Provided they're prepared to get up at about 4.30am to catch it. Also there's no return trip.
Never understood the point of these kind of routes - do they just exist to suck up subsidy money from the council at minimal cost? Would be very surprised if that journey carts round much more than fresh air.

(08 Apr 2022, 5:50 pm)anvil1984 wrote I used to use the 91 between High Farm to Central until I started to drive a couple of years back and it was actually quite well used especially when you got to Walker / Byker. I think its main use is for Team Valley Royal Mail staff to get in for shifts but it was really useful to myself especially as it ran earlier than any of the normal service buses (even Transport staff need transport to get to work). Coming back home its not an issue for anyone to do as its just one change and plenty of ways home.

Usage may have changed with Covid but it definitely wasn't the fresh air carrier its made out to be

(08 Apr 2022, 5:50 pm)anvil1984 wrote I used to use the 91 between High Farm to Central until I started to drive a couple of years back and it was actually quite well used especially when you got to Walker / Byker. I think its main use is for Team Valley Royal Mail staff to get in for shifts but it was really useful to myself especially as it ran earlier than any of the normal service buses (even Transport staff need transport to get to work). Coming back home its not an issue for anyone to do as its just one change and plenty of ways home.

Usage may have changed with Covid but it definitely wasn't the fresh air carrier its made out to be

(08 Apr 2022, 1:47 pm)Storx wrote Never knew that even ran still tbh. I'm guessing it's the board ran by Percy Main.

(09 Apr 2022, 9:13 am)Thomas12 wrote Yeah, since the changes it uses a Coaster Streetlite and runs onto the 1 at Gateshead.

(14 Apr 2022, 7:55 pm)Wybus wrote Is said link road now open, as it looked finished a few weeks ago?

Has it really been built just for the 27, it seems a tad over the top for one bus route?

(14 Apr 2022, 7:55 pm)Wybus wrote Is said link road now open, as it looked finished a few weeks ago?

Has it really been built just for the 27, it seems a tad over the top for one bus route?

(15 Apr 2022, 10:11 am)Andreos1 wrote There's the bus gate on the A184 at Wardley and there's not much goes through there either.


https://maps.app.goo.gl/RCq42zr5SRFAUe8v7

(15 Apr 2022, 10:11 am)Andreos1 wrote There's the bus gate on the A184 at Wardley and there's not much goes through there either.


https://maps.app.goo.gl/RCq42zr5SRFAUe8v7

(15 Apr 2022, 10:57 am)Rob44 wrote  just the 57 i think?

(15 Apr 2022, 11:03 am)Storx wrote The one behind Silverlink for the subsidised 19 is the worst one. I don't understand nowadays why they don't just open it for all traffic since there's no issues at Silverlink so it wouldn't be a rat run anymore. Would help with the traffic problems at the other end of Tyne Tunnel Ind. Estate which affects the 19 anyway.

(16 Apr 2022, 11:40 am)omnicity4659 wrote Never been stuck in traffic coming from Sunderland Road onto High West Street, genuinely confused as to why they're spending money on this for 5 buses an hour, 4 if they're not sending the X10 down there?

I assume that the 27 can't even use it yet because it's still registered to stop at Chad House?