(21 Feb 2015, 11:39 am)aureolin wrote Similar issues with the X1 and 21 yesterday too. Important to note that it's not just badly run Metro systems that suffer from gaps in service.

(21 Feb 2015, 12:36 pm)citaro5284 wrote Agree to a point, but there is nothing in the way of the Metro's unlike the buses.....traffic, roadworks etc.

(21 Feb 2015, 3:38 pm)roar wrote Must agree with citaro5284 here, the two can not be compared. Metro is running on rail's, only thing that gets in its way is other metro's or national rail trains between Pelaw and Sunderland. Buses have traffic to deal with, tickets to issue, customers to enquires to deal with. And the worst at the moment is incompetent council's, non-existant parking control, poor bus stop positioning and just poor planning. 

Just to give a few examples of the problems buses face in Sunderland due to council involvement  

No traffic control on Vine Place/Holmeside or at other problem areas like Pallion, Southwick ect.
Traffic lights that are set up against buses. John Street to West Wear street is on green then when they change to red the lights that take you onto Wearmouth bridge change from green to red, then the confusion to deal with from other drivers as the traffic lights here are signaled as NO RIGHT TURN so effectively nothing should then turn right onto Wearmouth Bridge. Badly positioned bus stop infrastructure, bus stops positioned that close to the curb its impossible to pull up at the bus stop close to the curb because the bus stop pole, shelter or other street furniture will either remove the near side mirror or miss judge you position by an inch and your scrapping the front corner of the bus. 

Anyway enough about that and back on subject of the Tyne and Wear metro. Nexus only franchised it out because they new it was about to crumble. DB were basically given a spanner to try and tighten a screw, why is nobody shouting for nexus to take back control??? The only thing that should have happened was that they should have been made to sell it into private ownership. DB, First, Go-Ahead, Stagecoach or any of the other private transport company's would have made the system make a profit, anyone that says they couldn't is just saying the system will never be profitable and we as tax payers will constantly be paying to try and make something work that never will. 

(21 Feb 2015, 3:38 pm)roar wrote Must agree with citaro5284 here, the two can not be compared. Metro is running on rail's, only thing that gets in its way is other metro's or national rail trains between Pelaw and Sunderland. Buses have traffic to deal with, tickets to issue, customers to enquires to deal with. And the worst at the moment is incompetent council's, non-existant parking control, poor bus stop positioning and just poor planning. 

Just to give a few examples of the problems buses face in Sunderland due to council involvement  

No traffic control on Vine Place/Holmeside or at other problem areas like Pallion, Southwick ect.
Traffic lights that are set up against buses. John Street to West Wear street is on green then when they change to red the lights that take you onto Wearmouth bridge change from green to red, then the confusion to deal with from other drivers as the traffic lights here are signaled as NO RIGHT TURN so effectively nothing should then turn right onto Wearmouth Bridge. Badly positioned bus stop infrastructure, bus stops positioned that close to the curb its impossible to pull up at the bus stop close to the curb because the bus stop pole, shelter or other street furniture will either remove the near side mirror or miss judge you position by an inch and your scrapping the front corner of the bus. 

Anyway enough about that and back on subject of the Tyne and Wear metro. Nexus only franchised it out because they new it was about to crumble. DB were basically given a spanner to try and tighten a screw, why is nobody shouting for nexus to take back control??? The only thing that should have happened was that they should have been made to sell it into private ownership. DB, First, Go-Ahead, Stagecoach or any of the other private transport company's would have made the system make a profit, anyone that says they couldn't is just saying the system will never be profitable and we as tax payers will constantly be paying to try and make something work that never will.

(22 Feb 2015, 10:07 pm)Tom wrote Noticed this post on Facebook - if you have no faith in the metro sign it!

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/vote-of-no-confidence-in-nexus-and-twita

(22 Feb 2015, 10:09 pm)Dan wrote I signed that about a year ago and have been getting irritating e-mails from 38 Degrees ever since. There was an update on it recently asking for one last push to get the 3,000 signatures.

(22 Feb 2015, 10:10 pm)Tom wrote Oh no 

(22 Feb 2015, 10:12 pm)Dan wrote I'm sure you'll be able to opt out of e-mails if they start to send you them regularly, too. If the petition actually has an impact, I'm sure it'll be worth it, but I'm doubtful it will.

(22 Feb 2015, 10:12 pm)Dan wrote I'm sure you'll be able to opt out of e-mails if they start to send you them regularly, too. If the petition actually has an impact, I'm sure it'll be worth it, but I'm doubtful it will.

(24 Feb 2015, 5:54 pm)Tom wrote Pathetic today like!

06:30 - Trains towards Park Lane and South Hylton are currently delayed due to the overrun of Network Rail engineering works. Passengers travelling between Pelaw and South Hylton (in both directions) should expect delay to their journey. Tickets are being accepted on Go North East bus services X36 and 29 from Heworth to Sunderland.

11:30 - There are delays of up to 30 mins to trains running between South Shields and St James due to obstruction on the line. Please leave extra time for your journey.

17:45 - Walkergate is closed and trains will not be stopping at this station until further notice. This is due to a problem with the power supply. Go North East are accepting Metro tickets on bus services 1 between Chillingham Road and Wallsend. We're sorry for any inconvenience.

(24 Feb 2015, 8:20 pm)Busman69 wrote In all fairness the first one was completely out of their control so there's nothing they could have done since it was caused by engineering work done by a separate entity.

Same sort of goes for the second, while I was one of those affected by the delays I can understand that they can't prevent objects obstructing the line. However the speed of the response was somewhat disappointing and should have been better. 

I can't really say anything on the third but my gut tells me they could have done something about that so of those three there's only one I can see them being completely accountable for

(24 Feb 2015, 5:54 pm)Tom wrote Pathetic today like!

06:30 - Trains towards Park Lane and South Hylton are currently delayed due to the overrun of Network Rail engineering works. Passengers travelling between Pelaw and South Hylton (in both directions) should expect delay to their journey. Tickets are being accepted on Go North East bus services X36 and 29 from Heworth to Sunderland.


17:45 - Walkergate is closed and trains will not be stopping at this station until further notice. This is due to a problem with the power supply. Go North East are accepting Metro tickets on bus services 1 between Chillingham Road and Wallsend. We're sorry for any inconvenience.

(24 Feb 2015, 11:05 pm)roar wrote Who is responsible for giving the information out here. Service 29 from Heworth to Sunderland????????

Go North East service 1 from Chillingham Road to Wallsend????? Its Stagecoach service 1 that operates along Chillingham Road and it dosn't go to Wallsend. 

(25 Feb 2015, 7:28 am)Dan wrote Go North East were definitely accepting tickets on their Coaster 1 service. Although it doesn't serve the Interchange, it does stop in the town centre which is all of a two to three minute walk away.

(25 Feb 2015, 12:24 am)roar wrote Just viewed this youtube video on another forum. Some stupid but very lucky people.

Forcing the doors open.

(25 Feb 2015, 6:10 pm)aureolin wrote I quite like that Metro do this. I wish bus operators would start doing it with the driver's view CCTV footage, with morons cutting them up pulling out of junctions, blocking box junctions off, and generally poor parking.

(25 Feb 2015, 6:10 pm)aureolin wrote I quite like that Metro do this. I wish bus operators would start doing it with the driver's view CCTV footage, with morons cutting them up pulling out of junctions, blocking box junctions off, and generally poor parking.