(13 Sep 2023, 8:05 pm)Storx wrote They should just cancel the 352 and 354 outright imo.

They're just duplicates of the 37 (SNE) and 359 anyway for the unique sections anyway.

Anyone using the 352 must have an issue with Stagecoach as there's absolutely no other reason to use it and the 354 has been a basket case for years. Would free up 4 boards immediately.

(13 Sep 2023, 7:24 pm)Ambassador wrote It appears the X39 afternoon runs didn’t run again

Sure all this new contract and commercial work is worth pissing off your existing customer base?

Yet more proof the management aren’t up to the task and are making poor decisions

(13 Sep 2023, 8:27 pm)Thomas12 wrote It would make more sense for GNE to just run the 353 half hourly - no need for the 352/354/355 if there aren't enough drivers.

(13 Sep 2023, 8:45 pm)DeltaMan wrote Surely it's just proof that somebody at Go Ahead Group values saving face with high profile franchises in Manchester rather than standard commercial work elsewhere.

(13 Sep 2023, 9:09 pm)mb134 wrote Given the posts, I thought I'd have a very unscientific look to see how Arriva Blyth and GNE Percy Main got on today service delivery wise since they seem to be the depots currently struggling the most. Pinch of salt, as it's taken from Bustimes, but I believe Arriva Blyth had the following cancelled today (as of 22:00ish when I checked):

X7: 
To Newcastle - 10:42, 11:42, 13:42
None cancelled NB.  

X8: 
To Newcastle - 18:44
From Newcastle - 11:50, 12:50, 14:50

X9: 
To Newcastle - 07:54, 13:29, 13:59, 16:34
From Newcastle - 09:13, 14:43 (started from Cramlington), 17:53

X10: 
To Newcastle - 13:01, 15:31, 16:36
To Blyth - 13:15, 15:15

X11: 
To Newcastle - 12:14, 14:14
To Blyth - 14:00, 17:40

306: 
To Newcastle - 10:46, 16:01, 17:26
To Whitley Bay/Tynemouth - 09:30, 14:50, 16:15, 17:00

308: 
To Newcastle - 08:06, 13:36, 14:56
To Blyth - 12:00, 15:20, 17:10, 18:35

43:
To Newcastle - 15:09, 16:42, 18:14, 19:28, 21:28
To Cramlington - 17:20, 18:45, 20:05, 22:05

44: 
To Newcastle - 18:11 
To Dinnington - 15:53, 17:28

45: 
To Newcastle - 16:40
To Dinnington - 18:55

While Percy Main look to have missed the following (with the usual Bustimes caveats, as there's simply no way what PM have added to the website short notice cancellations list is accurate!):

307: 
To Newcastle - 09:55, 11:55, 14:55, 17:05, 17:30, 18:38, 19:38
To North Shields - 10:55, 15:55, 16:20, 18:30, 21:00

309:
To Newcastle - 06:31, 07:11, 09:06, 09:26, 11:06, 11:46, 12:06, 14:06, 14:46, 16:51, 19:50, 20:50, 21:50
To Blyth - 07:55, 09:45, 10:25, 10:45, 13:05, 13:25, 15:25, 18:20, 19:30, 20:30

352:
To Newcastle - 15:30
To Cramlington - 07:55, 09:00, 12:00, 14:00, 18:10

353: 
To North Shields - 09:00, 10:00, 15:00 
To Cramlington - 14:17

354: 
To Newcastle - 06:42, 09:47, 15:47
To North Shields - 17:40

355: 
To Forest Hall - 06:50, 07:55, 11:02, 13:02, 16:35, 17:05
To Newcastle - 06:12, 07:12, 08:17, 11:24, 12:24, 13:24, 17:00, 17:30

41: 
To Wallsend -  09:56, 11:26
To Hadrian Park - 10:19, 11:49

41A: 
To Wallsend - 10:38, 17:54, 18:43, 19:38
To Hadrian Park - 09:34, 11:04, 18:24, 19:19

1: 
To MetroCentre - 11:44, 13:24, 20:12 
To Whitley Bay - 13:59, 16:45, 18:08

Obviously aware of the usual issues with Bustimes, however in lots of instances here buses which later appeared on these boards had been tracking on other things previously, or in the case of the 309 evidently got put on/taken off at New York (and there aren't that many dodgy ticket machines in the NE!). Some of these will undoubtedly be as a result of vehicle failure too, and some that are not on here will only have operated part trips (I couldn't be bothered checking where they all started, if I saw it listed then I excluded it).

(13 Sep 2023, 9:22 pm)j986986 wrote Jesus. Looks like Percy Main is now much worse than Blyth, which is definitely something that only changed recently. You would think the 307/309 would be priority being higher profile and far busier routes. There definitely needs to be a rethink into whether they can actually cope with all the new services, because at the moment they clearly can’t.


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(13 Sep 2023, 10:12 pm)mb134 wrote I guess with the 307/309 much of both routes are covered by the 306/308, so maybe their logic is that they'd prioritise routes which have no alternative?

(13 Sep 2023, 10:12 pm)mb134 wrote I guess with the 307/309 much of both routes are covered by the 306/308, so maybe their logic is that they'd prioritise routes which have no alternative?

(13 Sep 2023, 10:12 pm)mb134 wrote I guess with the 307/309 much of both routes are covered by the 306/308, so maybe their logic is that they'd prioritise routes which have no alternative?

(14 Sep 2023, 4:14 pm)Dan wrote Yes, exactly this - and don’t forget that there is inter-operator ticket acceptance on the Coast Road.


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(14 Sep 2023, 4:14 pm)Dan wrote Yes, exactly this - and don’t forget that there is inter-operator ticket acceptance on the Coast Road.


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(13 Sep 2023, 8:27 pm)Thomas12 wrote It would make more sense for GNE to just run the 353 half hourly - no need for the 352/354/355 if there aren't enough drivers.

(14 Sep 2023, 8:19 pm)L469 YVK wrote The 353 would hemorrhage cash if ran on a half hourly frequency standalone because with remote reliefs, there's no way drivers could do 5 hours behind the wheel (would be 2.5hr round trip)

Best outcome in March would be

Stagecoach
- X63 - Does Killingworth loop then as per 354/54 to Newcastle but via West Farm Avenue....maybe serving Stoneleigh Avenue to maintain close by BT links. Hourly evening & Sunday service introduced.

Go North East
- 352, 354, 355 withdrawn - covered by 37, 38, 353, 359, X63

- 353 half hourly

- Awarded 19 tender and interworks with 353 in North  Shields to maintain driving hours

(14 Sep 2023, 4:14 pm)Dan wrote Yes, exactly this - and don’t forget that there is inter-operator ticket acceptance on the Coast Road.


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(14 Sep 2023, 9:01 pm)Ambassador wrote Are the office staff in any sort of reality? On the cancellations tomorrow for the X39 it says, don’t forget you can use your ticket on Arriva services 

None of which serve Cobalt.

I know of two employers at Cobalt that have opened back up fully remote working to mitigate the feedback from colleagues around Go Ahead issues. we actually used the X39 as a promo piece to get colleagues back, now we’re using it to let them stay at home

(14 Sep 2023, 9:14 pm)Unber43 wrote Tbf X39 should be cancelled as you can get the 309, not ideal I appreciate that but atleast you will have a bus.

(14 Sep 2023, 9:28 pm)Ambassador wrote You’ll just push commuters back to their cars or home working. It may only be 10-15 mins quicker but those types of commuters won’t entertain it, they just won’t come back. I know this from managing thousands of them. It’s yet more commercial nonsense from them

The 309 has become chronically unreliable. The sooner a regional ticket comes in the better, then at least the 22X which has become reliable is an option

(14 Sep 2023, 9:28 pm)Ambassador wrote You’ll just push commuters back to their cars or home working. It may only be 10-15 mins quicker but those types of commuters won’t entertain it, they just won’t come back. I know this from managing thousands of them. It’s yet more commercial nonsense from them

The 309 has become chronically unreliable. The sooner a regional ticket comes in the better, then at least the 22X which has become reliable is an option

(14 Sep 2023, 9:52 pm)Storx wrote I never understood why the X39 doesn't run all day tbh. It's crazy arguably the only destination going against the main peak flow has to take a magical mystery tour around the world unless they happen to the hit 3 specific boards.

(14 Sep 2023, 10:04 pm)mb134 wrote I've never used it myself, but looking at the timetables the times don't look massively different outside of the peak so I imagine during the day the 309 should be more than enough?

(15 Sep 2023, 9:51 am)Unber43 wrote the X39 could be a great opportunity for GNE to break into Ashington,

Newcastle, Silverlink, A19, Cramlington, Bedlington, Ashington.

Can also be timetabled with the 352, and 353 especially leaving Cramlington

(15 Sep 2023, 10:00 am)Bazza wrote They used to run both the 434 and the 19 into Ashington.  Didn’t manage to ‘break into Ashington’ with those routes

(15 Sep 2023, 10:02 am)Unber43 wrote 434 was contracted every 2 hours or less, and the 19 was a route which was never changed for years and went downhill as it was never adapted

Also this a key route from Newcaslte and the Silverlink, perhaps they could talk to Silverlink Employers and see where their staff live and offer routes to there.

(15 Sep 2023, 12:13 pm)Bazza wrote A stepping stone to ‘break into Ashington’ that still wasn’t taken though.  So why would they bother with the X39?