(19 Feb 2026, 8:28 pm)L469 YVK wrote True - but why has NECA not been positively engaging with all parties concerned to prevent this from happening?

And I don't get how the timetables are still quite closely aligned.

Only losers are going to be the public unfortunately.

I'm still very surprised Arriva haven't taken advantage of BSIP like GNE & Stagecoach did for the 56, 21 and 1.....unless they're waiting for more new buses to turn up to prevent a s***show at the detriment of the wider operation perhaps.

Who's to say they haven't been?  Sounds like a unilateral decision, I struggle to see what Arriva or NECA have done wrong here unless there's more happened behind the scenes.

Agree though that the public are the overall losers in this.

(20 Feb 2026, 1:34 pm)Chris 1 wrote Who's to say they haven't been?  Sounds like a unilateral decision, I struggle to see what Arriva or NECA have done wrong here unless there's more happened behind the scenes.

Agree though that the public are the overall losers in this.

Unless GNE are making money in their strongholds and decided they don't need the partnership as such?

Not going to lie but most times I've travelled through High Farm on both the 307 & 309, theu do always pick up well and quite often tend to run late doing so.

L469 YVK
Unless GNE are making money in their strongholds and decided they don't need the partnership as such?

Not going to lie but most times I've travelled through High Farm on both the 307 & 309, theu do always pick up well and quite often tend to run late doing so.


Go North East wanted to reduce the frequency of their services to some extent. That’s why they withdrew

(20 Feb 2026, 11:04 am)Ambassador wrote I'm not sure where the idea the 21 carries fresh air past certain points is coming from - it absolutely doesn't - and as much as we deride it, BSIP required strong and factual business cases with relevant data.
 
On a weekend especially, the service is regularly full by the time it departs Birtley - agree additional resource for Low Fell in this case - perhaps running a short 21 to Angel and turning at Eighton Lodge would solve this. 

As much as I question GNE, it feels a convenient and lazy stick to beat them with.

Oh no arguments definitely don't think it carries fresh air, that's just silly, but does it need to be 7.5 minutes all the way to CLS I'm unsure.

Tbh when I posted that I was thinking more deviating at Birtley, and doing something different. 

I'm sure there's loads of ideas but considering there's subsidised routes in all directions (25/28/81) could it maybe have been an option to sort one of, or even more out, since the tax payer is paying for it anyway. 

If anything it was a dig at Nexus for not using it as an opportunity to deal with some of the existing routes.

The 43/44/45 to North of Newcastle is a similar route and that's what that does really.

N&P advises that there has been a new route 3 registered between Bebside station and Blyth bus station, effective 22 March.

(Yesterday, 10:05 am)Northern Spirit wrote N&P advises that there has been a new route 3 registered between Bebside station and Blyth bus station, effective 22 March.

Registration on bustimes.org marks it as a service running Monday to Friday only. Traveline isn't showing the timetable and im not sure what the route is

On Arriva website:

From Sunday 22 March 2026, the existing arrangement under which Go North East ticket products are accepted on Arriva services 306 and 308 will cease. Go North East products will therefore no longer be valid on these services from that date.

As a result of Go North East’s decision to end this arrangement, Arriva ticket products will also no longer be accepted on Go North East services 307 and 309.

What does this mean for you?

If you currently purchase a Go North East return, day, weekly (or longer) zonal ticket and use services 306 or 308, your ticket may no longer be valid from 22 March 2026. The following tickets will continue to be accepted:

TNE Day tickets at £7.50 and Tyne and Wear Day tickets at £6.80 (pricing correct as of 22 March 2026)
Network One tickets and Newcastle or North Tyneside SmartZone tickets
Any other non-Arriva tickets will not be accepted beyond this date.

Customers are advised to review their ticket options before travelling, particularly where journeys involve services operated by both companies.


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(Yesterday, 6:21 pm)cbma06 wrote On Arriva website:

From Sunday 22 March 2026, the existing arrangement under which Go North East ticket products are accepted on Arriva services 306 and 308 will cease. Go North East products will therefore no longer be valid on these services from that date.

As a result of Go North East’s decision to end this arrangement, Arriva ticket products will also no longer be accepted on Go North East services 307 and 309.

What does this mean for you?

If you currently purchase a Go North East return, day, weekly (or longer) zonal ticket and use services 306 or 308, your ticket may no longer be valid from 22 March 2026. The following tickets will continue to be accepted:

TNE Day tickets at £7.50 and Tyne and Wear Day tickets at £6.80 (pricing correct as of 22 March 2026)
Network One tickets and Newcastle or North Tyneside SmartZone tickets
Any other non-Arriva tickets will not be accepted beyond this date.

Customers are advised to review their ticket options before travelling, particularly where journeys involve services operated by both companies.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Another reason to take back control of buses.

(Yesterday, 6:21 pm)cbma06 wrote On Arriva website:

From Sunday 22 March 2026, the existing arrangement under which Go North East ticket products are accepted on Arriva services 306 and 308 will cease. Go North East products will therefore no longer be valid on these services from that date.

As a result of Go North East’s decision to end this arrangement, Arriva ticket products will also no longer be accepted on Go North East services 307 and 309.

What does this mean for you?

If you currently purchase a Go North East return, day, weekly (or longer) zonal ticket and use services 306 or 308, your ticket may no longer be valid from 22 March 2026. The following tickets will continue to be accepted:

TNE Day tickets at £7.50 and Tyne and Wear Day tickets at £6.80 (pricing correct as of 22 March 2026)
Network One tickets and Newcastle or North Tyneside SmartZone tickets
Any other non-Arriva tickets will not be accepted beyond this date.

Customers are advised to review their ticket options before travelling, particularly where journeys involve services operated by both companies.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This line makes me laugh. The fact they have to state that its correct of the time they post this. Only cause Kim and whoever sorts the whole tickets out want to silently remove this ticket and make everyone pay £7.50 which no doubt will rise when and if that ticket goes cause that's how everything works. Why make them pay £7.50 for a ticket. It'll be either 7.80 (the old Tyne & Wear Ticket before this new one was introduced) or a shocking £8. 

Wouldn't shock me if it does happen

(Yesterday, 8:59 pm)Economic505 wrote Another reason to take back control of buses.

Yes, because other multi-operator tickets don't already exist? It's hardly end of the world.

The qualifying agreement which allows this joint ticket arrangement, could have been maintained, irrespective of the timetable in place. However NECA refused to do so. Without LA agreement, a QA cannot happen, so it ends.

People still think asking NECA to run the show will somehow be better... this event alone shows how they have absolutely no idea whatsoever.

---

(Yesterday, 9:18 pm)Nerd4321 wrote This line makes me laugh. The fact they have to state that its correct of the time they post this. Only cause Kim and whoever sorts the whole tickets out want to silently remove this ticket and make everyone pay £7.50 which no doubt will rise when and if that ticket goes cause that's how everything works. Why make them pay £7.50 for a ticket. It'll be either 7.80 (the old Tyne & Wear Ticket before this new one was introduced) or a shocking £8. 

Wouldn't shock me if it does happen

They don't want to remove it, it WILL be removed.
It was agreed at a NECA meeting back in December. 

From 1 April, only the Tyne & Wear day ticket will no longer exist. Durham and Northumberland days will also increase I understand.

(Today, 10:17 am)Superman wrote Yes, because other multi-operator tickets don't already exist? It's hardly end of the world.

The qualifying agreement which allows this joint ticket arrangement, could have been maintained, irrespective of the timetable in place. However NECA refused to do so. Without LA agreement, a QA cannot happen, so it ends.

People still think asking NECA to run the show will somehow be better... this event alone shows how they have absolutely no idea whatsoever.

---

They don't want to remove it, it WILL be removed.
It was agreed at a NECA meeting back in December. 

From 1 April, only the Tyne & Wear day ticket will no longer exist. Durham and Northumberland days will also increase I understand.

Whats the point in introducing a ticket only for you to then remove it. Its stupid making people now pay £7.50 (or more if it increases)

(11 hours ago)Nerd4321 wrote Whats the point in introducing a ticket only for you to then remove it. Its stupid making people now pay £7.50 (or more if it increases)

BSIP funding running low. Admittedly they should have perhaps kept a bus only version

(10 hours ago)220631612 wrote BSIP funding running low. Admittedly they should have perhaps kept a bus only version

£7.50 will be the cheapest from April then? Potentially even more expensive if they put it up.

The only exception will be single operator tickets (GNE, Nexus, Stagecoach). No cheaper options for Arriva, Northstar or Peter Hogg.

Also a ridiculous decision as it excludes Metro and Shields Ferry use, if passengers can access one bus operator (doesn't apply to Arriva, they scrapped their own tickets), and therefore get a cheaper bus-only ticket. So much for integrated transport!

Bad timing for the Coast Road agreement to end as well. Fares are suddenly getting expensive again. Maybe Arriva could reintroduce their own day ticket, Northstar only run the X22 and X43 commercially, and Peter Hogg only have the X74 within Tyne & Wear, so can't see anything changing there.

Bus-only multi-operator ticket would be an improvement compared to paying £7.50 for everything, but is a backwards step in terms of integrated transport and pushing customers towards interchanges to use Metro services.

(9 hours ago)OrangeArrow49 wrote £7.50 will be the cheapest from April then? Potentially even more expensive if they put it up.

The only exception will be single operator tickets (GNE, Nexus, Stagecoach). No cheaper options for Arriva, Northstar or Peter Hogg.

Also a ridiculous decision as it excludes Metro and Shields Ferry use, if passengers can access one bus operator (doesn't apply to Arriva, they scrapped their own tickets), and therefore get a cheaper bus-only ticket. So much for integrated transport!

Bad timing for the Coast Road agreement to end as well. Fares are suddenly getting expensive again. Maybe Arriva could reintroduce their own day ticket, Northstar only run the X22 and X43 commercially, and Peter Hogg only have the X74 within Tyne & Wear, so can't see anything changing there.

Bus-only multi-operator ticket would be an improvement compared to paying £7.50 for everything, but is a backwards step in terms of integrated transport and pushing customers towards interchanges to use Metro services.

Politicians have a fascination with integrated transport.

This means most if their "improvements" focus around that. They forget or don't bother to even ask about those who only need to use one type, which is probably most people.

(8 hours ago)Superman wrote Politicians have a fascination with integrated transport.

This means most if their "improvements" focus around that. They forget or don't bother to even ask about those who only need to use one type, which is probably most people.

But surely this is less integrated? Scrapping the Day Rover and making fares substantially more expensive for many, surely means people will stick to one bus operator if they possibly can, to save money. Obviously this isn't always possible.

Genuinely not sure how many people only use one mode of transport, presumably far more bus-only than Metro-only, as not everyone has a local Metro station.

Arriva should (but probably won't) bring their day ticket options back. GNE and Stagecoach have their own day ticket products, although that could realistically change as well.

The day rover is surely part of an integrated transport network?

(8 hours ago)OrangeArrow49 wrote But surely this is less integrated? Scrapping the Day Rover and making fares substantially more expensive for many, surely means people will stick to one bus operator if they possibly can, to save money. Obviously this isn't always possible.

Genuinely not sure how many people only use one mode of transport, presumably far more bus-only than Metro-only, as not everyone has a local Metro station.

Arriva should (but probably won't) bring their day ticket options back. GNE and Stagecoach have their own day ticket products, although that could realistically change as well.

The day rover is surely part of an integrated transport network?

Arriva already have the Coastliner Route saver, they only really need something for the Great North Road. They don't have the Newcastle area network they once had, so probably unlikely to consider either.