(13 Jul 2016, 5:06 am)MVK 500R wrote GNE stealthy increasing the price of the North Tyne Saver. Nothing on their website, or Facebook, but there's a poster on 5251 telling you that from today, the weekly pass is £13.15 and the day saver is £3.95.

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What a joke not even advertising it. I was on a Coaster last night and there was nothing on there at all just a poster about service changes. Have the single fares gone up too?

(13 Jul 2016, 5:06 am)MVK 500R wrote GNE stealthy increasing the price of the North Tyne Saver. Nothing on their website, or Facebook, but there's a poster on 5251 telling you that from today, the weekly pass is £13.15 and the day saver is £3.95.

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It's the same prices for a Washington Day Saver as well now, bearing in mind you can use a North Tyne Saver from Newcastle to Blyth, but you can only use the Washington Day Saver between Fatfield and Washington for example, or Vigo and Stephenson Industrial Estate.

(13 Jul 2016, 8:23 am)LeeCalder wrote It's the same prices for a Washington Day Saver as well now, bearing in mind you can use a North Tyne Saver from Newcastle to Blyth, but you can only use the Washington Day Saver between Fatfield and Washington for example, or Vigo and Stephenson Industrial Estate.

Surely this is just an example of a competitive pricing strategy?

There is heavy competition in North Tyneside from both Arriva and Stagecoach, but none in Washington. The profit per ticket won't be as great in North Tyneside as it will be in Washington.

GNE North Tyne Day ticket is same price as Stagecoach Day Rider. Which means if I'm going to Newcastle, I will be paying the same regardless of who turns up first. Though Stagecoach is the better option as they run 3 buses an hour in the evening from Newcastle.

1 single fares have stayed the same but the 17 ones have gone up to £2.15, £2.85 etc.

(13 Jul 2016, 5:06 am)MVK 500R wrote GNE stealthy increasing the price of the North Tyne Saver. Nothing on their website, or Facebook, but there's a poster on 5251 telling you that from today, the weekly pass is £13.15 and the day saver is £3.95.

Sent from my Xperia Z5 Premium

You can find nothing about the fare increases on the website, but did you know that "bus is third less stressful than car commute" or the NE1 Newcastle Motor Show is on 9th and 10th July?

At least you can find useful news eh...

(13 Jul 2016, 6:20 pm)Adrian wrote You can find nothing about the fare increases on the website, but did you know that "bus is third less stressful than car commute" or the NE1 Newcastle Motor Show is on 9th and 10th July?

At least you can find useful news eh...

To be fair; all of the bus operators in the North East are partaking in Catch the Bus Week, and the Newcastle Motor Show one contains details of diversions.

Not a fan of the completely irrelevant articles, but that does not seem to be the case this time.

(13 Jul 2016, 6:32 pm)Dan wrote To be fair; all of the bus operators in the North East are partaking in Catch the Bus Week, and the Newcastle Motor Show one contains details of diversions.

Not a fan of the completely irrelevant articles, but that does not seem to be the case this time.

That's all good and well, and I'd support that, but I feel that it shouldn't be at the detriment of providing the company's own travel information to existing customers.

(13 Jul 2016, 6:35 pm)Adrian wrote That's all good and well, and I'd support that, but I feel that it shouldn't be at the detriment of providing the company's own travel information to existing customers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing the lack of information on the website regarding the revised fares... Just don't see a problem with those articles!

(13 Jul 2016, 6:35 pm)Adrian wrote That's all good and well, and I'd support that, but I feel that it shouldn't be at the detriment of providing the company's own travel information to existing customers.

Talking of travel information, did you notice if anything was on the site about the week long closure of Pelaw Bank?
There's only a couple of days before it starts and its a canny hike for people who need to get a bus. The nearest stops will be Chester South Burns or Pelton.

(13 Jul 2016, 6:44 pm)Dan wrote Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing the lack of information on the website regarding the revised fares... Just don't see a problem with those articles!

News such as the increasing of fares should be prioritised over news articles that detail Catch the Bus Week. I heard a couple of complaints today about the lack of prior information with the increase in price of the Chester-le-Street Daysaver.

(13 Jul 2016, 7:28 pm)R852 PRG wrote News such as the increasing of fares should be prioritised over news articles that detail Catch the Bus Week. I heard a couple of complaints today about the lack of prior information with the increase in price of the Chester-le-Street Daysaver.

I disagree. It costs nothing (other than the time to type the article) to add something to the website...

Why should there be any need to prioritise which news is posted?

There will be good reason (whatever it may be) for the information not being posted online. It won't be because they'd already posted an article relating to Catch the Bus Week.

(13 Jul 2016, 7:31 pm)Dan wrote I disagree. It costs nothing (other than the time to type the article) to add something to the website...

Why should there be any need to prioritise which news is posted?

There will be good reason (whatever it may be) for the information not being posted online. It won't be because they'd already posted an article relating to Catch the Bus Week.

Which one has more of an impact on customers is the first port of call... Do they want to know if they're having to pay more to travel, or are they more interested in Catch the Bus Week?

Catch the bus week and special events like the car show thingy (some gret, some downrigh tacky) are significant marketing events and I can see no reason for them not to be promoted, as it' customers what keep a bus company viable (200+ vehicle company in Wales announced its insolvency and such, this evening - size no guarantee of success) but fare changes are pretty damned important. No excuse for not publicising them.

Fare increases are a difficult one but should always be communicated. I think it's been accepted as an own goal. I suppose it's easier to communicate in an area where GNE don't have a complete monopoly too.

On a side note I've found GNE Facebook responses have at times gone back to their old patronising roots. Disappointing. Don't get me started on logging a feedback form. They've made improvements but still so much to learn around customers being put first

(13 Jul 2016, 7:31 pm)Dan wrote I disagree. It costs nothing (other than the time to type the article) to add something to the website...

Why should there be any need to prioritise which news is posted?

There will be good reason (whatever it may be) for the information not being posted online. It won't be because they'd already posted an article relating to Catch the Bus Week.

Surly updating your passengers on such matters (fare increases) is the best way to keep passengers?

If people are unaware of a fare increase, surely they will look for a cheaper or more reliable alternative?

(13 Jul 2016, 11:06 pm)Ambassador wrote Fare increases are a difficult one but should always be communicated. I think it's been accepted as an own goal. I suppose it's easier to communicate in an area where GNE don't have a complete monopoly too.

On a side note I've found GNE Facebook responses have at times gone back to their old patronising roots. Disappointing. Don't get me started on logging a feedback form. They've made improvements but still so much to learn around customers being put first

Again, I shadow this comment, I find their social media team totally ostentatious, and something needs to be done about that.

They are patronizing passengers on a daily basis!

(14 Jul 2016, 8:47 am)LeeCalder wrote Surly updating your passengers on such matters (fare increases) is the best way to keep passengers?

If people are unaware of a fare increase, surely they will look for a cheaper or more reliable alternative?

I don't think anyone is disputing the importance of posting information regarding fare revisions?

BusLoverMum has hit the nail on the head.

(14 Jul 2016, 3:22 pm)Dan wrote I don't think anyone is disputing the importance of posting information regarding fare revisions?

BusLoverMum has hit the nail on the head.

Well I certainly believe that updating passengers on fares has more importance than the NE1 Motor Show, and an article which claims Go North East have a 100% Easy Access fleet.

The NE1 Motor Show would have had to have been mentioned on the website in some form as the Quaylink network had to be diverted because of it. They were not only advertising the event but also informing passengers of the diversions at the same time.

(14 Jul 2016, 4:29 pm)S813 FVK wrote The NE1 Motor Show would have had to have been mentioned on the website in some form as the Quaylink network had to be diverted because of it. They were not only advertising the event but also informing passengers of the diversions at the same time.

Well surely the fare changes should also have been advertised?

I receive an email alerting me of any Arriva, Stagecoach, TrentBarton or NCT fare changes, as well as it being stated on their websites.

(14 Jul 2016, 4:36 pm)LeeCalder wrote Well surely the fare changes should also have been advertised?

I receive an email alerting me of any Arriva, Stagecoach, TrentBarton or NCT fare changes, as well as it being stated on their websites.

Ideally, yes. I think it will be interesting to see the reason why they were not advertised if one is ever given.

As Michael has pointed out on the forum the other day, the website still hasn't been updated to reflect various service changes that have happened - including the loss of the 68 and the change to the 36. This, again, isn't exactly fantastic

Screwed up my order in McDonald's, I don't like anything on burgers but tomato ketchup but sure enough I neglected to mention this and ended up with a Big Mac with everything on it.

This is the sort of thing that causes me all sorts of pain and frustration on a daily basis.

---

Also I tripped on my first bus this morning as some idiot had his leg in the aisle when I wanted to be off, fortunately I stopped myself from falling flat on my face.

Oaps on the 35 took nearly all the seats and a man having a bag on the opposite seat meaning me and 2 others had to stand

(14 Jul 2016, 6:53 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Oaps on the 35 took nearly all the seats and a man having a bag on the opposite seat meaning me and 2 others had to stand

OAPs are entitled to sit on the seats, just as much as you & I are. I do hate people who occupy two seats when a bus is busy though.

(14 Jul 2016, 6:53 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Oaps on the 35 took nearly all the seats and a man having a bag on the opposite seat meaning me and 2 others had to stand

I got the 7:03am number 18 (Stagecoach) this morning, was great, no one was on the bus so had a great choice of where to sit! 

Then again, it stopped once between Springwell and Southwick.....

(14 Jul 2016, 6:58 pm)Jimmi wrote OAPs are entitled to sit on the seats, just as much as you & I are. I do hate people who occupy two seats when a bus is busy though.

I no but its frustrating when you folk out £13 on a week ticket and a service not expected to be busy is more busy than the likes of the pb20

(14 Jul 2016, 7:45 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote I no but its frustrating when you folk out £13 on a week ticket and a service not expected to be busy is more busy than the likes of the pb20

Oh I'm sorry your bus is too busy for you. Well then, we get the bus companies to run loads of buses empty at a loss. Oh whats that the bus company have ran out of money and can no longer run. Well then, there's no bus to get busy for you now, you have to walk instead. Problem Solved, oh wait the pavements will now be too crowded because everyone is walking because there is no buses because someone complained they were too busy.

Get real, everyone is entitled to use the bus regardless of whether they have a pass or paid a fare.

Waking up to watch the news to hear that, 80 people are dead in Nice, France, due to a truck driver driving in to a crowd.

http://news.sky.com/story/live-scores-de...e-10502078

R.I.P

My bus was unusually quiet, this afternoon.

Got home to find that. For the second time in a week, someone has vandalised the new render on the house. Livid.