(17 Sep 2020, 7:50 pm)makem1 wrote Now we are in local lockdown and advised not to travel at peak will we still have dupes on the schools routes

I’d guess so, as schools and workplaces are still open and social distancing will be more important than ever to prevent infections. So more buses, the better social distancing etc.

I'd be surprised if bus usage drops much at peak times tbh, people still need to get to work. Very few people will travel at peak times for leisure stuff as bus passes don't start until 9am.

Lockdown style restrictions. Not a local lockdown

You're advised not to, not legislated not to, so I cannot see any reason to cancel dupes.

(17 Sep 2020, 5:04 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Good to see that you've taken the views of the staff into account, that seems very rare these days!

I personally don't see how they can say public transport is for essential travel only, yet still allow pubs to remain open. Surely there's a higher chance of catching COVID at a pub than their is getting the bus

Why would pubs be more dangerous than public transport?

(17 Sep 2020, 5:04 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Good to see that you've taken the views of the staff into account, that seems very rare these days!

I personally don't see how they can say public transport is for essential travel only, yet still allow pubs to remain open. Surely there's a higher chance of catching COVID at a pub than their is getting the bus

Public transport is a key part of the confidence of getting our people into the office. We can have as many one way systems or distanced desks as we like to build confidence but if they aren’t comfortable using transport it knocks it back. Can’t say I blame them. I’ve fully abandoned the bus and metro for the car.

On pubs, no. I’d say public transport is more dangerous. Higher use rate, absolutely zero enforcement of masks and minimal social distancing. I feel way more comfortable at my socially distanced local (now with table service) than I do on a bus or metro with no controls in a confined space,  I’d guess the only people on public transport right now are ones who have no other choice (or balmy enthusiasts)

(17 Sep 2020, 10:13 pm)James101 wrote Why would pubs be more dangerous than public transport?

(17 Sep 2020, 11:15 pm)Ambassador wrote On pubs, no. I’d say public transport is more dangerous. Higher use rate, absolutely zero enforcement of masks and minimal social distancing. I feel way more comfortable at my socially distanced local (now with table service) than I do on a bus or metro with no controls in a confined space,  I’d guess the only people on public transport right now are ones who have no other choice (or balmy enthusiasts)

Every time I've been to the pub for a meal, there has been absolutely no social distancing whatsoever. I've been to several different Spoons (Bishop, Spennymoor, Crook and Metrocentre) as well as a couple 'locals' and they've all been the same. When I brought it up with one of the 'locals' the response was "There's nothing we can do". That pretty much says it all.

At least on public transport 95% of passengers are wearing a mask, I've yet to see a single person in a pub wearing one, even when walking to the table.

For the past week or so, every time I've got the bus and not been wearing my mask, I've been asked if I have one, which is great, and very much an improvement over my past experiece. I try and wear it as much as possible, but sometimes I physically can't!

We have a social club at the end of the street, and everyone is huddled together at the door smoking.

(17 Sep 2020, 7:50 pm)makem1 wrote Now we are in local lockdown and advised not to travel at peak will we still have dupes on the schools routes

We’re not in local lockdown, there have just been additional restrictions implemented locally to try and prevent the need for a local lockdown.

Where have you read about being advised not to travel at peak times?
I’ve read, “Residents are advised to only use public transport for essential purposes, such as travelling to school or work”.

(18 Sep 2020, 10:28 pm)ne14ne1 wrote We’re not in local lockdown, there have just been additional restrictions implemented locally to try and prevent the need for a local lockdown.

Where have you read about being advised not to travel at peak times?
I’ve read, “Residents are advised to only use public transport for essential purposes, such as travelling to school or work”.

It's possible the guidance from the government could be taken that way, but then again they have to cover their own arses so they always advise against everything

From the official guidance 
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/north-east-o...strictions 

Travel restrictions

You should follow all relevant transport guidance when making a journey into, within or out of the affected areas.

You must wear a face covering on public transport and in substantially enclosed areas of transport hubs in England (as well as in a range of other indoor premises). You will be breaking the law if you fail to do so and could be fined. Some people do not have to wear a face covering including for age, health, or disability reasons.

We advise that you should only travel for essential reasons when travelling into, within and out of the affected areas. We encourage you to walk or cycle where possible and to plan your journey in advance, avoiding busy times and routes if possible. Examples of essential travel include:

• to get to and from work
  
• to get essential food or medical supplies including click and collect services
  
• to support someone who is vulnerable, if no one else can do so
  
• to travel to and from the homes of others in your support bubble
  
• to attend an early years setting, school or college, or to accompany a child who is attending an early years setting, school, college or university where necessary
  
• to fulfil legal obligations
  
• to seek medical care, or avoid illness, injury or harm
  

From the above list of "reasonable" purposes for using public transport, the one about visiting "homes of others in your support bubble" will not apply where socialising is discouraged or outlawed.

(20 Sep 2020, 10:28 am)Metroline1511 wrote From the above list of "reasonable" purposes for using public transport, the one about visiting "homes of others in your support bubble" will not apply where socialising is discouraged or outlawed.

Surely support bubbles are an exception.

A rather damning piece in the Northern Echo this morning about Arriva: https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1...ive-covid/

Ouch that's pretty damning

Blimey. That does not instil confidence at all.

The last Belmont bus I caught (1331) was pretty grubby but I put that down to the fact that it had probably been full of school kids a couple of hours previously. Now I'm wondering how long it really had been since it was cleaned properly.

(26 Sep 2020, 4:20 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Blimey. That does not instil confidence at all.

The last Belmont bus I caught (1331) was pretty grubby but I put that down to the fact that it had probably been full of school kids a couple of hours previously. Now I'm wondering how long it really had been since it was cleaned properly.

I think some are doing a lot more than others in terms of cleaning. I genuinely find GNE buses and the Metro to be a lot cleaner (at the start of the day), but there's always room for improvement too. For example, I've tried a couple of times to find the 'cleaning in between journeys', as described in this video.

But my concern having read the Northern Echo article, is that if a company cannot get it right for their staff, then what hope do we have of them getting it right for their customers? The fact that they couldn't confidently deny the allegations in response to the article speaks volumes for me.

(26 Sep 2020, 9:53 pm)Adrian wrote I think some are doing a lot more than others in terms of cleaning. I genuinely find GNE buses and the Metro to be a lot cleaner (at the start of the day), but there's always room for improvement too. For example, I've tried a couple of times to find the 'cleaning in between journeys', as described in this video.

But my concern having read the Northern Echo article, is that if a company cannot get it right for their staff, then what hope do we have of them getting it right for their customers? The fact that they couldn't confidently deny the allegations in response to the article speaks volumes for me.

From what I've gleaned, over the years, there appears to be a pretty toxic culture in general at faverdale. I remember waiting for an X26 and having a driver tell us that he doesn't even know if our bus will run because they can't find a driver for it - this was when there was a real recruitment and retention crisis coming to light at that depot. And, of course, that awful business with the ecocity and the driver having ignored a safety precaution in the same way, allegedly, as many other drivers at the depot.

(26 Sep 2020, 9:53 pm)Adrian wrote I think some are doing a lot more than others in terms of cleaning. I genuinely find GNE buses and the Metro to be a lot cleaner (at the start of the day), but there's always room for improvement too. For example, I've tried a couple of times to find the 'cleaning in between journeys', as described in this video.

But my concern having read the Northern Echo article, is that if a company cannot get it right for their staff, then what hope do we have of them getting it right for their customers? The fact that they couldn't confidently deny the allegations in response to the article speaks volumes for me.

As I've said before, I've used Eldon Square countless times and yet to see a bus being cleaned in between journeys, both during the 'peak' and in quieter times. As soon as the last passenger is off, the first one gets on. Having said that, services that terminate before Eldon Square may be cleaned elsewhere before arriving to save taking up a stand whilst cleaning. 

And to be fair, I've used the Arriva 6 quite a few times in the evenings and for the most part they've been spotless (by Arriva standards anyway!), but obviously they're from a different depot.

I think it's also a bit disingenuous to put the blame on Arriva alone, if the drivers aren't sticking to social distancing and wearing masks where they should, that's on them just as much as it is on Arriva.
Sure, Arriva should be enforcing it, but at the end of the day, they shouldn't have to!

(26 Sep 2020, 10:42 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I think it's also a bit disingenuous to put the blame on Arriva alone, if the drivers aren't sticking to social distancing and wearing masks where they should, that's on them just as much as it is on Arriva.
Sure, Arriva should be enforcing it, but at the end of the day, they shouldn't have to!

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

(26 Sep 2020, 10:48 pm)Adrian wrote Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Yes, but my point was more that the drivers shouldn't need the company breathing down their necks to follow the rules.

It's because they have the mindset of "If nobody is going to tell me off, why should I follow the rules". Then again, from what I hear that's just part of the workplace culture at Arriva

If you believe that big companies are really doing anything for Covid then your having a laugh it's all just a smokescreen to look good. I've heard some rather damning reports about Morrisons from someone who works there in the sense of them bodging the number of staff who've caught the virus so they didn't have to shut the shop (this is in the middle of lockdown at the peak); deep cleaning the store and not actually doing anything at all after someone catching it and asking someone to come in 7 days after having the virus. This is from one of their largest stores in the North East (probably the biggest actually) so it's not some small secondary store they have.

Profits before safety any day of the week. It wouldn't surprise me if any of the big 3 are doing anything extra than what they should be doing normally (the Metro cleaning staff are actually doing something as usually it's questionable what they actually do) bar the occasional misting.

The fact that some are advertising that they're cleaning touch points daily now is quite disturbing - surely this should be done anyway...

(27 Sep 2020, 10:58 am)Storx wrote If you believe that big companies are really doing anything for Covid then your having a laugh it's all just a smokescreen to look good. I've heard some rather damning reports about Morrisons from someone who works there in the sense of them bodging the number of staff who've caught the virus so they didn't have to shut the shop (this is in the middle of lockdown at the peak); deep cleaning the store and not actually doing anything at all after someone catching it and asking someone to come in 7 days after having the virus. This is from one of their largest stores in the North East (probably the biggest actually) so it's not some small secondary store they have.

Profits before safety any day of the week. It wouldn't surprise me if any of the big 3 are doing anything extra than what they should be doing normally (the Metro cleaning staff are actually doing something as usually it's questionable what they actually do) bar the occasional misting.

The fact that some are advertising that they're cleaning touch points daily now is quite disturbing - surely this should be done anyway...

Actually, I've heard the complete opposite from Sainsburys, in one of their stores they went completely overboard. They were refusing entry for customers without a mask, even if they had a valid exemption, staff were given warnings for walking onto the shop floor without wearing a mask, staff are being told they need to bring in a medical exemption from their doctor if they can't wear a mask otherwise they have to wear one or risk losing their job.

(27 Sep 2020, 11:26 am)streetdeckfan wrote Actually, I've heard the complete opposite from Sainsburys, in one of their stores they went completely overboard. They were refusing entry for customers without a mask, even if they had a valid exemption, staff were given warnings for walking onto the shop floor without wearing a mask, staff are being told they need to bring in a medical exemption from their doctor if they can't wear a mask otherwise they have to wear one or risk losing their job.

tbf to Sainsburys they always did seem quite organised to give them credit - don't know anyone who works there tho so that's just from a customer perspective. It's the way it should be aswell imo. The other 3, not so much. Asda being by far the worst.

(27 Sep 2020, 12:11 pm)Storx wrote tbf to Sainsburys they always did seem quite organised to give them credit - don't know anyone who works there tho so that's just from a customer perspective. It's the way it should be aswell imo. The other 3, not so much. Asda being by far the worst.

I've got family and friends that work at Sainsburys and that's the impression I get, although I know some stores aren't as good.

I agree about ASDA, although as I've said before the one in Bishop was going way overboard with enforcing the one way system, I had to wait in a queue of people to get up an aisle because they wouldn't let me get something from the first freezer in the aisle because I'd walk the wrong way, even though it was completely empty.  ASDA is definitely my store of last resort, the staff are just awful in every store I've been to.

I think it's also shown the difference between ALDI and LIDL, even pre-COVID LIDL were constantly cleaning their stores throughout the day, whereas even now I've never seen a clean ALDI store. When they changed the social distancing sign on the floors, it took up the dirt and left the clean tiles standing out like a sore thumb, and that was in a relatively new store!

As nice as they may be, supermarkets are not a form of public transport.

(27 Sep 2020, 12:45 pm)Adrian wrote As nice as they may be, supermarkets are not a form of public transport.

What if I made the comparison of GNE being LIDL and Arriva being ALDI? Would that make it better?

I've said it before and I'll say it again. 
Until the general public start to see and witness the additional cleaning - people may not believe the PR or spin. Im not sure it is giving them any confidence at all or if it did, it is starting to diminish.

We've been told that cleaning is going on in places such as Eldon Square, but I'm unaware of any of the members on here actually seeing this extra cleaning.
We've been told that there's no cleaning at Heworth and there's definitely no cleaning at the likes of Market St, Houghton or Easington Lane. 

So where is this additional cleaning taking place and by whom? 

This is far from me saying that it's not happening in line with the promises being made, but unless the public see it - then articles like the one in the Northern Echo or coincidences of incidents happening along the route of the 4, will continue to happen.

(27 Sep 2020, 1:34 pm)Andreos1 wrote I've said it before and I'll say it again. 
Until the general public start to see and witness the additional cleaning - people may not believe the PR or spin. Im not sure it is giving them any confidence at all or if it did, it is starting to diminish.

We've been told that cleaning is going on in places such as Eldon Square, but I'm unaware of any of the members on here actually seeing this extra cleaning.
We've been told that there's no cleaning at Heworth and there's definitely no cleaning at the likes of Market St, Houghton or Easington Lane. 

So where is this additional cleaning taking place and by whom? 

This is far from me saying that it's not happening in line with the promises being made, but unless the public see it - then articles like the one in the Northern Echo or coincidences of incidents happening along the route of the 4, will continue to happen.

Quite honestly, until I see some evidence from a third party that the cleaning is happening, I don't believe it is.
It's all well and good Dan or MG saying it's happening with a picture of someone standing with their spray bottle and a rag, but the fact that I've yet to see an independent source confirming it is quite concerning.

Arriva used to have a bloke clean the rubbish from their buses at the Haymarket I couldn't believe the the amount of stuff that used to come off the bus and into the bin

(27 Sep 2020, 1:47 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Quite honestly, until I see some evidence from a third party that the cleaning is happening, I don't believe it is.
It's all well and good Dan or MG saying it's happening with a picture of someone standing with their spray bottle and a rag, but the fact that I've yet to see an independent source confirming it is quite concerning.

I think I've only seen one driver on Newgate Street walking around a bus with a packet of anti bac wipes

(27 Sep 2020, 4:01 pm)Ds1197 wrote I think I've only seen one driver on Newgate Street walking around a bus with a packet of anti bac wipes

That's one more than streetdeckfan has seen!