(26 Jan 2022, 9:26 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Go North East are my favourite operator, but they don't really have much to offer besides cheaper fares when only their services. They don't have a solid network in Newcastle or North Tyneside (although I would argue their Cobalts are better than Arriva's 306/308 and if the 309 journey time was equal to Arriva's 308 for Whitley Bay it would be even better.

There's not much in it timing wise for the 308 & 309 now.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...s-22911346


This looks interesting! Wonder if Arriva will bid for the evening section between Tynemouth & Whitley Bay to replace most of North Shields to Whitley Bay section of the Coaster? Bearing in mind the evening 306 currently gets a long layover in Tynemouth doing jack s*** for 32 minutes. North Shields to Marden would be mostly covered but Arriva would probably have to re-route the evening 306 via Mast Lane and John Street / Whitley Road.

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Evening 311 I agree getting rid off. I'd even go as far as putting some early morning 310 journeys through Hadrian Park too.

Evenings, it would be sensible for the following 309 & 310 departures to try and provide some sort of a combined service with Arriva:

309: 1945, 2045, 2150, 2250
310: 2020, 2120, 2220, 2325

Evening 309s could go back to running standalone with 1 minute taken off in both directions and no less than 3 mins layover in Blyth and 5 minutes at Haymarket.

Evening 310s would get 10 mins layover at Haymarket and no more than 22 mins layover in North Shields depending on running times.

I think it would be better to encourage people to use the Metro throughout North Tyneside and have shuttle services to most stations.

For example: Whitley Bay to Blyth. Billy Mill to Cullercoats etc.

(29 Jan 2022, 6:39 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I think it would be better to encourage people to use the Metro throughout North Tyneside and have shuttle services to most stations.

For example: Whitley Bay to Blyth. Billy Mill to Cullercoats etc.

Billy Mill to Cullercoats is the wrong direction, that really would see complaints. In the Metro integration period we did have short routes from local areas to Metro interchanges, eg Hadrian Park, Battle Hill, High Farm and Howdon to Wallsend or Howdon metros. It seemed to work quite well as all services were frequent (mainly double deck). The same thing happened for Heworth and Four Lane Ends. The biggest complaints I seem to remember were about changing at Gateshead when you could actually see your destination over the river. The Coast Road still had a frequent service of the 306 and 308. Transfare tickets could also be used bus to bus as well as Metro; I would possibly use bus/Metro one way  and bus/bus return. My fare from Station Rd in Wallsend was 37p Transfare to Newcastle (1980s)!

Transfers were great when you had 90minuted to use it as much as you can. Could get all the way to sunderland for 5'p child transfer from gosforth on a sunday.

https://www.facebook.com/100009920923911...5043784754

Live update from Martijn tonight.

Mod note: North Tyneside changes related posts have been moved to here.

MG has done another video update, about Open Day, Consultation.

I must say GNE planned these announcements came just after the open day, imagine if the open day was this week, there would just be people there complaining. Although he did say these changes aren't going to be final (as said) and that the list will be no where near

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Apparently they've won a lot of nexus contracts aswell for schools

(16 May 2022, 7:13 pm)Unber43 wrote MG has done another video update, about Open Day, Consultation.

I must say GNE planned these announcements came just after the open day, imagine if the open day was this week, there would just be people there complaining. Although he did say these changes aren't going to be final (as said) and that the list will be no where near

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Apparently they've won a lot of nexus contracts aswell for schools

What an absolute shyster.

I’m confident I can get you the taxpayer to continue funding our services to keep our share price on the up. We know there’s plenty of money out there in the old PTE so I’ll be at the trough. 

If the process had any testicles I’d ban GNE outright from bidding on anything.

(17 May 2022, 12:08 am)Ambassador wrote What an absolute shyster.

I’m confident I can get you the taxpayer to continue funding our services to keep our share price on the up. We know there’s plenty of money out there in the old PTE so I’ll be at the trough. 

If the process had any testicles I’d ban GNE outright from bidding on anything.

I don't think it'd be wise to ban GNE from bidding.

I do however think the contract, if they win a service they've withdrawn commercially, should be of the variety where they don't collect any of the revenue. Either they run the service commercially, or they're essentially a driver for hire, they shouldn't be able to double dip!

(17 May 2022, 12:38 am)streetdeckfan wrote I don't think it'd be wise to ban GNE from bidding.

I do however think the contract, if they win a service they've withdrawn commercially, should be of the variety where they don't collect any of the revenue. Either they run the service commercially, or they're essentially a driver for hire, they shouldn't be able to double dip!

Minimum subsidy bids provide better value to Nexus, and in turn the taxpayer.

Having all bids as minimum cost would result in higher prices, and, during these times of budget constraints, possibly fewer services being “saved”.

I am a big fan of minimum subsidy contracts as it’s the middle ground between something being wholly funded by the taxpayer and something being commercial. It incentivises the operator to do more to increase patronage and growth, for the route to eventually stand on its own two feet (again?)


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(17 May 2022, 12:08 am)Ambassador wrote What an absolute shyster.

I’m confident I can get you the taxpayer to continue funding our services to keep our share price on the up. We know there’s plenty of money out there in the old PTE so I’ll be at the trough. 

If the process had any testicles I’d ban GNE outright from bidding on anything.

Possibly my favourite comment of the day.

Just a shame there isn't a photoshopped image to illustrate the point of your second paragraph.

Maybe its time to look again at the ban on local authorities forming new municipal bus companies.

It'd an absolutely sickening system whereby an operator can decide they don't want to do some work, for the local authority to then pay them to do a work, and in some cases them still making a margin on it.

It's about time to stop the madness of this gravy train and start running this work in house, if the private sector don't want to do it.

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(17 May 2022, 9:50 am)Adrian wrote Maybe its time to look again at the ban on local authorities forming new municipal bus companies.

It'd an absolutely sickening system whereby an operator can decide they don't want to do some work, for the local authority to then pay them to do a work, and in some cases them still making a margin on it.

It's about time to stop the madness of this gravy train and start running this work in house, if the private sector don't want to do it.

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I wouldn't have a problem with an inhouse NEXUS team bidding for competitive tenders. They did that with T&W Metro after all (which they somehow lost to DB). But only if they operate services differently to what is being replaced and failed

It's no good them essentially just replacing like for like. NEXUS had a great opportunity to do something with North Tyneside wider network and ended up with more of the same!

Problem we have is we have jobs that start at 2am 3am 4am 5am and even 6am or finish vice verser say team Valley for example or Nissan or anywhere in general however you have to drive to be able to start the shift

Once these workers drive a vehicle its very hard to get them off.

Here is just a few examples

How do you start a job at 4am in Team Valley but get to it from

Sunderland
Newcastle
Whitley Bay
Gosforth
Washington

It's very hard and challenging balance but I do think and I would be quite happy to see fully subsided night bus operating in an hourly service around an area. Sure PTE did this in the 80s... remember seeing a timetable which I think was a fair reflection to cover as much as possible

Think it was to coincide with shipyard and pit workers

Could someone post the link please?
Thanks

(17 May 2022, 3:22 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Could someone post the link please?
Thanks

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_f...3142216376&id=100009920923911

Might need to copy and paste the link into the browser rather than clicking it

(17 May 2022, 10:58 am)DaveFromUpNorth wrote Problem we have is we have jobs that start at 2am 3am 4am 5am and even 6am or finish vice verser say team Valley  for example or Nissan or anywhere in general however you have to drive to be able to start the shift

Once these workers drive a vehicle its very hard to get them off.

Here is just a few examples

How do you start a job at 4am in Team Valley but get to it from

Sunderland
Newcastle
Whitley Bay
Gosforth
Washington

It's very hard and challenging  balance but I do think and I would be quite happy to see fully subsided night bus operating in an hourly service around an area. Sure PTE did this in the 80s... remember seeing a timetable which I think was a fair reflection to cover as much as possible

Think it was to coincide with shipyard and pit workers

In fairness it's hard to get to Team Valley from all those places during the day nevermind in the evening. It would involve getting to Gateshead somehow which if your away from the Metro isn't the easiest or changing somewhere inappropriate (waiting wise) like Wrekenton.

Try getting from Low Fell to Gosforth for half six in the morning. I had to end up using the car because the bus and metro were so unreliable. Now with proposed service cuts it would be even harder to get a bus. You've lost me as a customer GNE.

Charles