(17 Oct 2025, 4:20 pm)Adrian wrote I don't think it'll be the last big jump either. I think we'll see more businesses or organisations attracted to City Centre accommodation, and to be honest, we need to encourage that. It's pointless banging on about the high street and retail, it's got to be about repurposing space and introducing new footfall.

And if that happens (and I think it will), the network will work again. as it did in the 80s, when people actually needed to be in the City Centre. Just goes to show that, like clothes, if you resist changing a bus network for 40 years, it'll eventually come back into fashion.

(16 Oct 2025, 3:04 pm)DodgepotMcDougal wrote All Operators/modes are going to need to do something. You can't dump up thousands of people a day in to the transport network without it breaking.

Metro is at capacity without significant investment. I'm not sure where the additional DMU trains are for Northern. The short and medium solution has to be bus. Be that enhanced frequencies, Park and Ride. Express buses or a mix of all three.

Local authorities will have to step up as well - I just hope the "active" travel merchants that riddle these organisations are shot in to the sun with regards this issue. The last thing needed is even further reduced road space for mass people movers (buses) on the approaches to the city. I know three people that are going to be moving in, and they ain't getting on a bike!

Metro capacity will have increased with the new fleet rolled out by then, and also a system wide frequency increase will be possible thanks to the Metro Flow project a few years back.

New trains coming to Northern and the likes of Transport for Wales should free up additional 158s to come to the NE.

If you’ve visited any forward thinking cities such as London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam etc you’ll have seen that reallocating city centre road space to public transport and active travel is much more efficient in terms of volume of people moving, and is better for people’s health and the environment.
However, as others have said some councils here aren’t too willing and are scared to upset drivers, especially on the run up to the elections.

(Yesterday, 7:10 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Metro capacity will have increased with the new fleet rolled out by then, and also a system wide frequency increase will be possible thanks to the Metro Flow project a few years back.

New trains coming to Northern and the likes of Transport for Wales should free up additional 158s to come to the NE.

If you’ve visited any forward thinking cities such as London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam etc you’ll have seen that reallocating city centre road space to public transport and active travel is much more efficient in terms of volume of people moving, and is better for people’s health and the environment.
However, as others have said some councils here aren’t too willing and are scared to upset drivers, especially on the run up to the elections.

I don't even think that's the core of the issue here. The issue is that they can dig, change and reallocate all the road space they want, but they do not have the power (at present) to change the network in such a way that space is utilised. 

We've seen other examples around the region, where bus priority is introduced at great cost, yet the service frequency decreases.

Once there's some cooperation, hopefully we'll see some improvement.

(Yesterday, 8:04 pm)Adrian wrote I don't even think that's the core of the issue here. The issue is that they can dig, change and reallocate all the road space they want, but they do not have the power (at present) to change the network in such a way that space is utilised. 

We've seen other examples around the region, where bus priority is introduced at great cost, yet the service frequency decreases.

Once there's some cooperation, hopefully we'll see some improvement.

The heart of the issue is that councils don't see the direct financial cost of needing more drivers or vehicles to deliver the same or worse level of service due to worsening travel speeds.

Apart from a small number of individuals, they see buses no differently to lorries or delivery companies. Why should buses get special treatment? That is the attitude which riddles the councils.

So the easiest thing for them to do is keep the car users happy, as they are bigger voting block. It's as simple as that.

(5 hours ago)DodgepotMcDougal wrote The heart of the issue is that councils don't see the direct financial cost of needing more drivers or vehicles to deliver the same or worse level of service due to worsening travel speeds.

Apart from a small number of individuals, they see buses no differently to lorries or delivery companies. Why should buses get special treatment? That is the attitude which riddles the councils.

So the easiest thing for them to do is keep the car users happy, as they are bigger voting block. It's as simple as that.

If we are talking NCC then i think the last thisng they do is keep car drivers happy. More bus and cycle routes than ever.  Car parking charged increasing more the inflation. Charging BBH to park in their car parks when it used to be free.

I also dont see any Lorry only lanes or any  Delevery company stops.

The buck stops ( in my view) with the mentality of people. People dont want to move from there car onto a bus.  Im on my own at the minute but when my staff come in 99% of them, i have no doubt, would NEFER change or return to publi transport.

And on a side note a couple of 18 something where I live has just passed there test and are now driving rather than have to use the bus