(23 Mar 2026, 3:34 pm)S830OFT wrote First day of the 599 and only one bus operating this afternoon. Apparently they have had a "breakdown". Guess it sounds better than a "puncture" which is a bit old now.

They did get both of the new buses onto the route this morning it seems, so presume the 82 would have been allocated whatever was spare.

Also the 42 and 71 both seem to have gone missing at various parts of this morning. Wonder why?

Could see this happening, but not first day

(23 Mar 2026, 3:34 pm)S830OFT wrote Also the 42 and 71 both seem to have gone missing at various parts of this morning. Wonder why?

This seems to be an almost daily occurrence at this point, 42 & 71 having journeys which don't operate, often taking a bus from one to allocate to the other, another is the Durham 40/40A/41 being cut from two buses to one, leading to the one bus having to do a hybrid of both routes [40/40A] so trips are doing something like Cathedral - Waterside - Rail Station - Cathedral.

Only one bus on the 71 at the moment one of the 19 seater Mercs with 4 rear facing seats! Whilst the other bus that was on has been taken off at Seaham after only 1 run to go onto the 168, again...

GCT might aswell just hand the contract back as they are just not fulfilling their contractual obligation to provide a service.

One month with only one bus on the Cathedral bus too, I feel sorry for the poor drivers who will no doubt be getting all the questions, not helped by the fact the 42 also tends to go missing at 11am for the rest of the day so the bus can go onto the 71.

They could be a really great company, but sadly they are not doing things correctly at the moment.

Absolutely shambolic  company, should never have been given the 599 contract, Northstar were fine. The Saturday running of 319 service shows how poor and unreliable they are especially with the lack of the ferry crossing.

The 19 has stopped tracking as well, largely anyway, there was a couple of trips tracked this morning then stopped. I hope this changes again as this service experiences a lot of delays at peak times, but with GCT you never know if its coming or not. Especially as they have upped their PVR again.

(24 Mar 2026, 3:21 pm)Baywatcher wrote Absolutely shambolic  company, should never have been given the 599 contract, Northstar were fine. The Saturday running of 319 service shows how poor and unreliable they are especially with the lack of the ferry crossing.

To be fair, they've not been given much time to mobilise, as discussed in the March tenders thread

(24 Mar 2026, 6:08 pm)Kimlfixit wrote To be fair, they've not been given much time to mobilise, as discussed in the March tenders thread

Ummmmm ...... shouldn't they have planned for that BEFORE bidding for or accepting the contract .....?

Day three this week & it's happened again.

The bus from the 71 (WX75OBP) has been taken off the route at Seaham after it's first full trip to go onto the 168.

Explain to the customers on the next trip wanting to go to Chester-le-Street & the trip after to go back to Seaham why their bus has not operated for three consecutive days, just so the bus can go run another route.

Obviously it seems DCC seem to be more lenient recently towards their contracted services not operating in full, especially given one of their routes has not operated with two vehicles for over a month now (40/40A) - a route which is used by mostly elderly & disabled people to get up to the Train Station and Cathedral.

Guys, are you reporting these issues anywhere, or just on here?

If you haven’t already, email:
buses@northeast-ca.gov.uk

Never mind guys... have a read of the FOI contract obligations and if you think there is a breech email it in with evidence

Just remember they are paid using Government money

Anyone able to comment on the 19/19A

The 19, 82 & 599 are all tracking on bus times now.

Just watched a 19 depart North Shields Hub with 204A Durham displayed, bet that driver will end up getting some funny looks

(14 May 2026, 3:34 pm)V514DFT wrote Just watched a 19 depart North Shields Hub  with 204A Durham displayed, bet that driver will end up getting some funny looks

I think there’s one* with a mind of its own because it’s displaying all sorts of random stuff when it’s on the 62.

*either bus or driver - never looked too closely

(16 Jun 2026, 6:42 pm)HarryHarry wrote Is it just me or is the 558 Dene Estate-Heworth Interchange bus route always late ! for example I get on at North Guards , Chicks Lane and there the route is late by a minimum of 20 minutes , never have I seen this bus on time !

And the old TB933 from Winlaton-Team Valley , I was basically the only passenger on it untill one day somebody took the service back to Winlaton , every time I took it , it was late by a minumum of 15 minutes.The TB933 is now the J&H coaches service 933.

Don't forget about the temporary S1 from South Shields to Little Haven Hotel , zero passengers , and late by a minumum of around 12 minutes , it never worked for me !

Youngest fleet in the North East with an energetic engineering team to boot though.

It was just a few minutes late, it's not the end of the world. Tonnes of buses were late around Newcastle today, especially those going through Byker. It happens everyday, we don't need a post about every late run. If you not happy about a bus running to time, complain to the operator, they not going to take a blind bit of notice of it being posted on here.

Ffs, another one that's gonna moan about everything, i swear this Forum is being taken over by kids

(17 Jun 2026, 6:20 pm)HarryHarry wrote Todays 168 from Peat Carr Estate at 10:24 was a couple minutes late , was told bad traffic near Hetton Interchange.Does anybody else know anything about this ?

Cool story bro

(17 Jun 2026, 10:28 pm)V514DFT wrote Ffs, another one that's gonna moan about everything, i swear this Forum is being taken over by kids

Thing is, born in 1990, so makes him 36 this year.

(19 Jun 2026, 8:04 pm)M0D3L SP0TT1R wrote Incase your wondering 
941 VIA Metrocentre and Scotswood
515 VIA Bill Quay and Pelaw
558 VIA Fellgate , Boldon Coliery , East Boldon , Cleadon , Whitburn and Seaburn Retail Area
96 VIA Lobley Hill and Dunston/Dunston Hill
R3 VIA Winlaton and Blaydon
643 VIA Swallwell

Tbh I wasn't, as those are from 2014.

(19 Jun 2026, 8:11 pm)Michael wrote Tbh I wasn't, as those are from 2014.

This just gets better doesn't it?

(19 Jun 2026, 8:20 pm)LVK 404L wrote This just gets better doesn't it?

XD

Does anybody know what happened to 0314 on Great North Road? Couldn't see properly but it looks like it ran into something??

I noticed this morning that the destination displays now change to the Final Destination when closer to it's terminus like GNE for example 599 Sunderland when passing Ferryboat lane in Castle town it flips to permanently show, 599 Park Lane via Royal Hospital

Seems that JH Coaches have won the contract for the Durham Park and Ride for later this year.

One would assume the YX72 examples will be returned back to Mistral from their five year lease.

However, it would be nice if DCC could look at introducing an express bus to link Durham, Fishburn, Sedgefield & Newton Aycliffe together, then possibly onto Darlington aswell. The vehicles that will be displaced off the Park and Ride would be decent for a service like that.

Noticed it can be very difficult for people to make journeys alike Fishburn or Sedgefield to Darlington since the withdrawal of the X21, with them having to travel to Stockton to then change onto the X66 to travel through...

(Yesterday, 4:16 pm)S830OFT wrote Seems that JH Coaches have won the contract for the Durham Park and Ride for later this year.

One would assume the YX72 examples will be returned back to Mistral from their five year lease.

However, it would be nice if DCC could look at introducing an express bus to link Durham, Fishburn, Sedgefield & Newton Aycliffe together, then possibly onto Darlington aswell. The vehicles that will be displaced off the Park and Ride would be decent for a service like that.

Noticed it can be very difficult for people to make journeys alike Fishburn or Sedgefield to Darlington since the withdrawal of the X21, with them having to travel to Stockton to then change onto the X66 to travel through...

If I was him. Id buy them for the capacity needed for the 350/351. This 350 was introduced seems to have failed to ease numbers on the 351 and actually split them now making both services during the day now busy. Even the first day of the 350 I did was busy. So doesn't exactly help that you have mini buses running a high capacity service

(Yesterday, 5:37 pm)Nerd4321 wrote If I was him. Id buy them for the capacity needed for the 350/351. This 350 was introduced seems to have failed to ease numbers on the 351 and actually split them now making both services during the day now busy. Even the first day of the 350 I did was busy. So doesn't exactly help that you have mini buses running a high capacity service

I think full size singles would be more appropriate for the 350/351.

Will be interesting to see whether an operator tries to take them on commercially with limited subsidy from Nexus.

(Yesterday, 6:25 pm)L469 YVK wrote I think full size singles would be more appropriate for the 350/351.

Will be interesting to see whether an operator tries to take them on commercially with limited subsidy from Nexus.

To be fair it's a route of two halves. The West Allotment - Newcastle side of the route is popular but the other half is pretty dead most the time; especially the 350 around Monkseaton as it has little purpose (long Metro or duplicate 57/57A).

Surprised no-one hasn't tried to take on the Newcastle - West Allotment chunk on commercially though tbf, especially with all the new house building around there.

The 350/351 shouldn't exist beyond Northumberland Park imo, as Nexus nearly did before it got blocked - https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...e-26180915

(Yesterday, 9:04 pm)Storx wrote To be fair it's a route of two halves. The West Allotment - Newcastle side of the route is popular but the other half is pretty dead most the time; especially the 350 around Monkseaton as it has little purpose (long Metro or duplicate 57/57A).

Surprised no-one hasn't tried to take on the Newcastle - West Allotment chunk on commercially though tbf, especially with all the new house building around there.

The 350/351 shouldn't exist beyond Northumberland Park imo, as Nexus nearly did before it got blocked - https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...e-26180915

I have to massive disagree here

The 51 when it was proposed to be cancelled was ridiculous. When i emailed about them sending the 51 to Northumberland Park to at least give people the link to Whitley Bay. There response was

"We cant extend it to Northumberland Park due to not enough time and we can't allocate more buses to it"

Which to me was put as it was gonna be what the 51 on an evening by GNE became where it would only be one bus between Newcastle & Holystone. Nexus took massive backlash with that consultations receiving more than 250 response saying no to it. People use the service beyond Holystone and with nothing between Whitley Bay to Newcastle connecting them areas 

You have to remember they may look to dupe the 57/57A but once the 351 gets to Sainsbury's it doesn't see the 57 again till Whitley Bay while it serves them estates. 350 was only introduced to try ease passengers on the 351. Clearly in a way this has failed as the 350 is busy now which makes zero sense on why these two are nexus funded services. It makes no sense they are this busy yet still funded by nexus

People were annoyed as they consultation was to cut the 51 after Holystone and route the W2 near Earsdon which leaves a massive chunk out where no bus services connect each other. No reason nexus chucked it in the bin as that was the worst decision a company can make. Neuxs didn't think it through and since then all consultations have been thought through a lot more. 

Neuxs can only do so much with there services but the big 3 can do whatever they want and nexus have no say. Like the example with the Q3 & 35 on Osborne Road. 

Nexus made it as the 35 would serve Osborne Road to please people in Great Park a quick route to town for the Q3 to be taken out but gne didn't and we ended up with this mess. Where gne got greedy and decided yea let's keep Osborne road

But I believe GCT should buy the long mmc when they lose the P&R and chuck them on the 350/351 as they badly need it

---

(Yesterday, 4:16 pm)S830OFT wrote Seems that JH Coaches have won the contract for the Durham Park and Ride for later this year.

One would assume the YX72 examples will be returned back to Mistral from their five year lease.

However, it would be nice if DCC could look at introducing an express bus to link Durham, Fishburn, Sedgefield & Newton Aycliffe together, then possibly onto Darlington aswell. The vehicles that will be displaced off the Park and Ride would be decent for a service like that.

Noticed it can be very difficult for people to make journeys alike Fishburn or Sedgefield to Darlington since the withdrawal of the X21, with them having to travel to Stockton to then change onto the X66 to travel through...

Ive heard 9 Evoras are waiting to be delivered. Now here's something 

Why 9 of them. The P&R only requires 5 (im sure can correct if wrong) but could this mean they take over something else in Durham like the 61/62 which half the time I keep forgetting GCT run

(Yesterday, 10:54 pm)Nerd4321 wrote I have to massive disagree here

The 51 when it was proposed to be cancelled was ridiculous. When i emailed about them sending the 51 to Northumberland Park to at least give people the link to Whitley Bay. There response was

"We cant extend it to Northumberland Park due to not enough time and we can't allocate more buses to it"

Which to me was put as it was gonna be what the 51 on an evening by GNE became where it would only be one bus between Newcastle & Holystone. Nexus took massive backlash with that consultations receiving more than 250 response saying no to it. People use the service beyond Holystone and with nothing between Whitley Bay to Newcastle connecting them areas 

You have to remember they may look to dupe the 57/57A but once the 351 gets to Sainsbury's it doesn't see the 57 again till Whitley Bay while it serves them estates. 350 was only introduced to try ease passengers on the 351. Clearly in a way this has failed as the 350 is busy now which makes zero sense on why these two are nexus funded services. It makes no sense they are this busy yet still funded by nexus

People were annoyed as they consultation was to cut the 51 after Holystone and route the W2 near Earsdon which leaves a massive chunk out where no bus services connect each other. No reason nexus chucked it in the bin as that was the worst decision a company can make. Neuxs didn't think it through and since then all consultations have been thought through a lot more. 

Neuxs can only do so much with there services but the big 3 can do whatever they want and nexus have no say. Like the example with the Q3 & 35 on Osborne Road. 

Nexus made it as the 35 would serve Osborne Road to please people in Great Park a quick route to town for the Q3 to be taken out but gne didn't and we ended up with this mess. Where gne got greedy and decided yea let's keep Osborne road

But I believe GCT should buy the long mmc when they lose the P&R and chuck them on the 350/351 as they badly need it

Nah I don't disagree but personally just think it should be split into 2.

So you'd have a:

Northumberland Park - Newcastle service
and
Northumberland Park - Whitley Bay service integrating the W2

It means you can then have appropriate vehicles and frequencies for both halves of the route and the top route imo would be quite attractive to commercial operators. If someone like GNE took it on and feels like it's attractive commercially since it compliments their Coast Road services then that's money free'd up to do stuff elsewhere.

Btw the 350 only exists as the 351 is too slow to run with a PVR 4. It's why I've always said they should bin off the W2 and just make the 351 every 30 minutes the full route with a PVR 5. The 351 imo is the more important half of the route if you're keeping the full route and the you'd have an extra 10 minutes or so every run if you fancied extending it somewhere, ie. Northumberland Park.