(17 Oct 2015, 10:44 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Not being anti Arriva here, but what is up with the reliability of Blyth's services? Already seen several instances of X7s and X8s running 20-30 minutes late and many passengers reporting such issues and not only during peak times, but also between Blyth and Quorum too before the services hit such traffic. Also seen a few complaints about the X10 / X11 too. It would be like GNE sending out a 10 from Hexham depot first thing in the morning and it ending up 15-20 minutes late in Corbridge and Prudhoe. Could it be the following issues:

- A few drivers going too slow (not including those who are sticking to the speed limits and keeping safe) and not anticipating the potential amount of passengers who board the services?

- Arriva not giving the services enough time? (X8 looks a bit tight between Bebside and Cramlington)

- Poor quality vehicles?

- Poor dispatch reliability? (vehicles leaving depot late with minor problem having been fixed but no alternative vehicles available at the time)

Over the past 6 Weeks since I started my New Job at Sitel on the Balliol Business Park I have become a daily user of the ANE X7/X8, and I have to say the reliability is up and down like a yo-yo, take last week for example, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the X7/X8s I got on were on time, on Thursday the one I got on was 8 Minutes Early into Haymarket, didnt even get a chance to tuck into my Bacon Sandwich from Greggs like I usually do, on Friday at the same time it was 10 Minutes Late, going back into Town from Work once I have finished 4 times out 5 I will end up getting on X63 as it is rare for it to be late and certainly a lot more reliable than the X7/X8, saying that I operate the rule of getting on whatever comes first, either way I have a 2 Minute walk into Eldon Square Bus Station from either Haymarket or Eldon Square Gardens.

Perhaps the poor reliability is down to the fact that half of the X7/X8 Allocation is away for Refurbishment, with older ALX400s being used in the place of the Geminis, which to be honest are not much better in my opinion, much prefer the B9TL Geminis that GNE have, perhaps ANE are just tight fisted and go for "Quantity over Quality" when it comes to buying Buses and in turn over charge there Customers for such a poor service, I was considering writing a complaint to Arriva regarding the X7/X8, but I know from other members making complaints that I wont even get a constructive response from them, so what is the point.