(04 Jan 2020, 6:13 pm)ifm001 wrote Although I hate the thought of Newcastle bound buses being truncated at metro stations as opposed to continuing on to the City Centre as I detested this back in the day.
This could be achieved with something similar to the free metroshuttles that operate in Manchester. The 1 and 2.
Example could be free shuttle 1 Heworth, Gateshead. Eldon Square, Haymarket.
Free shuttle 2 Regent Centre, Gosforth High Street, Haymarket. Central Station, Gateshead.
This would give the Gateshead to Haymarket corridor 2 separate free shuttles. Yes buses would still be entering Newcastle City Centre but not at the current amount of vehicles.
It works in Manchester doesn't it? Could it work here?
I think you have made a good point about the alternative - but as with pre-86, I don't think that it needs to be every service which is truncated at Gateshead.
I do think something needs to be done about the never ending chain of buses over the Tyne Bridge, some of which are carrying fresh air beyond the peaks.
The radical solution would be to curtail them all.
An alternative would be to terminate some at Gateshead.
Another alternative would be to switch around the routes (of some or all?) between Gateshead and Newcastle. Coming from west Gateshead - send 'em along Centrelink and over the Tyne or Swing Bridge. Back out over Redheugh.
Coming from South and East - send' em in over the Redheugh and back out over the Tyne Bridge or Swing Bridge.
Not only could it assist with the traffic and reliability issues, it could assist the pollution issues and could open up new journey opportunities. Ever tried getting to Central Station from south/east Gateshead or beyond, using the bus? Pita!
The bus gate at the bottom of Dean St and at the end of the Swing Bridge and bus lane on Hills St are wasted/underused at the moment and the powers that be bleat on endlessly about the lack of bus priority measures, potentially having to pay to enter the city and being stuck in traffic.
Yet it seems there's no radical solutions or alternatives being looked at.