(02 Jul 2022, 10:01 am)tvd wrote I'm a few miles from Saltburn station, so for me on a day out up north it'd be an Explorer ticket, an Arriva bus to Middlesbrough then the X10 up to Heworth, then Metro to wherever takes my fancy around Tyne & Wear and Newcastle. 

I guess it's just one of my frustrations that in these modern, fast-paced times, the bus industry locally has done very little to incorporate genuinely express services into its routes.  We're all bus enthusiasts here so will use them anyway, but I'm sure a lot of potential passengers must be put off by certain longer distance routes taking so long and stopping at so many stops.

It's not just GNE- there's nothing quick to get from East Cleveland to Middlesbrough, or from Middlesbrough to Durham, or Middlesbrough to Newcastle, or Darlington to Durham, etc.  Trunk routes where you'd think there'd be at least some effort to work in a fast, direct and reasonable frequent service.

I get what your saying but tbh it's more about the absolutely shocking train/bus connections aswell. Like in an ideal world you'd be able to get a bus to the train station then hop onto the train to go further distances whether that's Newcastle, Durham or whatever.

In the real world though buses go nowhere near the stations and instead do long winded meandering trips around everywhere. Even if it does mean changing trains but then they'd be connected to meet aswell, unlike what really happens is you'll come in then the other train pulls out just beforehand with an hour wait etc.

I don't know Saltburn too well but no doubt the bus bypasses it or it's a 15 minute walk between the two, nothing connects so you'll be waiting 20 minutes or so and you can't use the same ticket on either.

The fact in 2022 there's no bus / rail / metro ticket is mind boggling really. Then they wonder why people drive. imo it should be cycling/public transport vs car in reality it's cycling vs buses vs Metro vs trains vs cars