(03 Apr 2024, 11:36 am)logidoodah wrote Just shows that people will suck up to GNE on this forum. People insist that if GCT or Arriva do anything wrong they should have contracts taken from them, yet I'm yet to see someone call for this in regards to GNE. Especially regarding the 317.


There should be no delays from one of the oldest and the biggest bus companies in the north east. 


I remember SNE 'teething issues' as some have referred to being sorted out within decent amount of time. This was mainly due to the fact 24101 - 24107 were used for their Euro 6 engines as part of the contract, and the residents of Howdon etc.. were not used to buses this long using the route. Parked cars were the main issues for ages. Once this was sorted there was rarely an issue. Timetabling is Nexus' area of incompetence....


Yep that sounds like GNE drivers....the company is a disgrace. I know that Arriva are as well but this is in particular reply.

GNE should never have been awarded the contract for the 317, given that they abandoned that same route (numbered 11 at the time), two years ago. I live on the route and found the service was very reliable when Stagecoach had it. Now it's a shambles, typical of the way in which GNE have carried on at the coastal area for a long time. Yesterday they were running a double-decker branded for the DFDS ferries, one branded for the North Tyne Rockets (why wasn't this on the 352, 353 or 354?), and one in corporate livery. What a mess. One other point on delays: the 317 was the amalgamation of two routes many years ago when GNE merged the Whitley Bay - North Shields section with the North Shields - Wallsend section (originally the 313). In order to make the 317 more reliable, particularly with connections to and from the ferry, I would suggest that the 2 parts of the route are re-established as separate services. As I understand it, it was the very indirect route through High Howdon which was causing delays.