(27 Aug 2024, 4:18 pm)morritt89 wrote Bus stations, if done right, can be a good thing.

I'm from Sunderland so will use Park Lane as my example. The main user is Go North East with some coaching departures too and a smattering of Arriva. I remember when it opened, Stagecoach using it for their services too. Now if I wanted to use a Stagecoach Bus after getting off in Park Lane I would need to walk to one of the various streets or the stop that was installed near the crossing at the top of the station (a stop with no shelter or seats). Would Park Lane be able to cope with todays frequency of buses?

Park Lane replaced the old Park Lane and the more central bus station. I would argue that Park Lane isn't great when it's windy, wet or winter due to the fact it isn't enclosed. So the actual building design is poor (considering our weather). It does however have Metro Interchange facilities and a taxi rank.

You move to South Shields with its new Interchange. Its all indoors so plus points there. The town centre in Shields isn't a patch on what I remember it being as a kid, in particular the market. You also have the ferry landing  which is a fair walk from the Interchange.

I've just returned from Palma which has a very good,  central Interchange facility. Admittedly the bus bus station gave off old Eldon Square vibes with it being underground but once you got off the bus you were faced with railway platforms, shops, travel offices (remember those?), up to date departure boards and timetables as well as staff who were very helpful.

For me, bus stations need to be in the right location for everyone (Hexham), be of a good standard (indoor with facilities) and actually have services using them. I would also argue to bring back staff and travel shops/offices which would be particularly useful in touristy spots (Newcastle) and to help those who don't often use public transport. Also, not everyone has Internet access for timetables or to buy tickets. Whilst what we have may work for the majority (insert your own percentage here) , its not working for everyone.

See to me you've described what a bus interchange (not station) should be but most of them don't do that.

Stuff like South Shields is ideal because it has the Metro interchange, so a fair chunk of people don't actually want to be in South Shields so being to change modals of transport indoors is ideal. Having interchanges near a train station would be an ideal. The most ironic part about Newcastle is the services which actually belong in a bus station (Flixbus / National Express / Megabus) serve a bus stop in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no services at all and miles away from most bus services in Newcastle and the Metro.

We need more interchanges, what we don't need is bus stations in town centres which are quite often out the way as if the town is doing well your not going to make space for a bus station anyway.

I still stand that 99% of people couldn't give a toss where they get on unless the alternative is inconvenient like Durham, if they're shopping or for leisure activities, as most people will know what time the bus is and head towards the bus for that specific time anyway and if they missed it would just pop to another shop to waste time anyway. I know my Grandma used to do it in Newcastle Haymarket and went to buy stuff in M&S instead as she'd rather be anywhere than sitting around pigeons and beggars. Not to mention the fact a fair chunk of people using the Coast Road services use St Mary's Place instead anyway.

Obviously Newcastle needs one because not everyone is leisure/shopping and there is interchanging there so it makes more sense, same with Durham. Mind I do think all the frequent services should be no-where near one like the X1 and 21 as it just clogs the place up though.