(23 Sep 2025, 7:39 pm)Malarkey wrote 5901 (BK10 MFZ) has had it's Repaint/Sunderland Connect Wrap completed. still looks awful.
Front - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ateposted/
Rear - https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalark...ateposted/
A note from today was the driver of 5901 overtook the driver of 11103 with the latter's 701 operating 30+ minutes late, not sure how this is possible as the didn't seem to be any issues traffic wise in Sunderland this afternoon nor any issues with the 11103, does make you wonder if the vehicle type in question struggling with the navigations of the route between Royal Hospital and Sunderland University.
I don't think it's that bad, they've tidied it up and made it look presentable as the brand is contacted with the service.
(23 Sep 2025, 8:07 pm)Malarkey wrote I photographed both on Dame Dorothy Street, 5901 at 13:44 then 11103 at 13:47 from viewing my Exif Data.
30 mins late was excessive, approx 20 late was 11103.
(23 Sep 2025, 8:23 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote ....
Looking at this and the time of year I am gonna defend City Travel - I do not think they are struggling
IT IS Fresher month for students so increased loadings until they understand other travel patterns and remember every person asking do you go here can add 20seconds per loading per passenger at least but Looking at the points
there is good layover to get the service back in order
I think it is down to passenger loadings as opposed to bus issues when you look closely at the data
People seem to have a short memory, or in fact do not travel on these routes at all - and I think just wanting to find a reason to get at City Transport.
When GNE ran this service for well over a decade and a half, it mostly kept it's timings when it was the 700/701 when they dropped the 701 and it became the 702 it still was generally on time. Then nexus reinstated the 701 but on a separate contract to the 700/702 and JH coaches had this and only ran on the morning peaks to help with loadings. At this point the 700/702 all went via Park Lane in both directions and had decent loadings too with a PVR of 3.
In September 2023, the solos were moved on and Nexus changed the contract scrapping the 702 and curtailing the 700 to just Park Lane, therefore upgrading the 701 to the main service with Double Deckers (6160 & 6161). This timetable change was awful because the routes were now circulars starting/finishing from St Peters Campus. They only had 5 minutes layover for the full route. And this was the worse reliability the service has ever had due to Nexus desperate to have them both do their full routes in 25 mins. But due to crossing the Wear, city centre, the hospital, Hylton Road & St Marks Rd all bottlenecks - makes 5 mins layover laughable. The worse part is the turn from St Michael's Way (outside the Travelodge) onto Chester Rd as the traffic lights only let through 2 cars at a time.
GNEs 6160 & 6161 were awful buses, constantly breaking down, leaking in the rain and drivers were downright rude to the students travelling.
The 701 was consistently last year late by 25+ mins and the year before. So expect delays not because of City Transport, or peoples excuses of the time of year because the boarding/alighting from experience is actually quicker than a single board decker but because of Nexus's timetabling being determined to make it a PVR of 3. And actually with the butchering of the 700 as a usable service to anywhere people are trending to get the 701 and walking meaning from my own experience loadings are down considerably on the 700.
Notably there is also a student minibus that goes to the campuses and accommodations that conventional buses can't access such as the Forge in Pallion and Scotia Quay/Panns Bank on the nearside. This bus comes at a 35 minute frequency (albeit 15 mins in the morning) and is only ran by the university and this bus also suffers huge delays but this one due to only stopping at the 5 stops can go any route making it easier to catch up it's time.