(20 May 2014, 6:40 pm)cbma06 wrote I was on the X36, with the next bus 5 minutes behind it
the bus was late by 27 minutes
I can only assume this was a Match Day? I believe that this has happened (as you'd have no reason to lie about it), but can only imagine it happening on a Match Day as I've certainly encountered no such delays on service X36 on a normal day of operation. I find that the timetable is somewhat lenient compared to other timetables.
If it did happen on a Match Day, then services which don't even go near the Stadium end up being delayed - for whatever reason that is. Increased passenger numbers, increased traffic levels and roads/lanes being blocked off all contribute towards buses being late on Match Days, and there's nothing Go North East can do about it.
You also must remember this has been one bad experience, out of how many? I don't think I've seen one of the 16:08, 16:38 or 17:08 arrivals into Park Lane arrive late in all my time of living over Monkwearmouth, and they're arguably the times which delays are most likely.