(12 Jul 2021, 12:21 pm)tvd wrote I was on the X10 a couple of weeks ago, and the reliability was fine until we were held up at Stockton due to a passenger in a motorized scooter unhappy she couldn't access the coach.

The driver was on the phone to control, possibly getting her a taxi.  I'm not sure why she wasnt directed to use Arriva's X12 instead, but anyway the whole thing made us 15 mins late.

It could have been that it was too large or would cause an obstruction to the stairs. I've seen mobility scooters (not powerchairs) refused on normal service buses for being too large.

The rules around mobility scooters aren't as black and white as they are for Wheelchair users. See: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/image...rriage.pdf

(12 Jul 2021, 1:10 pm)Adrian wrote It could have been that it was too large or would cause an obstruction to the stairs. I've seen mobility scooters (not powerchairs) refused on normal service buses for being too large.

The rules around mobility scooters aren't as black and white as they are for Wheelchair users. See: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/image...rriage.pdf

It looks as though mobility scooters have to be 'approved' and the users 'trained' before they're allowed on board. I wonder what that consists of, and if it's even a thing they actually do.


"Under the Code, mobility users are issued with a permit to travel which advises our bus drivers if your scooter is approved to travel on our buses and you, as the user of that scooter, are trained in how to safely board and alight from our buses or coaches"

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(12 Jul 2021, 12:21 pm)tvd wrote I was on the X10 a couple of weeks ago, and the reliability was fine until we were held up at Stockton due to a passenger in a motorized scooter unhappy she couldn't access the coach.

The driver was on the phone to control, possibly getting her a taxi.  I'm not sure why she wasnt directed to use Arriva's X12 instead, but anyway the whole thing made us 15 mins late.

I couple weeks back I had a few hours spare so I decided to go to Dalton Park for a coffee, the journey down was fine, but the return journey was about 40 minutes late.
The reason, and you probably won't believe this, was because there was a crash on the A19. I know, I've never heard of that happening either!

It’s one of those things, but people have become so used to low floor buses they now expect to be able to board with any size of buggy, pushchair, wheelchair or scooter.
This one would’ve not easily got on a Pulsar, and had no chance of getting on the coach.
Fair play to the driver who spent the time trying to help, but it’s one of those many occasions where the unreliability of a bus service isn’t the fault of the operator.

(09 Jul 2021, 11:05 am)streetdeckfan wrote I'd tend to disagree with you there.
Those kinds of routes are dead easy for a coach as it's mostly motorway with the odd bit of city.

Compared to those routes the X9/X10 has considerably more start/stop driving, which is more strenuous on the drivetrain.

Lets be honest, these Coaches as pretty as they look are already run ragged from their days treading Oxford to London and the OBC were thrilled when someone wanted them.

I've just travelled on Transdev's CityZap between Leeds and York, and the type of route must be similar to the X9/X10. They have a few stops at the beginning and end of the route, but its mainly up and down the A64/A1M.

So if the CityZap manage just fine with decent double deckers, I'm not sure why GNE cant with their routes?

CityZap is just over half the distance of X9/X10 end-to-end, and I believe Transdev limit the speed on their vehicles - or did for the previous CityZap allocation.

The coaches on X9/X10 are an excellent idea they have been needed for years. However its lack of maintenance on a GNE wide problem. Engineering don't have the staff or the budget to fix everything properly. Buses regularly go out with minor faults which get put off getting fixed and then eventually its becomes a major problem and bus breaks down completely. Other operators have exactly the same issues don't get me wrong. The company will not spend an awful lot of money on things until the future is more certain and the threat of a complete takeover is gone completely.

With the X9 returning soon meaning so will regular use of 7130/32 and looking verry unlikely 7128/30/32 will be back on NX could GNE not repaint 7130/7132 to X-lines Charcoal seeing as they are the X9/X10 spares.

Wouldn't be to bad of an idea like always wonder what one of them would look X Lines Charcoal

(13 Aug 2021, 10:22 am)GNE6312 wrote With the X9 returning soon meaning so will regular use of 7130/32 and looking verry unlikely 7128/30/32 will be back on NX could GNE not repaint 7130/7132 to X-lines Charcoal seeing as they are the X9/X10 spares.

How does it look very unlikely?

7135 - 7137 have all been reinstated on National Express. It wouldn't surprise me if 7128/30/32 follow suit at some point as the network increases in size again.

(13 Aug 2021, 10:22 am)Train8261 wrote Wouldn't be to bad of an idea like  always wonder what one of them would look X Lines Charcoal

Since I too was curious what it would look like...

I think the Levante looks rather good in X-Lines charcoal!

(13 Aug 2021, 10:53 am)Dan wrote How does it look very unlikely?

7135 - 7137 have all been reinstated on National Express. It wouldn't surprise me if 7128/30/32 follow suit at some point as the network increases in size again.

I thought that network now was the new permanent network. Also the other 16 reg Levantes going made me think that tge 16 regs weren't going back to NX duties.

(13 Aug 2021, 11:15 am)streetdeckfan wrote I think the Levante looks rather good in X-Lines charcoal!

Damn that would look stunning

(13 Aug 2021, 12:06 pm)Train8261 wrote Damn that would look stunning

That does.