(28 Jun 2021, 8:23 am)Micheal Aaron wrote Green ADL Enviro 200 on the MS. L&B covering for GCT still on the Nightingale

Edit: Two L&B ADL Enviro 200 running the MS & SNS

Make that three!

In lieu of Go North East taking on the additional Gateshead Central Taxis contracts for Nexus, the SNS has been revised to be reduced in frequency and interwork with the MetroShuttle formerly operated by Go North East (same resource from L&B Travel's perspective).

So 3 buses on them. Thought it would have been two

(27 Jun 2021, 11:16 am)Big O wrote Not sure why so many people are against the big boys running subsidised contracts? Not interested in the politics to be honest but I’d rather GNE then GCT or any of the big boys for that matter. The 335 is a decently used route and I think maybe extending it to Kilingworth via the K2 could be a good shout.

Because they're big enough to survive without them?
Because they're running subsidised services and in the not too distant past, suddenly realised it was viable after Nexus awarded it to someone else?
Or because they rely on Nexus to dig them out of a whole when a commercial decision negatively aftects passengers?

(28 Jun 2021, 10:44 am)Andreos1 wrote Because they're big enough to survive without them?
Because they're running subsidised services and in the not too distant past, suddenly realised it was viable after Nexus awarded it to someone else?
Or because they rely on Nexus to dig them out of a whole when a commercial decision negatively aftects passengers?

The one works both ways, as we've seen last week. I wonder what would have happened with all these contracts that GCT are no longer operating, if the big three operators all refused to take on the work (given that they may or may not have been rejected in the Tender exercise already)

I largely agree with your comments about services that have suddenly become commercially viable. I think you've mentioned the 97, but I remember Go North East were awarded the 22/24 in Durham, before Arriva decided it was commercially viable after all.

But the tendering process that Nexus uses is hugely problematic and does not provide good value imo. It's also overcomplicated from what it needs to be. A better system would be a pot of funding that operators can bid for, if they'd like to continue to run a commercial service into hours where they feel its commercially viable. That would have to be supported by a business case, financials and passenger data. The PTE/LTA can then decide if the service is socially necessary and support it, without any disruption to customers.

The tender process creates a race to the bottom for a start, forcing operators to drive down conditions to remain 'competitive', it provides no continuity of service (ticket acceptance for example) and we see completely different operating standards; missing NSAs on the Washington locals and the impact on those that need them was spoken about on this forum previously. I'm also not a fan of seeing operators more than happy to take secured work on, but take no commercial risk in improving the bus network we have. 

Hopefully Enhanced Partnerships will change this, but we'll see what the consultation period and proposals bring...

(28 Jun 2021, 11:38 am)Adrian wrote The one works both ways, as we've seen last week. I wonder what would have happened with all these contracts that GCT are no longer operating, if the big three operators all refused to take on the work (given that they may or may not have been rejected in the Tender exercise already)

I largely agree with your comments about services that have suddenly become commercially viable. I think you've mentioned the 97, but I remember Go North East were awarded the 22/24 in Durham, before Arriva decided it was commercially viable after all.

But the tendering process that Nexus uses is hugely problematic and does not provide good value imo. It's also overcomplicated from what it needs to be. A better system would be a pot of funding that operators can bid for, if they'd like to continue to run a commercial service into hours where they feel its commercially viable. That would have to be supported by a business case, financials and passenger data. The PTE/LTA can then decide if the service is socially necessary and support it, without any disruption to customers.

The tender process creates a race to the bottom for a start, forcing operators to drive down conditions to remain 'competitive', it provides no continuity of service (ticket acceptance for example) and we see completely different operating standards; missing NSAs on the Washington locals and the impact on those that need them was spoken about on this forum previously. I'm also not a fan of seeing operators more than happy to take secured work on, but take no commercial risk in improving the bus network we have. 

Hopefully Enhanced Partnerships will change this, but we'll see what the consultation period and proposals bring...

I agree that it works both ways, but it could be also be argued that we may not see this GCT situation, if the bigger boys had decided to play out on a night.

As for the independents having their own commercial work.
We all know what happens when any of the big boys get annoyed. Particularly if it's one of the young upstarts who get involved.

At least at the minute, since GNE have took over some evening contracts from tonight, folk will get cheaper fares with the £1 fares after 7pm

(28 Jun 2021, 7:47 pm)citaro5284 wrote At least at the minute, since GNE have took over some evening contracts from tonight, folk will get cheaper fares with the £1 fares after 7pm

I understand this has been a regular complaint on Washington services on an evening, that Gateshead Central Taxis wouldn’t issue £1 fares after 19:00, since Go North East launched this initiative. Refusal to allow passengers to board if they only have a contactless bank card, another.

Initiatives like this could of course result in growth, developing patronage for the service to become commercially viable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dk what it is with gct. But yesterday and tonight
Gct have had a pvr of 2 buses on the 42rota meaning only 2 buses have been on the 42/42A when there is meant to be 4

(28 Jun 2021, 7:56 pm)Dan wrote I understand this has been a regular complaint on Washington services on an evening, that Gateshead Central Taxis wouldn’t issue £1 fares after 19:00, since Go North East launched this initiative. Refusal to allow passengers to board if they only have a contactless bank card, another.

Initiatives like this could of course result in growth, developing patronage for the service to become commercially viable.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I made use of the £1 singles tonight. Not bad at all when I can travel across Washington and back for £2.

Of course, other radical initiatives, such as the bus actually turning up helps... 

(28 Jun 2021, 7:56 pm)Dan wrote I understand this has been a regular complaint on Washington services on an evening, that Gateshead Central Taxis wouldn’t issue £1 fares after 19:00, since Go North East launched this initiative. Refusal to allow passengers to board if they only have a contactless bank card, another.

Initiatives like this could of course result in growth, developing patronage for the service to become commercially viable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But isn't it in GCT's best interests to keep the services unviable?

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(28 Jun 2021, 9:42 pm)Adrian wrote I made use of the £1 singles tonight. Not bad at all when I can travel across Washington and back for £2.

Of course, other radical initiatives, such as the bus actually turning up helps... 

I've use it a couple times on a night to get from Newcastle to Bishop, even once I factor in waiting half an hour and the extra £1.40 for the Arriva bus home, it's still considerably cheaper

Just for the fun of it. Might actually use it to Wallsend on the 1A on Sunday night

(28 Jun 2021, 9:53 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Just for the fun of it. Might actually use it to Wallsend on the 1A on Sunday night

If you hit on lucky, you might get it for 10p!
There seems to be an error somewhere and the system has been charging punters 10p.
It's like a time warp back to 1988!

(28 Jun 2021, 10:43 pm)Andreos1 wrote If you hit on lucky, you might get it for 10p!
There seems to be an error somewhere and the system has been charging punters 10p.
It's like a time warp back to 1988!

Only if you could get a Transfare for 15p too.

(29 Jun 2021, 8:18 am)MurdnunoC wrote Only if you could get a Transfare for 15p too.

Im not quite that old,but i do remember being charged 25p or should i say my dad was charged 25p

(29 Jun 2021, 8:18 am)MurdnunoC wrote Only if you could get a Transfare for 15p too.

Might just try that and see if that has been programmed incorrectly too!

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(29 Jun 2021, 11:57 am)V514DFT wrote Im not quite that old,but i do remember being charged 25p or should i say my dad was charged 25p

I can remember the 5p singles. 10p transfer.
Cracking days out with the grandparents. Where else could you travel from one end of T&W to the other for 10p? Apart from on fairly recently on GNE buses when data is entered wrong

I got from gosforth park to sunderland park lane for 10p transfer in the eights. And one member having to stamp there transfer tick in the separate machine and the clock starting to tick before the time was up? Great times

(29 Jun 2021, 1:32 pm)Rob44 wrote I got from gosforth park to sunderland park lane for 10p transfer in the eights. And one member having to stamp there transfer tick in the separate machine and the clock starting to tick before the time was up? Great times

Aye, there was a funny little validator machine behind the driver if I remember right.
Can vaguely remember getting the ticket and then having to put it in the machine.

ADL Enviro 200MMC YW68 PBY is on the 359

(29 Jun 2021, 2:15 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote ADL Enviro 200MMC YW68 PBY is on the 359

At least there is a bus on the 359 - one of the two buses on service 23 in Birtley was "missing" this afternoon.

Surprised all the W routes were in service today. Found out the other day the W2 didn't run and day before W3 didn't run

(29 Jun 2021, 9:26 pm)busmanT wrote At least there is a bus on the 359 - one of the two buses on service 23 in Birtley was "missing" this afternoon.

If the missing 23 was the 15:13 off Washington Galleries it would appear to be a vehicle problem. It arrived to the settings down stop at 15:09 then it was parked up next to the GNE vans at the end of the bus station.

Really pleased this shambolic operation is loosing routes let’s hope they loose some more routes why should the public have to pay for the shocking level of service they offer. For all the defenders of this company please have a look at google reviews.

I wonder how many Google reviews are from an honest perspective and not bus spotters.

(30 Jun 2021, 7:26 pm)idiot wrote I wonder how many Google reviews are from an honest perspective and not bus spotters.

Big chunk of them relate to the private hire side of the business too.
However, if you look at some of the big boys reviews, they're hardly favourable either.

For all the 'defenders' of them...

Ah, I know the courier side of things have amazon contracts.

Got on the H1 on Monday. Spoken to the driver who I knew. He said GCT were meant to route learn him on the route but didn't turn up.

Managed the route thanks to Google Maps

Sounds like a load of b***ocks

Gct from the 4th July. The 19 will no longer be ran by gct

Bus org shows that

18, 18A, 39, 81, 82, 83, 84(Washington) 85, 86, 135 & 136 go back to GCT as they all have 8th August next to them

Note the H1 hasn't appeared back on the website

(02 Jul 2021, 6:19 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Bus org shows that

18, 18A, 39, 81, 82, 83, 84(Washington) 85, 86, 135 & 136 go back to GCT as they all have 8th August next to them

Note the H1 hasn't appeared back on the website

Was mentioned in another thread stanley travel have that from September