Is there a reason so many Arriva destination blinds are either faded, faulty, or just not working altogether? At least in Durham/Bishop


When I was waiting for the X1 yesterday morning, one of the buses they had on the 6 had the front blind so dim it was pretty much unreadable until it was at the stop. I've also seen quite a few with the side one only half working, and the back ones seem to be completely dead more often than not!


I genuinely can't remember the last time I saw a GNE bus with a dodgy blind, and they both use Hanover displays, so I'm guessing it's not the parts being unreliable? Unless GNE are just on the ball with replacing them and Arriva aren't?

I think 1601's blind has been like this for a good few years now.

(22 Sep 2022, 3:51 pm)wibblejunior wrote I think 1601's blind has been like this for a good few years now.

Looking it up, it was indeed 1601 on the 6 yesterday morning, I thought it was one of the Streetlites but I couldn't remember!

(22 Sep 2022, 3:54 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Looking it up, it was indeed 1601 on the 6 yesterday morning, I thought it was one of the Streetlites but I couldn't remember!

It's been bust for more of its life than it hasn't.

(22 Sep 2022, 4:30 pm)BusLoverMum wrote It's been bust for more of its life than it hasn't.

I think this perfectly demonstrates my point!

I've lost count of the amount of times I see Arriva buses going through Bishop with the back display either not working at all, or with it defective in a manner that makes it unreadable.

Isn't it a legal requirement for them to have all 3 working? If it is, it mustn't be enforced very well or they wouldn't let their buses run around like that

(22 Sep 2022, 3:48 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Is there a reason so many Arriva destination blinds are either faded, faulty, or just not working altogether? At least in Durham/Bishop


When I was waiting for the X1 yesterday morning, one of the buses they had on the 6 had the front blind so dim it was pretty much unreadable until it was at the stop. I've also seen quite a few with the side one only half working, and the back ones seem to be completely dead more often than not!


I genuinely can't remember the last time I saw a GNE bus with a dodgy blind, and they both use Hanover displays, so I'm guessing it's not the parts being unreliable? Unless GNE are just on the ball with replacing them and Arriva aren't?

I don't think it's a problem that you can just pin on Arriva, there's plenty of GNE and Stagecoach buses that have dodgy bilnds. There's a few 16 plate Streetlites at Deptford that've had blind problems for a while.

(22 Sep 2022, 5:12 pm)deanmachine wrote I don't think it's a problem that you can just pin on Arriva, there's plenty of GNE and Stagecoach buses that have dodgy bilnds. There's a few 16 plate Streetlites at Deptford that've had blind problems for a while.

A few of the Drifters do too.

(22 Sep 2022, 5:12 pm)deanmachine wrote I don't think it's a problem that you can just pin on Arriva, there's plenty of GNE and Stagecoach buses that have dodgy bilnds. There's a few 16 plate Streetlites at Deptford that've had blind problems for a while.

I tend not to associate with the kind of people from over that way, so I've never really noticed them. 

I don't think I've seen any GNE vehicles from Riverside or Consett with dodgy blinds recently though

(22 Sep 2022, 5:12 pm)deanmachine wrote I don't think it's a problem that you can just pin on Arriva, there's plenty of GNE and Stagecoach buses that have dodgy bilnds. There's a few 16 plate Streetlites at Deptford that've had blind problems for a while.

There's a gas bus going round with a newspaper wedged in the side display (presumably to stop it rattling) - unfortunately the newspaper covers up half of the screen!

Also noticed some of the Drifters' front displays are suddenly dim on one side - quite odd.

(22 Sep 2022, 5:03 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I think this perfectly demonstrates my point!

I've lost count of the amount of times I see Arriva buses going through Bishop with the back display either not working at all, or with it defective in a manner that makes it unreadable.

Isn't it a legal requirement for them to have all 3 working? If it is, it mustn't be enforced very well or they wouldn't let their buses run around like that

The requirement is to show the desination at the front. If something is displayed on side and rear displays, it should match whatever the front says. But if the side and  / or rear isn't working, then it doesn't matter. They're purely to supliment the front which should always display the buses service number and desination, be it a destination screen ar a piece of paper.

(23 Sep 2022, 11:27 am)tcts24 wrote The requirement is to show the desination at the front. If something is displayed on side and rear displays, it should match whatever the front says. But if the side and  / or rear isn't working, then it doesn't matter. They're purely to supliment the front which should always display the buses service number and desination, be it a destination screen ar a piece of paper.

I could have sworn there was something in the regulations about having all three working

I was just on 1592, and the front display was so dim I couldn't read it even as it was pulling up at the stop, I just had to put my hand out and hope it was the X1!

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Just the front. But the side cant say it's a 666 when it says 999 on the front. Side and rear destinations must display the correct information if they work. However, only the front has to work at all.

I believe there is a sensor built into the board that is meant to adjust brightness automatically (i.e not too bright at night and increase when direct sunlight). Sounds like the sensors aren't working (or if the blinds were aftermarket fit - i.e not at build, probably not connected).

(23 Sep 2022, 11:42 am)streetdeckfan wrote I could have sworn there was something in the regulations about having all three working

I was just on 1592, and the front display was so dim I couldn't read it even as it was pulling up at the stop, I just had to put my hand out and hope it was the X1!

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https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000...aph/8/made

Route and destination displays

8.—(1) A regulated public service vehicle shall be fitted with a route number display and a destination display in the following positions—
(a)on the front of the vehicle, as close as practicable to that part of the windscreen which is within the driver’s field of vision; and
(b)on the nearside of the vehicle adjacent to the entrance which is closest to the front of the vehicle at a height of not less than 1.2m to the lower edge of the display characters and not more than 2.5m to the upper edge of the display characters measured from the ground and, if fitted with a kneeling system, with the vehicle in the normal condition for vehicle travel.

(2) A regulated public service vehicle shall be fitted with a route number display on the rear of the vehicle.

(3) Any route number display shall be capable of displaying—
(a)characters of not less than 200mm in height on the front and rear of the vehicle and not less than 70mm in height on the side of the vehicle;
(b)characters that contrast with the display background;
©characters that are provided with a means of illumination; and
(d)not less than three characters.

(4) Any destination display shall be capable of displaying—
(a)characters of not less than 125mm in height when fitted to the front of a vehicle and not less than 70mm in height when fitted to the side of a vehicle;
(b)characters that contrast with the display background;
©characters that are provided with a means of illumination; and
(d)not less than fifteen characters.

(5) Destination information shall not be written in capital letters only.

(23 Sep 2022, 6:41 pm)omnicity4659 wrote https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000...aph/8/made

OmniDekkas are quite bad for displays not working, especially the side display. 

The orange displays are bad in Sunlight, even worse when they're dimmed.

(23 Sep 2022, 11:42 am)streetdeckfan wrote I could have sworn there was something in the regulations about having all three working

I was just on 1592, and the front display was so dim I couldn't read it even as it was pulling up at the stop, I just had to put my hand out and hope it was the X1!

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The blinds on those MAX spec Lites at Darlington are really dim for some reason and you really have to squint to see them, good job I often check BusTimes prior to travel so I know its my bus before it even appears.

I noted 9042's front blind wasn't working as I saw it running light to St Bede's this afternoon but rear blind was plus a Durham Diamond with rear blind just showing one dot in top left corner.

Hodgsons had Solo YDZ 533 on the 17 in Aycliffe again today with a paper 17 destination in the windscreen.

Arriva are quite bad for keeping displays working and readable, they can be rather dim and years of dirt and dust getting into the glass round the destination makes them more of a challenge to read, apart from one of Belmont’s E200s which for a while was going round on seemingly maximum brightness.

One of Redcar’s Streetlites has a front screen that is very dim too, think it’s 1561. You can barely read it…


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On the topic of displays pulsar 1493 at Blyth has had it's rear display completely taken out

(24 Sep 2022, 10:52 am)GNE6312 wrote On the topic of displays pulsar 1493 at Blyth has had it's rear display completely taken out

As has one of the Durham E200s - 1329 maybe?


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