Do you not think the Centrelink should be used more, really I think the X45 (hopefully at every 20 mins) and the 47 should use it all the time going to Newcastle, as its so much faster than being stuck on the Redheugh bridge. 

Not sure if the 10/10A/10B would use it as they need some service through Askew Road to Newcastle/Metrocentre and maybe the 6 too.

Sure it's been mentioned on here before that it's faster for them to not use the Centrelink these days, not sure if that's still the case

(08 Oct 2022, 8:15 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Sure it's been mentioned on here before that it's faster for them to not use the Centrelink these days, not sure if that's still the case

I thought that was for the X66.

Tho it does really speed up the journey when there is match day traffic going along Redheugh bridge.

(08 Oct 2022, 7:56 pm)Unber43 wrote Do you not think the Centrelink should be used more, really I think the X45 (hopefully at every 20 mins) and the 47 should use it all the time going to Newcastle, as its so much faster than being stuck on the Redheugh bridge. 

Not sure if the 10/10A/10B would use it as they need some service through Askew Road to Newcastle/Metrocentre and maybe the 6 too.

100% it should.

There was enough shouting for it when it suited (just like the bus gate at Wardley and bus priority measures around Gateshead).
But when it doesn't suit, the operator is quick to abandon it.

(08 Oct 2022, 7:56 pm)IUnber43 wrote Do you not think the Centrelink should be used more, really I think the X45 (hopefully at every 20 mins) and the 47 should use it all the time going to Newcastle, as its so much faster than being stuck on the Redheugh bridge. 

Not sure if the 10/10A/10B would use it as they need some service through Askew Road to Newcastle/Metrocentre and maybe the 6 too.

to be fair i use the X45/7 quite often and have never faced delays on the bridge or around the southern side really. I think it would be a bit pointless and a struggle for the buses too from using that steep bank next to central station.

(08 Oct 2022, 9:44 pm)Andreos1 wrote 100% it should.

There was enough shouting for it when it suited (just like the bus gate at Wardley and bus priority measures around Gateshead).
But when it doesn't suit, the operator is quick to abandon it.

...and in my opinion is why we have such a chicken and egg situation in terms of bus infrastructure now. You can hardly blame councils for not wanting to shell out loads of money on bus priority measures, when there's absolutely nothing stopping the operator changing or even cancelling the bus route 6 months later.

Of course, it's not all one way. There's a lack of communication in general between highways departments at local authorities and bus operators. Gateshead town centre is a prime example, and the current road layout cannot be seen as supportive of the bus network.

How many times has the riverbank collapsed along there?

Not sure it would be quicker even with the traffic remember the services also serve the central station and people do get on and off there so by the time you traveled along Centre Link, went over the swing bridge and then doubled back up Forth Bank (which can be just as bad) then you've saved nothing at all. Outside of traffic it's much much longer.

Centrelink was a waste of money imo as it's a bypass of Gateshead when the buses go to Gateshead and serves nothing along the route to warrant the longer route and any bus going to Newcastle will use the Redheugh Bridge.

If traffic was such an issue it would be quicker for the buses to double back on thereself and use the Scotswood Bridge and go along Scotswood Road which rarely has traffic issues. It's negligible as it is anyway.

(08 Oct 2022, 10:48 pm)Storx wrote Not sure it would be quicker even with the traffic remember the services also serve the central station and people do get on and off there so by the time you traveled along Centre Link, went over the swing bridge and then doubled back up Forth Bank (which can be just as bad) then you've saved nothing at all. Outside of traffic it's much much longer.

Centrelink was a waste of money imo as it's a bypass of Gateshead when the buses go to Gateshead and serves nothing along the route to warrant the longer route and any bus going to Newcastle will use the Redheugh Bridge.

If traffic was such an issue it would be quicker for the buses to double back on thereself and use the Scotswood Bridge and go along Scotswood Road which rarely has traffic issues. It's negligible as it is anyway.

When I did it on the 47 a few weeks ago around 8am it only took 8 mins, I think it was two mins longer than it was scheduled to take to get from Teams to Central Bus Station later in the day however that was without traffic.

Another thing is that bus link at Gateshead which the 27/X10/X24 use, its really pointless for 11 buses an hour as not all X24/X34/X10 actually use it.

A lot of times in the morning, on match days, or when there’s other incidents on the redheugh it is much faster.  The flip side is that if there’s something on at the arena it’s a waste of time.  10 services now are apparently constantly late due to high loadings and are often full and leaving passengers behind before they’ve left Newcastle, same when they unload and leave the metrocentre leaving passengers behind for destinations further along the route.  Centrelink used to give us a fighting chance of getting some time back in these cases, no chance now.  You could see the traffic on the bridge if it was thereacoupleofplaces coming along the teams and dip into the centrelink if possible.  The hills really aren’t a bother for a bus that’s working relatively normally, or I never had a problem with it anyway.

Personally, I think the Centrelink should be opened up to all traffic, perhaps with restrictions at peak times to prevent traffic issues on the Quayside.

Failing that, convert it into a cycleway to segregate Bradley Wiggins, his 200mph bike and pedestrians on the narrow riverside path, and reopen the Askew Road.

Go North East have no real use for it anymore, and there's clearly a need for it to be used as something else.

(09 Oct 2022, 8:30 am)omnicity4659 wrote Personally, I think the Centrelink should be opened up to all traffic, perhaps with restrictions at peak times to prevent traffic issues on the Quayside.

Failing that, convert it into a cycleway to segregate Bradley Wiggins, his 200mph bike and pedestrians on the narrow riverside path, and reopen the Askew Road.

Go North East have no real use for it anymore, and there's clearly a need for it to be used as something else.

More like they don't want to use it.

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But I wonder whether some GNE services coming from Gateshead to Market Street should use the swing bridge, straight up Dean St to the Roundabout where MetroRadio used to be and onto Market Street.

Going that way is a lot quicker, I know as when I was on the 27 coming from Gateshead a 21 left a minute before, it dropped us off at Worsick Street and I managed to get to the top of the hill before it passed the lights on Market Street West.

(09 Oct 2022, 8:30 am)omnicity4659 wrote Personally, I think the Centrelink should be opened up to all traffic, perhaps with restrictions at peak times to prevent traffic issues on the Quayside.

Failing that, convert it into a cycleway to segregate Bradley Wiggins, his 200mph bike and pedestrians on the narrow riverside path, and reopen the Askew Road.

Go North East have no real use for it anymore, and there's clearly a need for it to be used as something else.

Have to agree tbh even if it's just one way heading away from the Swing Bridge so it doesn't clog the area up. Would help when the arena opens up to shift traffic away from the area better aswell. 

I also agree at the same time for opening Askew Road towards the Tyne Bridge only. If they open a pedestrian crossing there the traffic has to stop anyway.

(09 Oct 2022, 8:33 am)Unber43 wrote More like they don't want to use it.

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But I wonder whether some GNE services coming from Gateshead to Market Street should use the swing bridge, straight up Dean St to the Roundabout where MetroRadio used to be and onto Market Street.

Going that way is a lot quicker, I know as when I was on the 27 coming from Gateshead a 21 left a minute before, it dropped us off at Worsick Street and I managed to get to the top of the hill before it passed the lights on Market Street West.

It would certainly get more use out of the two bus priority measures down on the Quayside, that see very limited use.
The one immediately north of the Swing Bridge, that allows a right turn and the one at the bottom of Dean Street.

I wonder whether more of a uniformed entrance into Newcastle would be of benefit to buses, because really all GNE Buses should be close together for the best service.

Services from the Metrocentre could use the Swing Bridge, then up Dean Street along Worsick Street, up John Dobson Street, Around to Eldon Square and out the current way

Services from Gateshead - Swing Bridge, up Dean Street right at Worsick Street then either Market Street or John Dobson Street into Eldon Square.

But also I would personally knock down the Car Park at Eldon Square and build another few stands maybe like 6 for other GNE services so they can all be in one location.

(09 Oct 2022, 9:31 am)Unber43 wrote I wonder whether more of a uniformed entrance into Newcastle would be of benefit to buses, because really all GNE Buses should be close together for the best service.

Services from the Metrocentre could use the Swing Bridge, then up Dean Street along Worsick Street, up John Dobson Street, Around to Eldon Square and out the current way

Services from Gateshead - Swing Bridge, up Dean Street right at Worsick Street then either Market Street or John Dobson Street into Eldon Square.

But also I would personally knock down the Car Park at Eldon Square and build another few stands maybe like 6 for other GNE services so they can all be in one location.

Don't agree with that Dean Street should have all the buses removed as much as they can. It's not fit for buses and they cause problems as it is. 

Not to mention it's a diversion. Ideally I'd rather it was pedestrianised with cafe bars etc. 

Also your removing the Central Station link.

That would leave Central Station with next to no bus service

(09 Oct 2022, 9:48 am)Storx wrote Don't agree with that Dean Street should have all the buses removed as much as they can. It's not fit for buses and they cause problems as it is. 

Not to mention it's a diversion. Ideally I'd rather it was pedestrianised with cafe bars etc. 

Also your removing the Central Station link.

Yeah tbf it would, but only for services going into Newcastle.

The 12 would serve it both ways, so would the 53/54, And 1 one way. Which tbf isn't great.

I'm presuming this debate might've originated from this tweet:
https://twitter.com/lf_p/status/1578757212813815808

I think that thread gives quite a few advantages to why the Centrelink should be used more often - maybe on situations like matchdays, GNE should inform drivers (and passengers) that buses should use Centrelink to prevent late running/reliability.

I was on an X45 a couple of weeks ago which used centrelink but the queue from the swing bridge up to Jury's Inn probably meant it took just as long as the redheugh bridge route.
As an aside I decided to opt out of the 12.12 X45 yesterday as it was full with approx 15 standing leaving Consett bus station. I waited for the 12.46 X71 to Newcastle which took 1.5 hours (approx 30 mins late) and still made it to Eldon Square first. It took 6347 on X45 2 hours to do a 1 hour journey. As running full from Consett and a now 30 min frequency I wonder how many people were left behind at stops who wanted to go to Newcastle or metrocentre?
With Xmas shoppers in Nov/Dec this will only get worse. I know its a resource issue but dupes are definitely needed on match day Saturdays.

Sent from my SM-G990B using Tapatalk

(09 Oct 2022, 2:57 pm)Tiger5105 wrote I was on an X45 a couple of weeks ago which used centrelink but the queue from the swing bridge up to Jury's Inn probably meant it took just as long as the redheugh bridge route.
As an aside I decided to opt out of the 12.12 X45 yesterday as it was full with approx 15 standing leaving Consett bus station. I waited for the 12.46 X71 to Newcastle which took 1.5 hours (approx 30 mins late) and still made it to Eldon Square first. It took 6347 on X45 2 hours to do a 1 hour journey. As running full from Consett and a now 30 min frequency I wonder how many people were left behind at stops who wanted to go to Newcastle or metrocentre?
With Xmas shoppers in Nov/Dec this will only get worse. I know its a resource issue but dupes are definitely needed on match day Saturdays.

Sent from my SM-G990B using Tapatalk

Last week I don't think there was a match on and it was just as bad. 

Full Buses at the Metrocentre leaving passengers, same with Eldon Square.

It took an X45 1 hour to get from Metrocentre to Newcastle yesterday, worse thing is the later X30/X31 were cancelled due this.

I'm sure I reD a while ago the gne wanted to send more buses over the swing bridge and up dean street but this was refused by the council for whatever reason? Anyone confirm this? Would have been a while ago.mind