I see the tenders for the Newcastle and North Tyneside tenders have recently closed. 

I wonder if Northstar will win any?

Which service tenders are coming up?

(16 Dec 2024, 7:49 pm)Michael wrote Which service tenders are coming up?

It will be the ones in North Tyneside/Newcastle. So the 18, 19, 32/32A, 35, 317, 335/351/359, 653, X46, W1, W2 etc.

(16 Dec 2024, 9:44 pm)Thomas12 wrote It will be the ones in North Tyneside/Newcastle. So the 18, 19, 32/32A, 35, 317, 335/351/359, 653, X46, W1, W2 etc.

Cheers, quite a few services on that list.

(16 Dec 2024, 9:44 pm)Thomas12 wrote It will be the ones in North Tyneside/Newcastle. So the 18, 19, 32/32A, 35, 317, 335/351/359, 653, X46, W1, W2 etc.

Let’s hope they are specifying larger buses or a frequency increase on the 351. The overcrowding, which started before the Christmas rush, is not good. Three large (and growing) housing developments need a better service into the City Centre.

(17 Dec 2024, 9:50 am)RMF1254 wrote Let’s hope they are specifying larger buses or a frequency increase on the 351. The overcrowding, which started before the Christmas rush, is not good. Three large (and growing) housing developments need a better service into the City Centre.

To be honest, the 351 needs to be something more than a subsidised Micky Mouse service.

The problem I have is the 342, 317, 19 all exist because of GNE. They changed them far to often confused people and made them unsustainable to the point where they were withdrawn them. To allow them to run the above contracts and be paid for them from public funds is scandalous. I can’t speak for the 351 but the whole North Tyneside operation was led to the point Arriva were pulling out and leaving a mess!

(07 Jan 2025, 12:52 am)Coastliner700 wrote The problem I have is the 342, 317, 19 all exist because of GNE. They changed them far to often confused people and made them unsustainable to the point where they were withdrawn them. To allow them to run the above contracts and be paid for them from public funds is scandalous. I can’t speak for the 351 but the whole North Tyneside operation was led to the point Arriva were pulling out and leaving a mess!

Probably doesn't help that there's 3 operators in the area either (Stagecoach - partially, GoNorthEast and Arriva). There's just not enough going around for all 3, with the Metro added on top which the vast majority of people use if they live next to it.

The towns, especially North Shields are all ghost towns aswell, yet they're obsessed with sending all the buses there which doesn't help either mind. Yet there's a cinema, multiple restaurants and all your shopping needs at Silverlink and the place is pretty much unserved without going under busy and unpleasant dual carriageways.

The whole area badly needs redone instead of having the same routes as 30 year ago, give or take, when places like Cobalt were fields imo and they need to work with the Metro, rather than against it aswell utilising the three interchanges (Wallsend / North Shields and Northumberland Park)

I've always wondered why nexus haven't sent the 342 back via the Airport via Dinnington since the airport seems to be a hub of new services last year

(07 Jan 2025, 9:21 am)Storx wrote Probably doesn't help that there's 3 operators in the area either (Stagecoach - partially, GoNorthEast and Arriva). There's just not enough going around for all 3, with the Metro added on top which the vast majority of people use if they live next to it.

The towns, especially North Shields are all ghost towns aswell, yet they're obsessed with sending all the buses there which doesn't help either mind. Yet there's a cinema, multiple restaurants and all your shopping needs at Silverlink and the place is pretty much unserved without going under busy and unpleasant dual carriageways.

The whole area badly needs redone instead of having the same routes as 30 year ago, give or take, when places like Cobalt were fields imo and they need to work with the Metro, rather than against it aswell utilising the three interchanges (Wallsend / North Shields and Northumberland Park)

And the Royal Quays, I don't get how the 19 has hung on for so long ever since they re routed it to go direct along Howdon Road missing out the Royal Quays entirely, yeah granted it has the 317 (and the 9 if you want to include it), but they can't say the 19 is a duplicate of the 317, cus it simply just isn't

(07 Jan 2025, 10:22 am)Aaron21 wrote I've always wondered why nexus haven't sent the 342 back via the Airport via Dinnington since the airport seems to be a hub of new services last year

Would require an additional bus unless another part of the route is cut.

---

(07 Jan 2025, 11:54 am)V514DFT wrote And the Royal Quays, I don't get how the 19 has hung on for so long ever since they re routed it to go direct along Howdon Road missing out the Royal Quays entirely, yeah granted it has the 317 (and the 9 if you want to include it), but they can't say the 19 is a duplicate of the 317, cus it simply just isn't

Is the royal quays very popular anymore? Any time I’ve passed it always seems completely dead compared to what it used to be like.

(07 Jan 2025, 12:01 pm)Thomas12 wrote

---

Is the royal quays very popular anymore? Any time I’ve passed it always seems completely dead compared to what it used to be like.

Is it hell. I barely see anyone get on. It's werid. Royal Quays seems dead as hell now. Wet & Wild & Sports Dome have been demolished and other stuff is shut half the time. Even the bowling (i believe) is empty half the time. Royal Quays has died and isn't gonna get any better. I know the only reason the 9 serves it is cause the 10/11 did which was werid but they used it as a "useful link". 

Tbf Royal Quays has always been a werid one with very little buses even going near it. Like look at the services that go there now

317 Wallsend to Whitley Bay 
9 Sunderland to North Shields 
19 Cramlington to North Shields. 

It's just such a werid connection as they all serve North Shields so unless that's some connection I'm not sure why. But even when the 19 & 317 were changed back in 2022 causing the 317 to replace the 19 between Percy Main & North Shields Ferry so I'm not sure why Royal Quays has such a odd bus service

(07 Jan 2025, 11:54 am)V514DFT wrote And the Royal Quays, I don't get how the 19 has hung on for so long ever since they re routed it to go direct along Howdon Road missing out the Royal Quays entirely, yeah granted it has the 317 (and the 9 if you want to include it), but they can't say the 19 is a duplicate of the 317, cus it simply just isn't

Must admit I'd be tempted to pull the Southern side of the 19 and change it to something like: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.00608...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D instead.

Meadowell etc have no link to Cobalt / Silverlink at all, excluding a long walk on the 310. Might actually pick up a few passengers as it's dead currently on it's current route serving nothing (Metro links towards Newcastle are covered at Wallsend now).

(07 Jan 2025, 10:22 am)Aaron21 wrote I've always wondered why nexus haven't sent the 342 back via the Airport via Dinnington since the airport seems to be a hub of new services last year

It would be welcomed by me if it did! Forest Hall to Airport in a taxi is £25 these days. Only way to save a bus is to curtail it at Kingston Park and have something else for the Westerhope-Tesco bit.

(07 Jan 2025, 12:19 pm)Aaron21 wrote Is it hell. I barely see anyone get on. It's werid. Royal Quays seems dead as hell now. Wet & Wild & Sports Dome have been demolished and other stuff is shut half the time. Even the bowling (i believe) is empty half the time. Royal Quays has died and isn't gonna get any better. I know the only reason the 9 serves it is cause the 10/11 did which was werid but they used it as a "useful link". 

Tbf Royal Quays has always been a werid one with very little buses even going near it. Like look at the services that go there now

317 Wallsend to Whitley Bay 
9 Sunderland to North Shields 
19 Cramlington to North Shields. 

It's just such a werid connection as they all serve North Shields so unless that's some connection I'm not sure why. But even when the 19 & 317 were changed back in 2022 causing the 317 to replace the 19 between Percy Main & North Shields Ferry so I'm not sure why Royal Quays has such a odd bus service

Even in the peak of Royal Quays and Wet and Wild, the public transport was shocking.
Can remember getting off the Metro in Percy Main to go to Wet and Wild (Meadowell still had its reputation and legacy) in the 90s and remember thinking it would be so much easier (and less risky) going by bus. 

The buses only seemed to get better, when the offering was worse.

(07 Jan 2025, 2:18 pm)Andreos1 wrote Even in the peak of Royal Quays and Wet and Wild, the public transport was shocking.
Can remember getting off the Metro in Percy Main to go to Wet and Wild (Meadowell still had its reputation and legacy) in the 90s and remember thinking it would be so much easier (and less risky) going by bus. 

The buses only seemed to get better, when the offering was worse.

North Shields Fish Quay is the newest place like that. Impossible to get there from the Coast and it's now doable since they opened up the new bridge, years ago. 

You'd always think there'd be some demand from Whitley Bay and Tynemouth to the Ferry, especially in the Summer months with people coming across from the South side of the water.

Personally I'd love to see them try and do a tourism push and have a summer time open top service running from Blyth or Whitley Bay Lighthouse to North Shields Ferry and a second from South Shields Ferry to Sunderland all along the Coast. I'd imagine kids would love it and would actually be useful especially considering there's problems with the E's aswell.

(07 Jan 2025, 2:29 pm)Storx wrote North Shields Fish Quay is the newest place like that. Impossible to get there from the Coast and it's now doable since they opened up the new bridge, years ago. 

You'd always think there'd be some demand from Whitley Bay and Tynemouth to the Ferry, especially in the Summer months with people coming across from the South side of the water.

Personally I'd love to see them try and do a tourism push and have a summer time open top service running from Blyth or Whitley Bay Lighthouse to North Shields Ferry and a second from South Shields Ferry to Sunderland all along the Coast. I'd imagine kids would love it and would actually be useful especially considering there's problems with the E's aswell

See id love to see the return of the Seasider back but it probs won't happen anymore now. A summer open top route needs to return

(07 Jan 2025, 2:29 pm)Storx wrote North Shields Fish Quay is the newest place like that. Impossible to get there from the Coast and it's now doable since they opened up the new bridge, years ago. 

You'd always think there'd be some demand from Whitley Bay and Tynemouth to the Ferry, especially in the Summer months with people coming across from the South side of the water.

Personally I'd love to see them try and do a tourism push and have a summer time open top service running from Blyth or Whitley Bay Lighthouse to North Shields Ferry and a second from South Shields Ferry to Sunderland all along the Coast. I'd imagine kids would love it and would actually be useful especially considering there's problems with the E's aswell.

Bring back the 333!!!

(07 Jan 2025, 1:47 pm)Coastliner700 wrote It would be welcomed by me if it did! Forest Hall to Airport in a taxi is £25 these days. Only way to save a bus is to curtail it at Kingston Park and have something else for the Westerhope-Tesco bit.

I got a reply from Nexus when they changed the route to miss out the Airport, they were keen to keep the service going that way, but there was just no way to do it without adding an extra bus. The airport does seem to be working hard with local authorities at the moment, it would be great to see them get involved to help bring that link back. Sadly I expect they'll point to links to the Metro for those in North Tyneside.

Royal Quays has held no appeal to me since the Nike shop shut down around 5 or 6 years ago now.

It needs more shops like that, in my opinion. And with the location being right next to the Ferry Terminal, I'm surprised there isn't a better offering.

(07 Jan 2025, 7:16 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Royal Quays has held no appeal to me since the Nike shop shut down around 5 or 6 years ago now.

It needs more shops like that, in my opinion. And with the location being right next to the Ferry Terminal, I'm surprised there isn't a better offering.

The thing needs demolished imo. There's just no demand for the place with Dalton Park doing the same thing slightly further South. 

It's doesn't help the large sewage plant is directly behind it so when the wind blows the wrong direction the place stinks either mind.

(07 Jan 2025, 7:21 pm)Storx wrote The thing needs demolished imo. There's just no demand for the place with Dalton Park doing the same thing slightly further South. 

It's doesn't help the large sewage plant is directly behind it so when the wind blows the wrong direction the place stinks either mind.

I think the main problem is that it's received little-to-no investment over the years. It's pretty much the same since it opened around the dawn of the millennium whereas Dalton Park has expanded to include regular shops in addition to its outlet offering. I don't think Dalton Park necessarily takes away the demand as, unless you live along the A19 corridor, it's not the easiest place to get to from the North of the Tyne, and, there's the added cost of using the Tyne Tunnel even if you do live close to the A19.   

Sewage and the stench of the Tyne aside (both of which I've never really noticed, tbh - must have always been there on a 'good' day), I think the Royal Quays potentially has more going for it than Dalton Park. As mentioned, it's got the ferry terminal close by with international visitors arriving and departing daily, and it's also got the space to expand if the empty brownfield site next door was acquired. Whilst current and historic transport links have never been great, there's room from improvement, and it's only a short walk from Percy Main Metro (a walk I've done many times by walking down the cut that takes past the football and cricket grounds - 10 mins approx). 

Personally, I would say the difference between Dalton Park and Royal Quays is in the way they've been managed since their conception. DP has expanded whilst RQ has almost contracted.

(07 Jan 2025, 7:49 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I think the main problem is that it's received little-to-no investment over the years. It's pretty much the same since it opened around the dawn of the millennium whereas Dalton Park has expanded to include regular shops in addition to its outlet offering. I don't think Dalton Park necessarily takes away the demand as, unless you live along the A19 corridor, it's not the easiest place to get to from the North of the Tyne, and, there's the added cost of using the Tyne Tunnel even if you do live close to the A19.   

Sewage and the stench of the Tyne aside (both of which I've never really noticed, tbh - must have always been there on a 'good' day), I think the Royal Quays potentially has more going for it than Dalton Park. As mentioned, it's got the ferry terminal close by with international visitors arriving and departing daily, and it's also got the space to expand if the empty brownfield site next door was acquired. Whilst current and historic transport links have never been great, there's room from improvement, and it's only a short walk from Percy Main Metro (a walk I've done many times by walking down the cut that takes past the football and cricket grounds - 10 mins approx). 

Personally, I would say the difference between Dalton Park and Royal Quays is in the way they've been managed since their conception. DP has expanded whilst RQ has almost contracted.

Aye some valid points there. On paper I definitely agree it's a better location than Dalton Park tbf. 

The investment I agree 100% though it's bleak. Dalton Park isn't particularly great either imo compared to the likes of York and Livingston either there mind. 

Guess it's all about feasibility from the shops though as most will probably see the North East as one and won't want two units, not to mention the local area around The Royal Quays isn't exactly the best. I'm not sure I'd want to own a Molton Brown shop there just to pick something as most my stock would be going out the front door and the place so ill designed there's numerous spots you could bolt with it aswell. 

Can't see a future for it personally as it basically needs to start from scratch and if your doing that you might aswell do it somewhere else. 

That whole area is prime for a major housing development with half the abandoned office blocks and bowling alley being part of it - the bowling alley ideally being promoted to move into North Shields or somewhere similar to boost that since that place is just as bad. Wilko unit?

(07 Jan 2025, 7:16 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Royal Quays has held no appeal to me since the Nike shop shut down around 5 or 6 years ago now.

It needs more shops like that, in my opinion. And with the location being right next to the Ferry Terminal, I'm surprised there isn't a better offering.

We have  Nike shop at Arnison if you feel the need for pink and turquoise trainers in odd sizes.

Do we have a rough time frame of when we find out who's won what in the tender

(07 Jan 2025, 1:47 pm)Coastliner700 wrote It would be welcomed by me if it did! Forest Hall to Airport in a taxi is £25 these days. Only way to save a bus is to curtail it at Kingston Park and have something else for the Westerhope-Tesco bit.

You a Forest Hall lad aswell, hello there   , I miss the 42A (previously the 353)

£25 from Forest Hall!!

It’s a set £32 from Birtley and Chester and £27 from low Fell. That’s horrendous pricing from forest hall

Where do you find the information for the upcoming tenders?

(11 Jan 2025, 6:56 pm)V514DFT wrote You a Forest Hall lad aswell, hello there   , I miss the 42A (previously the 353)

I am ) although the 42A had gone before I came.