(20 Jun 2025, 1:30 pm)Michael wrote Full details

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/service-ch...-july-2025

These are basically the most underwhelming changes I think I've seen.

(21 Jun 2025, 2:03 am)DH9 wrote These are basically the most underwhelming changes I think I've seen.

Only thing I can see changed massively if the 1

So is GNE keeping the 57 as they haven't mentioned it on their changes? I remember someone mentioned though that GCT got it.

Looks like Lobley Hill Estate (South) won the argument with GNE as they were essentially cutting a direct service from the estate to Newcastle as the proposed Hourly 95 which was terminating at Gateshead.

Personally I would suggested extending the proposed 95 and existing service 96 from Gateshead into Newcastle (Market Street) as a reasonable replacement with the X32 being more of direct express along the A692 (Lobley Hill Road) and would've also provided an improved service from Lobley Hill Road to Newcastle with a Bus at a combined frequency of Every 10 Minutes if you included the "Coaster 1 (301)".

GNE could've also have done a service serving both North/South sides of Lobley Hill Estate:

95 - Newcastle (Market Street) - Gateshead Interchange - Bensham Court Flats - Team Valley Maingate - Lobley Hill (Beechword Gardens) - Lobley Hill (Romanwood Gardens) - Lobley Hill (Rothbury/Meldon Gardens) - Lobley Hill (Gragside Gardens) - Lobley Hill (Malvern Gardens) - Lobley Hill (Moorfoot Gardens) - Lobley Hill (Chiltern Gardens) - Team Valley Maingate - Bensham Court Flats - Gateshead Interchange - Newcastle (Market Street)

Has the 82 been made more regular??? I hardly saw it when it was a GNE service ran for NEXUS but i seem to see it all the time now the GCT have taken it over. Never anyone on it though whether early morning or late a t night

(30 Jun 2025, 9:25 am)Rob44 wrote Has the 82 been made more regular???  I hardly saw it when it was a GNE service ran for NEXUS but i seem to see it all the time now the GCT have taken it over.  Never anyone on it though whether early morning or late a t night

As any bus driver will tell you: an empty bus is a happy bus.

Sunderland connect 700 is getting an interesting summer extension, going further than ever before
https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2025-07-21&direction=outbound

(10 Jul 2025, 8:48 pm)N1cholas wrote Sunderland connect 700 is getting an interesting summer extension, going further than ever before
https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2025-07-21&direction=outbound

Should've included serving The Docks replacing the 32 also.

I quite like the extension up to Seaburn, perhaps GNE are stepping in to cover the loss of the SNE 18/18A in the area.

I might be missing something here, but isn't this just the same extension they do every year when most students are away for the summer so the buses aren't needed at the campus. To be honest, I could've swore it usually came in much earlier than the middle of July, as the students went home weeks ago, and used to be more frequent aswell than every 45 minutes, which is awkward as an understatement.

(10 Jul 2025, 9:21 pm)Storx wrote I might be missing something here, but isn't this just the same extension they do every year when most students are away for the summer so the buses aren't needed at the campus. To be honest, I could've swore it usually came in much earlier than the middle of July, as the students went home weeks ago, and used to be more frequent aswell than every 45 minutes, which is awkward as an understatement.

I don't think its ever gone down to Seaburn seafront - it always went down to Roker seafront so I think that's a new extension to the route but every 45 mins is a weird frequancy.

It also looks like the 701 is running this year too, I don't think it ran last year, its running every 30 mins on the same route it normally does.

(11 Jul 2025, 10:18 am)Michael wrote I don't think its ever gone down to Seaburn seafront - it always went down to Roker seafront so I think that's a new extension to the route but every 45 mins is a weird frequancy.

It also looks like the 701 is running this year too, I don't think it ran last year, its running every 30 mins on the same route it normally does.

45 minutes because it's a single bus, when we went down to Roker Beach and the Hospital it had 2 buses on the route, and that was a 45 minute round trip with a 15 minute sit in Park Lane.

(11 Jul 2025, 10:18 am)Michael wrote I don't think its ever gone down to Seaburn seafront - it always went down to Roker seafront so I think that's a new extension to the route but every 45 mins is a weird frequancy.

It also looks like the 701 is running this year too, I don't think it ran last year, its running every 30 mins on the same route it normally does.

Ah yeah, you're right, got it mixed up on the end point. Mind then again I'm always getting Seaburn and Seaham mixed up name wise so not a surprise. Used to always remember it by Downey's is at Seaham. Thankfully they opened one at Seaburn aswell...

(11 Jul 2025, 4:04 pm)deanmachine wrote 45 minutes because it's a single bus, when we went down to Roker Beach and the Hospital it had 2 buses on the route, and that was a 45 minute round trip with a 15 minute sit in Park Lane.

Ah makes sense.

Had a bit of a play around in Excel this morning.

No change to the routes whatsoever, but GNE could reduce the low height decker PVR to 8x and have all Monday - Saturday driver changes at Consett within legal & safe driving hours. Whickham & Dunston keep their 3bph too!

Added bonus of a throughbus from Anfield Plain & New Kyo to Gateshead with the X32/X73 interworking.

I know GNE are trying to move away from the 'fads' too, but there'd be enough buses to make the X30/X31/X70/X71 all bike friendly during Monday to Saturday daytimes too.

(12 Jul 2025, 10:21 am)L469 YVK wrote Had a bit of a play around in Excel this morning.

No change to the routes whatsoever, but GNE could reduce the low height decker PVR to 8x and have all Monday - Saturday driver changes at Consett within legal & safe driving hours. Whickham & Dunston keep their 3bph too!

Added bonus of a throughbus from Anfield Plain & New Kyo to Gateshead with the X32/X73 interworking.

I know GNE are trying to move away from the 'fads' too, but there'd be enough buses to make the X30/X31/X70/X71 all bike friendly during Monday to Saturday daytimes too.

Can you not post this crap somewhere else?  It's got nothing to do with actual service changes, and just more of the same old obsession with low height deckers at Consett.

I agree. Fantasy bus routes should belong in its own section. This section is for actual changes.

(14 Jul 2025, 11:48 am)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Can you not post this crap somewhere else?  It's got nothing to do with actual service changes, and just more of the same old obsession with low height deckers at Consett.

It has indeed.......

GNE are currently relying on 12x low height deckers with 2x spare (not including patchy and some unreliable ex demos 6336/6337). The suggested timetable proves that GNE could run the same set of services reliably and with decent layovers - with a low height PVR of 8x instead of 12x and no changes to the routes.

Operationally, the current X30/X31/X32 and X70/X71/X73 interworkings cause challenges in the event that GNE have to scramble to allocate a StreetLite / E200MMC or cancel runs if no suitable vehicles available. Reducing the low height PVR to 8x would help this - also allowing full height deckers to be used on the X32 & X73.

Then there's the issue of remote reliefs in Stanley too. The suggested interworkings would erradicate this during Mondays to Saturdays with most driver reliefs happening in Consett.

On a final note, it makes sense that the E400MMC stay at Consett - although an extra 2x to Riverside would help things massively on the X10 instead of StreetDecks pulled from the 21/X21 screaming their lungs off down the A19!

(15 Jul 2025, 9:26 pm)L469 YVK wrote It has indeed.......

GNE are currently relying on 12x low height deckers with 2x spare (not including patchy and some unreliable ex demos 6336/6337). The suggested timetable proves that GNE could run the same set of services reliably and with decent layovers - with a low height PVR of 8x instead of 12x and no changes to the routes.

Operationally, the current X30/X31/X32 and X70/X71/X73 interworkings cause challenges in the event that GNE have to scramble to allocate a StreetLite / E200MMC or cancel runs if no suitable vehicles available. Reducing the low height PVR to 8x would help this - also allowing full height deckers to be used on the X32 & X73.

Then there's the issue of remote reliefs in Stanley too. The suggested interworkings would erradicate this during Mondays to Saturdays with most driver reliefs happening in Consett.

On a final note, it makes sense that the E400MMC stay at Consett - although an extra 2x to Riverside would help things massively on the X10 instead of StreetDecks pulled from the 21/X21 screaming their lungs off down the A19!

What people are trying to say is that you talk about this constantly, even when it's barely relevant.

(20 Jun 2025, 1:30 pm)Michael wrote Full details

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/service-ch...-july-2025

GNE have updated the services changes to include the Sunderland Connect 700/701:



Service 700 (Sunderland - Roker - Seaburn): To provide enhanced coastal links, this service will transition to operating onto a summer timetable, running every 20 minutes from Sunderland city centre to Roker Beach - and NEW for 2025, it will also extend to Seaburn Meik’s Lighthouse & Seaburn Park.



Service 701 (Sunderland - Monkwearmouth): This service will operate on a summer timetable, with changes to frequencies and first/last bus times.

(16 Jul 2025, 8:50 am)Michael wrote GNE have updated the services changes to include the Sunderland Connect 700/701:



Service 700 (Sunderland - Roker - Seaburn): To provide enhanced coastal links, this service will transition to operating onto a summer timetable, running every 20 minutes from Sunderland city centre to Roker Beach - and NEW for 2025, it will also extend to Seaburn Meik’s Lighthouse & Seaburn Park.



Service 701 (Sunderland - Monkwearmouth): This service will operate on a summer timetable, with changes to frequencies and first/last bus times.

They should operate the 700's summer timetable during term time, especially now SNE don't have the 18.

Didn't it go that way as far as Roker Park last year?

(16 Jul 2025, 1:15 pm)F114TML wrote Didn't it go that way as far as Roker Park last year?

Yeah it came down Park Parade I think it was.