Bit of a crossover thread, so please feel free to move if need be.

Nexus have released their unaudited draft of their 2013 accounts, which can be found here: http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/nexus.org....%20may.pdf . The performance and development section in particular makes interesting reading. Metro journeys drop by 0.5m, yet bus journeys increase by 3.0m.

Performance and Development
The following indicators describe the general performance of public transport in Tyne and Wear during 2012/13.
• The number of passenger journeys across Tyne and Wear reached more than 178 million; representing an
increase of almost 2 million journeys when compared to the previous year 2011/12.
• The main contributor to the patronage increase was Bus, with the number of journeys increasing by almost 3
million in 2012/13 to 139 million.
• Metro patronage declined by around 500,000 in 2012/13 to 37 million journeys. The impact that this loss of
patronage has on Nexus’ financial performance is kept under constant review.
• The cross Tyne ferry carried 432,000 passengers in 2012-13, below the 500,000 journeys seen for the
previous two years. It is thought that the impact of the second Tyne Tunnel has been instrumental in this
decline, added to which 2012 saw higher than average rainfall, impacting negatively on the number of
journeys made.
• Rail passengers in Tyne and Wear made more than 1.4 million journeys on local services .
• Metro reliability (operated mileage) has remained above 98.2% during 2012/13.
• Metro Charter punctuality was 86.0% during 2012/13, a decline on the 88.4% in the previous year.
Nexus invested £48.4m in its capital asset base during the year, most of which was directed at Metro, in line with its
11 year, £390m Asset Renewal Plan.

Have bus journeys increased per person or per ticket?
In that, I mean due to the axing of direct services. In the past, a return trip to Newcastle on say the X94 or 21a, would have seen me count as a passenger twice. Because I now need to get a connecting bus to reach the X1, I will be counted as a passenger 4 times (potentially 5 times, due to the axing of a connecting bus on a night time).

Saying that, very surprised at the Metro dropping. Wonder if the rain/weather had any impact on that? Ie a passenger using a bus which goes to say Newcastle, deciding to stay on board as it passed a Metro station, rather than getting off for a Metro and getting wet...

Bus passengers might also be up due to smaller operators reporting passenger numbers to Nexus through the Nexusbus contracts whereas they didn't before?

(30 Jun 2013, 9:29 am)tyresmoke wrote Bus passengers might also be up due to smaller operators reporting passenger numbers to Nexus through the Nexusbus contracts whereas they didn't before?

Wouldn't they have had the information in previous years too though? Looking at the 2011 and the 2012 accounts, they claim to operate the same 10% of bus routes.

Looking further at 2012 though, they also state;

• The main contributor to the patronage decline were Bus and Metro, with the number of bus journeys
  declining by almost 2.4 million in 2011/12 to 139 million.
  
• Metro patronage also declined by almost 2.4 million in 2011/12 and fell just below 38 million journeys. The impact that this loss of patronage has on Nexus’ financial performance is kept under constant review.
  

And back in 2011;

• The main contributor to the patronage decline was Bus, with the number of bus journeys declining by almost 1.9 million in 2010/11.
  
• Metro patronage declined by almost 1 million journeys in 2010/11and fell just below 40 million journeys, which also represented the 1st year since 2005/06 that patronage did not increase year on year.
  

Sources: http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/nexus.org....202012.pdf and http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/nexus.org....0Report%20&%20Accounts%20-%202011_0.pdf

---

(30 Jun 2013, 9:13 am)Andreos1 wrote Have bus journeys increased per person or per ticket?
In that, I mean due to the axing of direct services. In the past, a return trip to Newcastle on say the X94 or 21a, would have seen me count as a passenger twice. Because I now need to get a connecting bus to reach the X1, I will be counted as a passenger 4 times (potentially 5 times, due to the axing of a connecting bus on a night time).

I'd say one journey would always be one passenger using one bus.

(30 Jun 2013, 9:57 am)citaro5284 wrote Would GNE or any other private Operator give their commercially sensitive information to Nexus? Is this figure not just for secured work along with OAP and Child travel.

Number journeys are actually published by Go Ahead for each of their groups. Go North East quote 72m journeys in 2012, an increase of 7.3% over the past 5 years. http://www.go-ahead.com/sustainability/reports.aspx

I'm not that surprised with the revelation that passenger numbers on the Metro have declined.

Punctuality and overall perception of reliability has declined somewhat in recent years (more reports of train/service failure through social media etc.,). Modernisation, although crucial, has resulted in the temporary closure of lines for long periods of time causing travel disruption during peak hours. And GNE probably haven't helped by running services like the 1X between North Shields and Newcastle in competition to the Metro Replacement Service between Wallsend and North Shields last year.

Of course, passenger usage only takes into account the number of people who have paid to use the Metro. It does not take into account fare dodgers, or people reusing old tickets left on top of ticket machines or whatnot. So maybe, the level of passengers using the Metro has remained the same, but the number of people paying for the service has decreased, further adding to the picture of decline.

With the streamlining of bus services into the 'hub and spoke' model, is it any surprise passenger numbers on buses appear to have increase?
I would love to see the actual number of customers using services opposed to the number of passengers per service - to see what correlation there is between a customer being counted as a passenger multiple times.

Re Secured work - I can't see secured services accounting for such a big number of passengers. If 90% of services are secured commercially, then the figures given can't be the remaining 10%.

As well as the point above about unaccounted passengers, how do Nexus monitor the Metro passengers who have bought a transfer or Day Rover?

I'm wondering how genuine these figures are, or if they are based on some sort of sample. After all, researchers can't determine how many million watched Coronation Street last Friday can they?

I think they need to market the Shields Ferry more aggressively as a tourist thing as opposed to an actual service. I understand the trips they do are very popular and profitable.

Wonder how much Nexus spends on branding and corporate nonsense (such as its digital board that you can't even read on the top of Nexus House)

The Shields Ferry also forms part of the National Cycle Network. Another unique selling point that should be promoted more aggressively.

With regards to the Metro, less people are in work as well, which is reducing the number of people on the Metro.

In addition, the Metro is struggling with reliability and line closures, which I think are really impacting on those who undertake journeys. Once you choose an alternative, it can be difficult to bring them back.

The large scale closure in August is not going to help matters.

Indeed, the August closures is bound to impact upon next year's set of passenger figures. Although journeys on Metro Replacement services will count as Metro journeys, I wonder how many people will switch to, say, Arriva's X5 between Four Lane Ends/Longbenton and Newcastle, or Stagecoach's X47 between Kingston Park and Newcastle? Both services offer a quicker alternative to the Metro Replacement services and, if people are satisfied, they won't switch back.

I predict a further decline next year with a similar rise in bus patronage.

(30 Jun 2013, 5:21 pm)BusStop wrote With regards to the Metro, less people are in work as well, which is reducing the number of people on the Metro.

In addition, the Metro is struggling with reliability and line closures, which I think are really impacting on those who undertake journeys. Once you choose an alternative, it can be difficult to bring them back.

The large scale closure in August is not going to help matters.

I don't think it's people out of work that is reducing the numbers on the Metro. ONS reports that unemployment in the region actually fell 1.1% between Feb-April 2012, and Feb-April 2013. Agree with the points about reliability though.

It would be interesting to see how jobs are distributing too. Business parks are getting larger and they are easier to drive to compared to the centres.

@busstop That's an interesting point. Nexus surveys have already stated operators aren't always serving the needs of people working in business parks, with the Riverside one in Sunderland highlighted specifically.

Really? The ones i can think of are well served- quorum, rainton bridge, doxford, cobalt, newcastle business park, newburn, metrocentre, team valley,

Granted, if i live in chopwell and i applied for a job at doxford it would be a journey i could not do every day by bus/metro, but how many others would be doing that journey and who should provide that journey? Me, because it was my choice to apply for a job there and it is up to me to get to work on time (i.e get a car)? the tax payer via NEXUS where i would be the only one on it and not providing good value for money for the tax payer, or the bus operator where they would lose money?

(10 Jul 2013, 11:52 am)Andreos1 wrote @busstop That's an interesting point. Nexus surveys have already stated operators aren't always serving the needs of people working in business parks, with the Riverside one in Sunderland highlighted specifically.

If you read my message, I specifically mentioned the one in the report...

Some of the business parks are served well, others aren't easily accessible from all areas. There was a mention of Team Valley in the same report and the poor links from Birtley, Washington etc. Quroum doesn't have good links from the South Tyneside areas either.

Now if this is feedback from people who work in these areas, which it was, it means they need to travel the long way around, using several buses or drive.

There is obviously a demand, going from the comments in this survey.

(10 Jul 2013, 6:46 pm)alandriver wrote Really? The ones i can think of are well served- quorum, rainton bridge, doxford, cobalt, newcastle business park, newburn, metrocentre, team valley,

Granted, if i live in chopwell and i applied for a job at doxford it would be a journey i could not do every day by bus/metro, but how many others would be doing that journey and who should provide that journey? Me, because it was my choice to apply for a job there and it is up to me to get to work on time (i.e get a car)? the tax payer via NEXUS where i would be the only one on it and not providing good value for money for the tax payer, or the bus operator where they would lose money?

I think the example you have given is a bit extreme, but it should be noted that as part of the Work Programme, the government expected commuters to travel up to 90 minutes each way to work if a suitable vacancy was available. If not, they could face losing their benefits. The trip you've suggested would only be 50 mile round, so it could be argued that its a reasonable distance to commute.

I personally feel the Team Valley has an extremely poor service from Newcastle. It has the 91 that runs hourly during the day, and that's it. A friend of mine lives in Fenham and works on the Valley. The distance she travels is little over 6 miles, yet she has to use three separate buses to get there - taking about an hour? Washington to Team Valley is another good example. It's about 5 miles from my front door to Team Valley, yet I'd have to get 3 buses there and 3 buses back - taking about an hour too?

The reason is the same for both counts. Despite Eldon Square/Haymarket and Washington Bus Station being 'Transport Hubs', they don't have a regular direct link to an employment hot spot little no further than 6 miles down the road. Doing so would chop the total journey time right down, and reduce the need to change bus so often.

Nothing to do with Nexus, more to do with the work programme Auerolin has mentioned.

Now lets say I'm an unemployed person living in Chopwell. A job has arisen in Stanley which I've been put forward for by my Jobseeker Advisor (or whatever they're called nowadays). I go to the interview and I'm offered the job. The job requires me to start at 8am. Stanley is approximately 8 or 9 mile away from Chopwell and would certainly constitute a reasonable committing distance. Unfortunately, I'm unable to afford a car so I'm required to use public transport. However, that's fine, I'm more than happy to do that as I'm pleased to be in employment once again.

My challenge, if anyone wishes to accept, is this how do I get to my job in Stanley from Chopwell before 8am, bearing in mind that's it's the accepted convention that one arrives at work around 10 minutes before the shift commences.

What's the answer?

Apply for a bike using a hardship loan?

Seriously though, even without the cross-county issues and staying in the Tyne & Wear area, there are similar difficulties.

* Has anyone tried getting to Newcastle Business Park outside 'normal' bus operating times?

* Getting into Rainton Bridge prior to Npower paying for services a few years back was impossible.

* Travelling to Doxford Park from anywhere other than Sunderland or Houghton is ridiculous.

* Trying to remember which bus serves Sunderland Riverside Business Park this week needs the memory of a genius.

* Anyone needing to get to the business park by Nissan needs a good pair of legs, sturdy shoes and a rain coat (just incase).

* Has anyone been standing for a bus on Crowther Industrial Estate recently? Did you enjoy the wait?

* Can anyone remember the last bus to stop at Monkton Business Park? I think it was a workers service picking people up from the old Cokeworks circa 1978.

(10 Jul 2013, 8:51 pm)Andreos1 wrote Apply for a bike using a hardship loan?

Even if you were to get a hardship loan, the journey to work would involve a near eight mile climb up a relatively steep incline.

It would be easier to train for the Tour-de-France.

(10 Jul 2013, 8:51 pm)Andreos1 wrote Apply for a bike using a hardship loan?

Seriously though, even without the cross-county issues and staying in the Tyne & Wear area, there are similar difficulties.

* Has anyone tried getting to Newcastle Business Park outside 'normal' bus operating times?

* Getting into Rainton Bridge prior to Npower paying for services a few years back was impossible.

* Travelling to Doxford Park from anywhere other than Sunderland or Houghton is ridiculous.

* Trying to remember which bus serves Sunderland Riverside Business Park this week needs the memory of a genius.

* Anyone needing to get to the business park by Nissan needs a good pair of legs, sturdy shoes and a rain coat (just incase).

* Has anyone been standing for a bus on Crowther Industrial Estate recently? Did you enjoy the wait?

* Can anyone remember the last bus to stop at Monkton Business Park? I think it was a workers service picking people up from the old Cokeworks circa 1978.

...and on top of all that, what if you're actually forced to work for free, under the workfare programme?... sorry I mean "work experience"...

Lets just hope they have a decent set of brakes for the journey home then? :p

I have experience working with unemployed/soon to unemployed people across the North East and trying to get them into work (not JCP).
The barriers I have to overcome (not just the ones put up by the 'jobseekers') when trying to help, including transport issues, is crazy.

The main issue/difficulty is transport. Either the cost of or lack of.
* A journey is too long.
* Too expensive.
* Too many changes.
* Doesn't get back in time to pick the kids up
* Doesn't start in time
* Finishes before the shift does
* Or just cannot be carried out using public transport.

Some argue that if you wanted a job, you would do whatever it takes to get a job, but like some of the places I have mentioned and the Chopwell/Stanley scenario, it isn't that easy.

Nexus state they aim to subsidise services, so that key services are accessible.
I think the commercial operators need to develop some sort of awareness towards the communities they serve - for everyones long term interests, including *dare I say it - looks around to see who is reading this, whispers quietly* their shareholders.