(30 Jan 2023, 1:59 pm)ASX_Terranova Withdraw the TB29 and have the either the 49/49A or 96 serve Racecourse Estate.
Or create a new service that goes: Newcastle, Quayside, Gateshead, Racecourse Estate, A1, Ellison Road, Market Lane, Swalwell, Metrocentre (example in PDF).

The 2/2A, 4, 8, 50 & X1 all need increases because they are getting overcrowded very regularly.
 
I also want the 81/82/82A mess cleared up so that the same operator runs both the daytime and evening services, i would also like to one of these go into Newcastle perhaps replacing the 91 aswell to save money.

(30 Jan 2023, 2:36 pm)cbma06 If there increase the 2/2a, 4, 8,50,x1 etc etc, then where will these drivers come from?, don’t forget there is a driver shortage, and then there be back to square one with cancellations on a big scale, and will GNE pay for these extra wages for these drivers since GNE are not making profit.


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(30 Jan 2023, 3:42 pm)ASX_Terranova They have sub-contracted services to other independents, is that an option at the moment?
If an independent suddenly decided to start commerical competition on a GNE flagship route, would they have the resources to fight back?

(30 Jan 2023, 1:59 pm)ASX_Terranova Withdraw the TB29 and have the either the 49/49A or 96 serve Racecourse Estate.
Or create a new service that goes: Newcastle, Quayside, Gateshead, Racecourse Estate, A1, Ellison Road, Market Lane, Swalwell, Metrocentre (example in PDF).

The 2/2A, 4, 8, 50 & X1 all need increases because they are getting overcrowded very regularly.
 
I also want the 81/82/82A mess cleared up so that the same operator runs both the daytime and evening services, i would also like to one of these go into Newcastle perhaps replacing the 91 aswell to save money.

(31 Jan 2023, 3:01 pm)ifm001 Re X66.  I'm going to regret saying this.

Why not withdraw it altogether and replace with extension to services that exist already that terminate either Gateshead or Meteocentre.

Ie extend 97 from Metrocentre back to Gateshead via X66 route
Or 51/52 from Gateshead to Metrocentre via X66 route.

Alternatively something with the Newcastle bound buses, truncate some of them at Gateshead but send to Metrocentre instead.  Similar to what Arriva did a few years ago with X1/X2/X12 or whatever number it was at the time, when they sent it to Metrocentre on a Sunday.

(30 Jan 2023, 3:42 pm)ASX_Terranova They have sub-contracted services to other independents, is that an option at the moment?
If an independent suddenly decided to start commerical competition on a GNE flagship route, would they have the resources to fight back?

(31 Jan 2023, 3:30 pm)Storx Imagine timekeeping would be an issue with that.

Personally I always think it should be bolted onto the Quaylink services across the river and give direct Metrocentre to Quayside services instead of the 53/54 maybe even extended through to the Great Park instead of the Q3. It would also give a direct link from Gateshead to Northumbria University without the walks at both end with the other half of the Q3 actually doing a loop around Newcastle again rather than the botch currently.

Be handy to have a bus with connects all the hubs together (Metrocentre / Eldon Square and Haymarket / Gateshead)

(31 Jan 2023, 8:31 pm)V514DFT After the last couple of posts about better connections, i think ive saw a potential way of.making use out of 311

(17 Feb 2023, 7:34 pm)ASX_Terranova I thought I would try a few ideas that could be run out of a washington-based depot, feel free to make any changes. 

I have also included a route using the backroads between Kibblesworth & Streetgate as discussed in the Bygone Era Seection.

(17 Feb 2023, 7:48 pm)MurdnunoC While I may have provided examples of where buses traverse single-lane thoroughfares in the thread mentioned above, there's no way a bus is getting down Ouslaw Lane, which is the most direct route between Kibby and Streetgate.

However, the underlying reason there has never been a service between Kibby and Streetgate/Sunniside is because there is next to nothing inbetween, and I don't think the Co-op at Sunniside is enough of a draw in terms of a destination for residents of Kibby.

(19 Feb 2023, 9:37 pm)itsadam Can someone shed some light on why the 21 runs more frequently between Chester and Newcastle than Durham and Newcastle? It's always baffled me but it's probably something as simple as driving hours

(19 Feb 2023, 9:40 pm)Unber43 Chester to Newcastle has more passengers, so it wouldn't make sense to run it to Durham every 10 mins its now every 30 mins

It used to be every 15 mins pre-pandemic but that was scrapped for what was meant to be every 15 mins X21 between Newcastle and Durham half hourly extended to Bishop iirc

(19 Feb 2023, 11:04 pm)itsadam It's always confused me because it's a popular corridor. 

I live in Durham but stay in Chester for work purely because the buses are more frequent and I can easily get a different 21 if the one from Durham isn't running. I'm one to get an earlier bus in case something happens to the later one, I don't really have that kinda luxury when I'm coming from Durham to Newcastle for work. 

If all these breakdowns recently are something to go by, you can't go wrong setting off early. I always like to have that peace of mind

(19 Feb 2023, 11:23 pm)Storx A lot of people from Durham to Newcastle travel via train as it's much much quicker and reliable (13 mins vs 60 mins). It has very good loads between the two stations, especially at peaks. You'd have to be pretty into buses to sit on the 21 for 80 minutes on some peak boards.

(20 Feb 2023, 1:40 pm)itsadam Trains are just far too expensive for me, better value with a monthly 5-25 ticket in my opinion. I see the benefits of trains though but still doesn't tempt me