(10 Jan 2023, 6:13 pm)Unber43 I've been out today and i've never really heard massive complaints about the service, obviously there is a one of comment every now and then, but every bus I went on all people were doing was complaining about the disgraceful services, and the state of public transport being abysmal.

I wonder if you offered people free driving lessons how many of them would actually still chose to take the bus, my guess would be around 10%

(12 Jan 2023, 11:32 pm)Ambassador I see wor Rog was in the region today.

He managed to miss the dozens of wrong route branded GNE services  but our hero did spot the 685 being run by an incorrectly branded bus and rightly chastised arriva on Twitter.

It’s almost like he’s averse to criticising the company that pays his no doubt lavish pension….

(07 Feb 2023, 10:53 pm)Andreos1 There was a fella from B&H who sat in a bus stop and talked about how they got drivers in at short-notice and got them to drive an impromtu night bus route, even if they didn't know the route.

(08 Feb 2023, 3:47 pm)MurdnunoC Fascinating.

Didn't realise you needed a PSV licence to work at Benson and Hedges but it's nice to see an employer going the extra mile to ensure workers can get to work on time.

(08 Feb 2023, 6:59 pm)Andreos1 No, no. You misunderstand. 

It was to get the people who attended Fat Boy Slim home.

(08 Feb 2023, 8:08 pm)MurdnunoC Ah. I thought it was another tobacco company trying to enter the bus market. We already have Lambert and Butler Buses based in Stella although perhaps not for long as L&B are due to attend Hillcrest House soon. 

I don't think TC stands for Tobacco Commissioner either.

(20 Feb 2023, 8:31 am)Andreos1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64651414

Interesting read about services in The Potteries and the impact it has on the population

(09 Sep 2023, 7:11 pm)Unber43 I think the 65 massively depends on the weather it gets good loading most days but when its hot its rammed and standing both ways

(10 Sep 2023, 10:08 am)Adrian Yes, much like the 50. It'll be rammed on red hot weekends like this, but other days it'll carry no more than a handful at any one time.

I think having seasonal services would work better than tampering with existing timetables, e.g. if there were a mass of folk wanting to travel from Hetton and Murton to Seaham, then run something direct and express. Even if it's just one bus operating on a two-hourly frequency.

(10 Sep 2023, 7:22 pm)Ambassador I thought the lack of social media presence was poor today, even if it’s not GNR day. Stagecoach had diversion tweets going out, nexus were on the ball but GNE had absolutely nothing

(10 Sep 2023, 7:22 pm)Ambassador I thought the lack of social media presence was poor today, even if it’s not GNR day. Stagecoach had diversion tweets going out, nexus were on the ball but GNE had absolutely nothing

(26 Oct 2023, 7:32 pm)Adrian Had to have another commute into our Newcastle office today. Every time I do this, I remember exactly why I rarely bother.

I left the office about 16.50 tonight and it wasn't until just before 19.30 that I walked through my front door. 2 hours 40 mins, for what should have been an hour at most.

First hiccup was that 6090, due at 16.58 from Market Street, decided to do a loop of the town and out without picking up passengers. Presumably regulation, due to being 15 minutes late, though arguably still could have picked up passengers and still been stuck coming down through the Bigg Market* The 17.11 56 then pulled in on time, boarded everyone, then had to tell us all to get off again because there was a fault.

Seeing as the 17.14 27 pulled in as I got off the 56, I ended up boarding that, with the intention of jumping at Heworth for a 4. That also got stuck at the Bigg Market* and we ended up 20 late at Heworth (6pm by now)

The 18.12 4 was also late, departing around 12L. Around 15L by the time we got to the Galleries. About a 15 minute wait later, and the 2A pulls in on time. A couple stops later and a short walk, and I finally make it home.

Now I get that bus operators have no real influence over traffic congestion, but they're also good at causing it. An expired 21 at the foot of John Dobson Street seemed to be causing chaos, with foremen from a nearby building site being left to manage 3-way traffic flow. They also can't do much about the Bigg Market, where there's a temporary traffic light, just down from what used to be the Pig and Whistle. That being said, it's complete and utter madness to continue to send buses through there, when they're sitting 20 minutes at a time.

If people don't have to put up with this rubbish, I don't know why they'd bother putting themselves through it.