North East thread 4: Fingers crossed we catch the Angel bus!

[Someaddedsugar]

Just thought I'd start a new thread for the north east lot as number 3 is getting pretty full!

@PennyDreadfuI hope you're ok and hope you don't mind me picking the thread up!

Hello! Thanks for the new thread.

Thanks for the new thread.

Love the title.

Hi all. My in-laws attempting to catch The Santa bus in Durham tomorrow whilst they have the children.

I am really struggling with the idea of Tier 4/full lockdown in January. It's my 40th. Tier 3 is bad enough but at least I can shop.

I can't see how we're ever gonna get out of this & I feel very anxious & sad but I'm gonna try to block out the world, eat my bodyweight in nice Christmas food & make the best of things for my children over the festive period

Good luck for your in-laws catching the Christmas Santa bus. I would definitely ask on the Facebook page when the bus is coming though Durham.
And ask when the Christmas bus, you can get on. It’s decorated and they play Christmas songs.
I’m not a drinker, but I’m planning lots of cocktails and crisps. The healthy diet with start in January

Need to add "North East" to the thread title in someway, for those not aware of the angel bus!

Do we think there is a genuine risk that the north east will go into tier 4?

The route and planned times of the Santa bus are on the Go North East website. They put live updates on FB. I'm glad to see it will also be going to the west of Durham, as far New Brancepeth and Brandon.

Ooh, enemy territory ;)

Though the changes for the 21 in January have some trips out to Brandon.

I reckon we'll all be tier 4 by new year, tbh. If not sooner.

I think no matter what our figures, tier 4 is coming.
Also the Santa bus routes have been an amazing PR exercise for Go-North East. They have had so much good publicity. I think they have had to put more buses on, the drivers and Santa are volunteers. I think Arriva has missed a trick.

Arriva has had no funding for years. They've been tryig to sell the bus division on for goodness knows how long but have no interest. Even the grunty old former whey-aye-five-o Omnicities passing our house on the 50 are in much better condition than most of the Arriva Fleet in Durham. Some of those buses are older than my oldest child!

I was never convinced by Arriva's claims to be doubling down on cleaning, either. A few times I caught the 64 or 62 before it got too busy with the college back and they were filthy.

And they were constantly understaffed before Covid. Belmont's not as much of a problem but Faverdale (darlo, runs the 7) pays drivers less and has struggled to recruit and retain drivers for a few years, now.

I suppose I have never given Arriva a thought normally. The Go-North East buses have felt very safe and clean. The bus drivers have worked very hard with not much thanks.

Good spot @Rosehip10!

@mumsnethq please could you add North East at the start of the thread title?

Morning all, just checking in from cold, wet Northumberland. I see we might have some snow tomorrow. We're supposed to be meeting my daughter and family at the coast at tea time for fish and chips and a walk at Tynemouth - best wrap up warm then. We would normally be going to a carol service, the trip to the coast for a walk seemed like a bit of an alternative outing.

I always forget about Arriva as they don't tend to pass by where I live, but often see their buses on North Road.

I also think we'll be in tier 4. I'm also trying to get my head around working full time with a toddler at home in January of education does move online as I'd assume DP won't be furloughed this time, and I can't see them setting exceptions for under 5s.

Wet and damp here too @NUFC69.

A walk along the coast sounds lovely though!

@Someaddedsugar

Good spot *@Rosehip10*!

@mumsnethq please could you add North East at the start of the thread title?

Best way to change the thread title is to report the OP.

Reported @PickAChew

Never thought I'd join a thread just to stick up for Arriva, but they have been fine in the pandemic (for us).

I lived in "enemy territory" for decades. No problem with Arriva, though admittedly I mainly used just one route.

Checking in for the new thread. I didn't post much on the last one but read every day.

I've been to Asda this morn, it wasn't too busy but not a carrot or strawberry to be found. So I made a detour to Tesco on the way home and got both. Tesco was quiet.

I agree we'll be in tier 4 before long. The thought of having to home school again whilst wfh fills me with dread 😢

I was in pure arriva territory for years and the hourly bus often didn't even turn up. Thankfully, they doubled the frequency which made all the difference. More people were willing to use the bus for that bit of investment.

Hancock doing press conference now. Looks like we're staying tier 3 for the moment. More of the SE going into T4 from Boxing day. Also another new variant that has come from S Africa. Anyone travelling from SA in last 2 weeks or in contact with anyone who has come from there to quarantine 😭

It just feels like they're dragging out our move to tier 4 doesn't it!

From reading other threads on here the guidance around education looks as though it's definitely moving towards online learning. I just hope if there is a lockdown/education/childcare closure they give a firm 'it's for x weeks' so at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel! Might also encourage companies to furlough where they can if they know it's for a set number of weeks which would surely reduce transmission?

Where I work we have teams in some of the areas moving to tier 4 on Boxing Day and I've just spotted on a company email that in tier 4 you can still go to work if you can't work from home so I'd assume all non-retail/hospitality sector are still going to have to head to work as usual.