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Go North East response to Quality Contract Scheme Board final report

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Go North East response to Quality Contract Scheme Board final report

Go North East welcomes the findings of the Quality Contract Scheme Board report on the proposal for a Quality Contract Scheme in Tyne & Wear which was released today.

Kevin Carr, Managing Director of Go North East said “The report, which follows the formal board hearing in July at which Nexus’ plans were independently scrutinised, confirms our belief that the proposed scheme for Tyne and Wear would not be good value for money for bus passengers or council tax payers when compared to the partnership proposal.

Go North East has always believed that it already provides good quality, value for money services that meet customer’s needs at no risk to the tax payer. This is supported by one of the highest passenger satisfaction ratings in the UK, of 90%, by the governments own independent watchdog Transport Focus.

Collaboration and partnership working are particular strengths for Go North East and we believe that this approach provides the best foundations for a good public transport network. We will therefore continue to work with our key strategic partners, including the North East Combined Authority, to continually improve services for our customers and the north east economy”

Over the last three years Go North East has invested almost £40 million to improve services for its customers in new buses and equipment. The company has one of the most popular smartcard schemes outside London, over a third of buses now have free customer wifi, power sockets and next stop announcements, and thousands of customers are using the mobile app to get information and buy tickets. With the exception of smartcards, none of these real improvements for customers were recommended under a quality contract scheme.

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On the Go since 1913

Around 175,000 journeys are made on Go North East bus services every day to travel around this wonderful region. Travelling to work or education, to visit friends and family, to have a night out, or to visit one of the region's many tourist and leisure attractions.

For over 100 years, Go North East has connected the region's towns and villages with the cities of Newcastle, Durham and Sunderland and currently operates across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and into Tees Valley.

Employing over 2,000 local people, with a fleet of almost 700 buses and coaches and an annual turnover of £100m, the company is the regional subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group plc, one of the UK's leading providers of passenger transport.

Go North East

117 Queen Street
NE8 2UA Gateshead