[Talk-GB] Combined Authorities and Government Regions

[James Derrick]

On 06/05/2022 17:22, Colin Smale wrote:
> Thanks for your input. I will indeed stick to just the two CA's in the 
> North East. It's a mystery to me (as a southerner) why the existing CA 
> got split in two like that

Don't worry - being a local doesn't being any more insight!

It feels very petty and self-defeating when in reality the authorities 
are fighting for crumbs off the transport budget table (I say that after 
years working in London including for the 'big' transport authorities).

> I remember a schoolmate of mine who originated from South Shields told me 
> of the "rivalry" between places in the North East...

Geordies, Mack'ems, Sand Dancers, Monkey hangers, Wooly-backs - and my 
own sub-group - pit yackkers - now there's a challenge to map as 
relations in OSM! :-)

> An integrated transport system is one of the big reasons to have a 
> Combined Authority, and Nexus seems to work well across the whole of the 
> area. It would be a backward step to split it up across the two CAs, so 
> it looks like they have come up with a very creative solution.

"Transport for West Monkseaton" just doesn't have the same ring as TNE 
does it?
   https://www.transportnortheast.gov.uk/about-us/

TfL has delivered a very good transport system, with integrated 
ticketing at the heart. NE transport is already poor with two different 
bus operators, two route numbers, and two prices ON THE SAME ROUTE, so 
restoring the Northumberland Line will only increase the integration 
pressure on the 'Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive' nee Nexus 
for through-ticketing integrating cycle/ bus/ Blyth and Tyne Line/ 
Metro/ ECML.

Ashington to Washington on one ticket?
   https://networkonetickets.co.uk/

I'm mapping a few sites as building work for the Blyth and Tyne 
soft-starts (AKA Northumberland Line NCL - MAS - Blyth - Ashington). 
Thank heavens freight kept the track and infrastructure open, so most 
works are adding back double track, and accessible platforms on stations 
closed since 1964.

Sadly I know less about the Metro/ heavy-rail expansion plans South, but 
follow a few groups on Twitter (SENRUG, RailFuture, etc).

All the best,


James
-- 
James Derrick
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