(26 Sep 2013, 8:21 pm)Andreos1 Wonder who has that contract?
I often end up driving through Birtley on a morning and I was surprised at the numbers waiting in a Bobsies uniform

(26 Sep 2013, 9:59 pm)tyresmoke Shame to see GNE cost cutting on the X7 already (and adding extra stops into it) in a desperate attempt to make it profitable. Not exactly surprising, though!

(26 Sep 2013, 9:59 pm)tyresmoke Shame to see GNE cost cutting on the X7 already (and adding extra stops into it) in a desperate attempt to make it profitable. Not exactly surprising, though!

(26 Sep 2013, 9:59 pm)tyresmoke Shame to see GNE cost cutting on the X7 already (and adding extra stops into it) in a desperate attempt to make it profitable. Not exactly surprising, though!

(27 Sep 2013, 8:43 am)nk55 BX63 BDO has been allocated fleet number 5359 & BX63 BCU allocated 5360

(27 Sep 2013, 6:33 am)Daniel It's common practice of all operators to withdraw certain journeys that aren't profitable or indeed withdraw it completely if they are making a loss on it.
Few operators will use a service that makes shedloads of money (i.e. 21) to keep a service like one of the quieter "East Durham" services going. As any business does, GNE needs to maximise their profit levels - whether this is done at the expense of a few customers or none at all, it needs to be done.

(27 Sep 2013, 9:12 am)Andreos1 Conversely, when an early morning run on a 202 or a 260 into Peterlee (which carries 6 passengers each) is axed - the x7 is impacted, because 4 & 3 of those passengers carried on their journey to get to work.
All of a sudden, the x7 is, 7 passengers short and a run which teetered on the edge of profitability, is suddenly making a loss.

Similarly, 5 passengers getting off a 21 after work, can't get an x25 or 71 at Chester to finish off their journey - because that has stopped for the evening.

When loads on the x7 and 21 are analysed, they realise numbers are down, so certain runs are also axed or cut short.
Except the only reason loads are down, is because the bus that takes them to/from home was stopped to maintain (or increase) profit levels....

It is a vicious circle and a key negative of this hub & spoke model in that is is forcing people into certain channels for their journey.

(27 Sep 2013, 9:27 am)eezypeazy Is this based on fact, or have you just made up this scenario?

(27 Sep 2013, 9:32 am)Andreos1 You tell me eezypeazy.
It could be fact or it could be anecdotal - even made up, like your comments about the 'R' series that only carry one or two people a week...

(27 Sep 2013, 9:41 am)eezypeazy My 'R' series report is based on my observations... and I said they carry one or two people (ie., per trip), who travel once or twice a week... do keep up!

(27 Sep 2013, 9:27 am)2bagstew Exactly what is happening to the X7

(27 Sep 2013, 9:41 am)eezypeazy My 'R' series report is based on my observations... and I said they carry one or two people (ie., per trip), who travel once or twice a week... do keep up!

(27 Sep 2013, 11:19 am)AdamY May I have a link to this 'R' series report stating the methodology used for determining how many people travel per week based upon the (limited) observations made?

(27 Sep 2013, 11:58 am)eezypeazy 'report' as in my report on here based on my own observation of buses carrying fresh air...

(27 Sep 2013, 12:26 pm)AdamY I wouldn't argue against what you say on certain sections of the route (or at certain times of the day). Between Clara Vale and Crawcrook (or Barlow and Winlaton), for example, I have only ever observed one or two people on the bus. However, between Ryton and Crawcrook (or Winlaton and Rowlands Gill/Highfield) there are usually more than one or two people using the service. As you're no doubt aware, the R3/R4 runs between Rowlands Gill and Clara Vale via Winlaton Mill, Winlaton, Blaydon, Stargate, Crookhill, Ryton and Crawcrook. As you can see, the bus serves a number of small communities along its route. If the bus, as you claim, only carries one or two people per trip, then it must not pick up any more passengers after the point where you have observed the bus or, indeed, dropped off any passengers beforehand.

I also don't understand how you've reached the conclusion that the 'one or two' people the bus carries only travel once or twice per week unless you've carried out detailed analysis proving this to be true. The R5 appears to be mostly used by pensioners carrying people between Rowlands Gill and Highfield. Presumably, they travel to the Gill to use local amenities such as Tesco, Doctors, or the Bank. Now, I know at least one pensioner who uses this service at least three or four times a week. Could it be possible that other pensioners use this bus more than once or twice a week? Also, the R3/R4 and R6 are used by schoolchildren travelling between Highfield/High Spen/Rowlands Gill and Blaydon and Winlaton (for St Thomas More School). So there's another demographic potentially using the service more than once or twice per week. Also some people I know use this bus to travel to work in Blaydon, perhaps others do too.