Arriva North East: Upcoming Service Changes
Arriva North East: Upcoming Service Changes
(15 Dec 2023, 3:28 pm)busmanT All day, every day at a regular frequency.
(15 Dec 2023, 3:28 pm)busmanT All day, every day at a regular frequency.
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Service Manager, Coatham Connect
Full details have now been posted!
https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...ear-jan-24
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Service Manager, Coatham Connect
Although the weekend timetables look far more generous for the X21 & X22, still no real running time enhancements IMO. Layover times on the Monday to Friday X21 / 35 boards don't seem to be enough with 5 minutes at each end of route!
Unless Arriva are anticipating that they can sustain a 30 minute service on each when the line goes live and will simply reduce the frequency to every 30 minutes each once that happens to address any reliability issues.
Also, could there be scope to possibly increase the 35 to every 15 minutes in the future? Whilst passenger numbers will inevitably drop on the X21/X22, surely there will be more demand going into Ashington from both Newbiggin and Morpeth with connections onto the rail line.
I've heard that the 57a changes will involve extra extensions to Ashington on Sundays. Edit, d'oh missed then announcement.
Guessing the purpose of the 777 is more so to give the North side of Ponteland a bus service (it currently has nothing bar the once daily X79) and link Ponteland to Kingston Park for shopping needs as much as the airport link.
Not surprised at it taking that route.
(22 Dec 2023, 7:51 pm)Storx Guessing the purpose of the 777 is more so to give the North side of Ponteland a bus service (it currently has nothing bar the once daily X79) and link Ponteland to Kingston Park for shopping needs as much as the airport link.
Not surprised at it taking that route.
(22 Dec 2023, 7:51 pm)Storx Guessing the purpose of the 777 is more so to give the North side of Ponteland a bus service (it currently has nothing bar the once daily X79) and link Ponteland to Kingston Park for shopping needs as much as the airport link.
Not surprised at it taking that route.
(22 Dec 2023, 8:33 pm)OrangeArrow49 Single decker?
Can't see it being a busy route.
(22 Dec 2023, 8:33 pm)OrangeArrow49 Single decker?
Can't see it being a busy route.
(22 Dec 2023, 8:43 pm)Jimmi Would imagine so, looks as if it will interwork with the X16 too.
(22 Dec 2023, 8:43 pm)Jimmi Would imagine so, looks as if it will interwork with the X16 too.
(22 Dec 2023, 8:53 pm)OrangeArrow49 The X16 has been a mixed allocation so far. How will the interworking pattern look?
(22 Dec 2023, 8:53 pm)OrangeArrow49 The X16 has been a mixed allocation so far. How will the interworking pattern look?
Something like the reinstatement of a service to Woller would have been better than the 777 IMHO, but the BSIP madness continues.
(22 Dec 2023, 9:48 pm)solsburian Something like the reinstatement of a service to Woller would have been better than the 777 IMHO, but the BSIP madness continues.
(22 Dec 2023, 9:48 pm)solsburian Something like the reinstatement of a service to Woller would have been better than the 777 IMHO, but the BSIP madness continues.
(22 Dec 2023, 10:09 pm)mb134 Surely the 777 is a prime example of BSIP funding being used well?
Creates new links, gives rural locations a service, and with the airport link has the potential to stand on its own two feet once the funding has ran out.
Not saying that something like a Wooler service isn't deserving of some funding, but the 777 is a good use of the money IMO.
(22 Dec 2023, 10:09 pm)mb134 Surely the 777 is a prime example of BSIP funding being used well?
Creates new links, gives rural locations a service, and with the airport link has the potential to stand on its own two feet once the funding has ran out.
Not saying that something like a Wooler service isn't deserving of some funding, but the 777 is a good use of the money IMO.
(22 Dec 2023, 10:17 pm)solsburian The 777 is not a good case of money we'll spent. I would be more forgiving if it was the Airport sponsoring the service, but it is not an example of a hub and spoke model that can make it sustainable. The airport only has a limited amount of employment opportunities and unless it was to terminate in Newcastle (ignoring the fact the Metro overlaps from Kingston park), it is going to have limited employment and leasire opportunities.
The minute the funding runs out I'd be willing to bet the service will be pulled.
(22 Dec 2023, 10:17 pm)solsburian The 777 is not a good case of money we'll spent. I would be more forgiving if it was the Airport sponsoring the service, but it is not an example of a hub and spoke model that can make it sustainable. The airport only has a limited amount of employment opportunities and unless it was to terminate in Newcastle (ignoring the fact the Metro overlaps from Kingston park), it is going to have limited employment and leasire opportunities.
The minute the funding runs out I'd be willing to bet the service will be pulled.
(22 Dec 2023, 10:05 am)tyresmoke Full details have now been posted!
https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...ear-jan-24
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(22 Dec 2023, 10:05 am)tyresmoke Full details have now been posted!
https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...ear-jan-24
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(22 Dec 2023, 9:48 pm)solsburian Something like the reinstatement of a service to Woller would have been better than the 777 IMHO, but the BSIP madness continues.Wooler hasn't really lost much in terms of links as such in the last 20 odd years as far as I can tell from some guides, granted the 470 was binned off about a year ago but it seemed very lightly used aside from the school journeys which remain to an extent as the 869. with 473 diverted via some of the old 470 route, didn't help that the 470/473 had to be timed closely together too cos of the school times making Alnwick to Wooler direct journeys not particularly attractive, same with the 267/464.
(22 Dec 2023, 9:48 pm)solsburian Something like the reinstatement of a service to Woller would have been better than the 777 IMHO, but the BSIP madness continues.Wooler hasn't really lost much in terms of links as such in the last 20 odd years as far as I can tell from some guides, granted the 470 was binned off about a year ago but it seemed very lightly used aside from the school journeys which remain to an extent as the 869. with 473 diverted via some of the old 470 route, didn't help that the 470/473 had to be timed closely together too cos of the school times making Alnwick to Wooler direct journeys not particularly attractive, same with the 267/464.
My point still stands. The 777 is a niche spoke to spoke service that, unlike the 57a changes, will unlikely survive when the BSIP funding is removed. The poor connectivity to the airport is somewhat moot when air passengers will likely get a taxi or drive regardless of the bus service. The 777 will not fix that., unless they operate it basically 24 hours.
(22 Dec 2023, 11:40 pm)solsburian My point still stands. The 777 is a niche spoke to spoke service that, unlike the 57a changes, will unlikely survive when the BSIP funding is removed. The poor connectivity to the airport is somewhat moot when air passengers will likely get a taxi or drive regardless of the bus service. The 777 will not fix that., unless they operate it basically 24 hours.
(22 Dec 2023, 11:40 pm)solsburian My point still stands. The 777 is a niche spoke to spoke service that, unlike the 57a changes, will unlikely survive when the BSIP funding is removed. The poor connectivity to the airport is somewhat moot when air passengers will likely get a taxi or drive regardless of the bus service. The 777 will not fix that., unless they operate it basically 24 hours.
If you work at the Airport and live in Morpeth, then I can see the appeal. But I would only use the 777 as a passenger if I was taking hand luggage.
Are there enough people travelling from Morpeth to the Airport every day just with hand luggage to make the service viable without a huge cost per passenger?
NCC could have made the service appealing to more passengers by asking operators to do what what TrentBarton have done with SkyLink services, using vehicles with luggage space. But no doubt it will just be a standard Pulsar or something similar used.
That said, a direct link from Ponteland to Kingston Park could come in handy for those sick of buying lobster from Waitrose!
