29 Mar 2018, 5:51 pm
#223
(29 Mar 2018, 4:47 pm)OrangeArrow49 True. When the Quaylink service launched with Stagecoach operating it, the idea was that it ran to and from the Quayside, a new circular service. No idea what served the Quayside before? Now it goes further, the Quayside is only part of the route (albeit a significant one) and this would be recognised in the Q prefix, at the same time as promoting other links as part of a wider (and GNE original) brand with potential to expand further. The buses would remain bright yellow and recognisable for tourists. GNE regularly changes brands/colours.
A further suggestion would be to divert a service along the Stagecoach 12 route to compete against that, with both the Coaster and Blue Arrow services going along Shields Road and the Q3 serving Walker Road. GNE doesn't serve Byker Metro, Stagecoach does. The 1/1A and 11/11A go to Whitley Bay via Byker and the 12 and 39/40 go to Walker/Wallsend via Byker, but Stagecoach's 12 goes a different route, picking up passengers GNE could with their cheaper fares and features. I don't see why even some Coaster or Blue Arrow couldn't divert along the route providing a further link for GNE.
Stagecoach 34 (maybe 35/35A/35B) used to run that way, believe it ran Wallsend metro to Central station, pretty much following the Q3 route I believe.
