Reversing the decline in passenger numbers
Reversing the decline in passenger numbers
When it comes to declining passenger numbers, the number of routes that have been cut completely, and the frequency dropped all have an effect. I know I get the 60 basically daily and almost always most of the seats are full if not completely rammed especially in the mornings and from 3 pm, even midday journeys are quite busy.
Not to mention I go to college in Sunderland and the 20/20A/35 have been extremely busy over the past few weeks since I've started going back to college. I think the frequency drop will have a big impact on how many people use the bus, I'm currently learning to drive and before the July changes and then the September changes I was still planning to get the bus to college even when I pass but now, the '60s are always packed, 61's are rammed. And the 20/20A/35 towards college are just rammed all the time, the cancellation of the 55 and the X20 and the drop in frequency of the 60/61 have affected that decision and as soon as I pass I will start driving. As for me getting the bus was the best option, as I get the 5-25 weekly ticket for £18, which was £17, so now I'm paying more for a more limited service.
And not to mention my Aunt who has a car nearly always gets the bus when going to Newcastle, Durham, Consett, Stanley etc, but now since the X70 has been cut she gets the car. By cutting links your cutting your passenger numbers.
Even since the 65 has been cut, a lot of my friends who go to Durham Sixth Form & New Durham College get the car now because the buses are late and are a nightmare.
I understand the issue when it comes to the lack of drivers, and I would rather have a limited service than no service at all but if you look at all the cuts and then compare the number of services that are cut it looks like they're just barely getting any new drivers. Hopefully, once the driver shortage etc has been resolved then more services will get reinstated, and even if they get reinstated, you need to gain the passengers back that you've lost.
If the 60 returns to every 12 minutes, I would hope for 10 (I know that's never going to happen), and the X20 comes back, and 55 comes back, even once an hour, with the 62 coming back as that was getting decent loading.
Also, the X6 just gets rammed all the time, I know it works with the Peterlee Purples, but it needs a large bus.
The 47 cuts so on a night it only runs to Blackhall Mill, which doesn't help when it comes to connections and passenger experience. Not to mention on match days and any other Newcastle Night with the delays.
A lot of the service changes made in July need to be reverted. Then once things are back to the way they were Pre-Covid which will be a while then GNE needs to work on other links.
One thing I've noticed when I've looked at GNE to Stagecoach, particularly in Sunderland is that I would call Stagecoach more domestic and GNE more long haul. As most of SNE Sunderland routes operate in and around Sunderland connecting communities, and for me, at least the only GNE service which really does that are the 39s and the 35s. When it comes to GNE they no longer link to like Newcastle, Washington, Seaham, Stanley, Chester, Consett etc, but Stagecoach stays and links the local communities.
Look at the A690 for example, the 35/20's and before the X20 & 55 just fly straight up them but Stagecoach goes into those estates, and covers them where GNE don't, as if any of them wants to get into Sunderland they would have to walk for ages to get a GNE bus, but Stagecoach serve closer. It's great having large connections and that's great for marketing, but its no use if your buses, a lot of the time don't really serve the local community as much in Sunderland as SNE, as instead of going to like Durham, they might go to Newcastle or South Shields instead.
GNE needs to solidify the routes they already offer then expand and start to challenge Stagecoach and expand in local areas.
Not to mention to try and challenge Arriva, especially in County Durham, even if it's just a couple month trial for a new service or ask people where they want to go, and where would they like connections to.
Look at the 22/23/24, that would be great for GNE to take over those routes, I know just copying them exactly won't work but offer cheaper fairs and the same connections and advertise it, posters through doors would do a lot of different, talk about the benefits, such as stronger connection etc.
Saying get the 22 to Sunderland then jump straight on the 56 with your Under 25 day ticket, Or get the 24 to Peterlee from Hartlepool to connect with frequent service to Newcastle.
But before any of that could happen GNE needs to sort their shit out with the current routes/cuts and drivers, bring back old routes to improve connections then expand, and cover more ground, increase passenger numbers, yes this might be a while away and some times it might not work but they're never going to improve is all they do is cut services and shrink their passenger base.
