22 Jan 2015, 9:56 pm
#970
(22 Jan 2015, 9:14 pm)stagecoachbusdepot Hadn't noticed they'd cut the frequency of the services - surprised that hasn't been more of a story than the loss of the link to Shields. Seems a bit of a backward step reducing to a 30 min frequency, though GNE seem to be going backwards in other ways too - e.g. the debranding of flagship routes and resultant messy long-term operation of plain purple/gold/silver buses.
What you appear to be failing to realise is that the resources are being pumped elsewhere into the network. Deptford's 56 and X36 are both seeing a PVR reduction of 1 vehicle each, but there will be no change to the current PVR at Deptford because they effectively gain Chester-le-Street's 71 (albeit re-numbered).
Service 20 (Durham - Sunderland) currently sits at a 10-minute frequency, with a PVR of 12. The frequency remains unchanged with the extension to South Shields, though Go North East has added extra buses into the PVR to allow increased layover, increasing reliability.
Service 29 (Sunderland - Town End Farm) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is upgraded to a 15-minute frequency (35/36 combined).
Service 35 (Sunderland - Silksworth) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. For direct journeys, this is upgraded to a 15-minute frequency (33/33A combined).
Service 35 (Sunderland - Royal Hospital) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is upgraded to a 15-minute frequency (35/36 combined).
Service 39 (Sunderland - Pennywell) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is upgraded to a 15-minute frequency (Mon-Fri).
Service 39 (Sunderland - Doxford Park) currently sits at a combined 10-minute frequency with service 29 (6 buses per hour). This is unchanged between Mon-Fri (33/39).
Service 29 (Sunderland - Boldon) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is reduced to every 30 minutes, but better matches the amount of customers travelling and allows a resource to be saved and pumped elsewhere into the network.
Service 35 (Sunderland - Low Moorsley) currently sits at a 20-minute frequency. This is reduced to every 30 minutes, but better matches the amount of customers travelling and allows a resource to be saved and pumped elsewhere into the network.
There's actually very few losers with these service changes. These changes result in improved reliability and more cross-city links - the latter is seemingly preferred by customers in Sunderland. The direct link between South Shields and Chester Road is lost, but let's compare the current services on Chester Road to the new services...
Now
- Services 2A/2C: 10 minute frequency / 6 buses per hour
- Service 35: 20 minute frequency / 3 buses per hour
- Service 39: 20 minute frequency / 3 buses per hour
- Service 78: 30 minute frequency / 2 buses per hour
- Service 700: 15 minute frequency / 4 buses per hour
- Total: 18 buses per hour
From 25 January
- Services 2/2A: 10 minute frequency / 6 buses per hour
- Services 35/36: 15 minute frequency / 4 buses per hour
- Service 39: 15 minute frequency / 4 buses per hour
- Service 78: 30 minute frequency / 2 buses per hour
- Service 700: 15 minute frequency / 4 buses per hour
- Total: 20 buses per hour
Whilst I cannot deny that the long-term operation of 8306 - 8309 and 8319 in a plain purple base livery is bad practice, how do you know this will continue with 5298 - 5309 and 5325 - 5327 (Services 35/36) or 5320 - 5324 (Service 61)? These vehicles have had to be repainted, and leaving them in a plain base livery is the best thing to do. If 5325 - 5327 were branded for the revised 35/36 services when first repainted, this would have led to a great deal of confusion, when they continued to see primary allocation to "Silver Arrows" services 2A/2C.
I rest my case.
