Go North East: Service Suggestions v2
Go North East: Service Suggestions v2
(01 Jan 2021, 4:18 pm)Storx I can't comment on most the routes but I don't really see the point in the X39, there's not really that much demand for an express to Newcastle that they haven't already got especially between Blyth and Whitley. There's already the X7 doing the top half of Sluice and the X7/X9 in the South Beach area and you've really cut the services in Battle Hill to town (9 buses to 4 buses an hour) and GNE will lose the Coast Road battle as passengers will choose the 306 instead as it's cheaper and quicker.
For the X40, it's a bit a strange one as there's no demand North of Northumberland Park for another bus to Newcastle, the X7, X10/X11, X21/X22 already covers it much quicker depending on where you are. On the otherhand currently the 19 is the only bus route to North Shields from everywhere bar Cramlington which has the 53.
The 50 creates a link to Nissan from a lot of communities, I understand what your trying to do by making it quicker, but I highly doubt there's many customers doing the whole length of the route and it's more about the intermediate journeys. Washington to Nissan, South Shields to Nissan, CLS to Washington etc. Maybe have an hourly X50 which compliments the route? and make the 50 potentially longer to serve more areas ie. Barley Mow and Drum Ind. Estate etc.
Also the 34/34A is the only bus connecting the Ouston villages and it's a duplicate of the 25/28/28A in numerous places which will make them commercially unviable. You'd be better playing around with the 21 instead for Waldridge etc as I do believe they should have a direct bus to Newcastle as short local buses are never the most popular. Alternatively, possibly you could do some quick bus along Low Fell maybe express from The Angel, running all stops from there to Chester extended towards Waldridge Park etc. Replacing the 25 south of there and giving them and Birtley etc a quicker service to town. You could potentially then terminate 6 of the short 21's at the Angel instead saving some PVR on there.
Something like
21: Newcastle - Gateshead - Low Fell - Angel (Every 7 Mins) - Birtley - Chester Le Street - Durham (Every 30 Mins)
21X: Newcastle - Gateshead - EXPRESS - Cannon - EXPRESS - Harlow Green - EXPRESS - Coach and Horses - Birtley - Chester Le Street - Waldridge Park (Every 15 Mins) - Sacriston - Langley Park (Every 30 Mins)
Your 2 replaces the 25 with the 50 going via Barley Mow and also Drum Ind. Estate to replace the CLS link partially, it's ridiculous a large work area has no bus service at all. For the 2A I'd be tempted to send it down towards Team Valley via Sainsburys and The Gold Medal then give an all day service to Team Valley skipping Gateshead, Low Fell has more than enough buses and a new link to Team Valley from loads of places.
The X33/X34 should be numbered the 43/44 btw as it's pretty much what they are, why they were withdrawn is still a mystery to me as the routes have struggled ever since when they used to be quite popular.
Agree with the Q3 changes, but you'd need to extend something to cover the other half of the 41, 42 maybe?
(01 Jan 2021, 4:18 pm)Storx I can't comment on most the routes but I don't really see the point in the X39, there's not really that much demand for an express to Newcastle that they haven't already got especially between Blyth and Whitley. There's already the X7 doing the top half of Sluice and the X7/X9 in the South Beach area and you've really cut the services in Battle Hill to town (9 buses to 4 buses an hour) and GNE will lose the Coast Road battle as passengers will choose the 306 instead as it's cheaper and quicker.
For the X40, it's a bit a strange one as there's no demand North of Northumberland Park for another bus to Newcastle, the X7, X10/X11, X21/X22 already covers it much quicker depending on where you are. On the otherhand currently the 19 is the only bus route to North Shields from everywhere bar Cramlington which has the 53.
The 50 creates a link to Nissan from a lot of communities, I understand what your trying to do by making it quicker, but I highly doubt there's many customers doing the whole length of the route and it's more about the intermediate journeys. Washington to Nissan, South Shields to Nissan, CLS to Washington etc. Maybe have an hourly X50 which compliments the route? and make the 50 potentially longer to serve more areas ie. Barley Mow and Drum Ind. Estate etc.
Also the 34/34A is the only bus connecting the Ouston villages and it's a duplicate of the 25/28/28A in numerous places which will make them commercially unviable. You'd be better playing around with the 21 instead for Waldridge etc as I do believe they should have a direct bus to Newcastle as short local buses are never the most popular. Alternatively, possibly you could do some quick bus along Low Fell maybe express from The Angel, running all stops from there to Chester extended towards Waldridge Park etc. Replacing the 25 south of there and giving them and Birtley etc a quicker service to town. You could potentially then terminate 6 of the short 21's at the Angel instead saving some PVR on there.
Something like
21: Newcastle - Gateshead - Low Fell - Angel (Every 7 Mins) - Birtley - Chester Le Street - Durham (Every 30 Mins)
21X: Newcastle - Gateshead - EXPRESS - Cannon - EXPRESS - Harlow Green - EXPRESS - Coach and Horses - Birtley - Chester Le Street - Waldridge Park (Every 15 Mins) - Sacriston - Langley Park (Every 30 Mins)
Your 2 replaces the 25 with the 50 going via Barley Mow and also Drum Ind. Estate to replace the CLS link partially, it's ridiculous a large work area has no bus service at all. For the 2A I'd be tempted to send it down towards Team Valley via Sainsburys and The Gold Medal then give an all day service to Team Valley skipping Gateshead, Low Fell has more than enough buses and a new link to Team Valley from loads of places.
The X33/X34 should be numbered the 43/44 btw as it's pretty much what they are, why they were withdrawn is still a mystery to me as the routes have struggled ever since when they used to be quite popular.
Agree with the Q3 changes, but you'd need to extend something to cover the other half of the 41, 42 maybe?
