Go North East: Service Suggestions v2

14,217

27 Jul 2021, 4:13 pm #1,515

(27 Jul 2021, 4:05 pm)Storx You'd have problems with the 8, 50 and X1 because you can't get off the A1(M) without a massive detour. There's no route from the A1(M) to the A1231 so the X1 would have to travel to the Angel then head the wrong way back to Wrekenton and it's on the wrong side of the A195 for the 8 and 50 Northbound so they would have to go on a massive detour up to the A182 and head back down.

The Park and Ride is also in the wrong place for heading to Sunderland as anyone going to Sunderland will already be travelling along the A1231, A690, A183 or A194/A19 depending where they've come from and it's going 'the wrong way'.

Personally I don't understand what links your making though tbh.

X1 users can change at Houghton for Sunderland / Durham / South Shields / Rainton / Doxford Park or Washington for South Shields / Chester Le Street / Stanley
X21 users can change at Durham for Sunderland / Rainton / Stanley / Doxford Park or Chester Le Street for Washington / South Shields / Stanley
8 / 50 users can change at Washington or Chester Le Street for Newcastle / Gateshead / Sunderland / Durham / Stanley

That's why I said earlier on, that there would need to be massive changes to the road infrastructure/layout.
But if that's what gets people to make that modal switch, then it might be needed.
If it isn't, the X21 is going to be stuck behind traffic heading to TVTE whilst it battles its way to Low Fell.

A busway over the motorway (similar to the one at the Metrocentre) would be an effective way of getting the 8 from the northbound MotoHub back in to Washington (Holiday Inn/Chevies/Ayton).
I don't see the issue with the X1, as it would head up/down Fell Bank to the Angel to/from Wrekenton and it would still have easy access to the A195/A182.

Someone wanting to get to Rainton Bridge or Doxford Park from Birtley isn't likely to make the modal switch if they can get down to Picktree and drive through Fencehouses in 10mins.
As it stands, it's the best part of 30mins to the Galleries on the 82, another 30mins on the X1 to Houghton and another 10/15mins to either of the business parks.

Similarly, someone going from Harraton to TVTE can jump straight on the motorway or head through Birtley and Lamesley. Or they can get a bus to the Galleries (10/15mins), jump on an X1 and gamble on connecting to a 94 at the QE (30mins+ depending on connections).
If this idea was ever going to come off (which to be honest, it's not likely to) the MotoHub journeys could be just as quick as they would be in the car.

Replicate those journeys tenfold and car is going to continue to be king.
Make hard improvements to infrastructure and the network and people will realise public transport is not so such of a chew on after all.

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

Andreos1