28 Jan 2020, 11:15 am
#462
L469 YVK - Why would they drop the frequency they've both been every 15 minutes forever and the 308 is one of Arriva's flagship routes and slightly less frequent than GNE as it is (8 buses vs 9 along the coast road).
* 306 & 308 currently run on a 5/10 split between Billy Mill and Willington Square with the 308 taking the bulk of passengers. A combined 10 minute frequency would spread the load more evenly between them. ANE would still have the monopoly between Billy Mill and Station Road including Malton and Selby Gardens.
It's 2 bus stops... You might stablilise the frequency of the Coast Road but at the same time you'll decrease the frequency of areas where they only serve: Blyth Ridley Park, Lynn Road, Tynemouth -> Billy Mill. The point of the 306/308 is for customers after the Middle Engine Lane not the rest of the Coast Road, it just runs along there as it's the quickest way. You've also at the same time decreased the frequency of the Coast Road from 7.5 minutes to 10 minutes which isn't competitive at all to a 6/7 minute bus service. The bigger problem with GNE is the fact Stagecoach pushed the 1 and 28 into Cobalt which is taking the numbers from the 309/310 and the 309/310 aren't very competitive from anywhere East of Cobalt as they're slower and used to be (not sure now) more expensive aswell.
L469 YVK - Removing the 306 from Battle Hill will remove the link from there to the coast and Tynemouth.
* Battle Hill is mainly GNE territory now. If passengers needed a bus to the Coast or Tynemouth, it's not too far in most instances to walk to the Coast road. Removing the 306 from Battle Hill Drive would also improve reliability.
It's not close at all to walk to the other side of the Coast Road at all especially under the subways which are grim. It's strange one day people want competition on here the next minute we want monopolies.
L469 YVK - The 306 and 308 are both busy at evenings why would they do that.
* GNE now operate a 20 minute service. Both the 310 & 311 departures at xx:05 and xx:25 will take passengers from Arriva between Newcastle and Station Road. Even if Arriva moved the 306 & 308 to xx:00,15,30,45 they'd still have 2x journeys at xx:30 (5 minutes after the 311) and xx:45 not guaranteed to pick up on shared corridor. If the 306 & 308 were reduced to hourly, the 308 would most likely run at xx:15 with the 306 running at xx:45.
They might take passengers between Newcastle and Station Road but your missing the rest of the route where people are more likely to go. You do realise it's like £1.90 for a single between Newcastle and there or it used to be, there's not much money in carrying those passengers. It's more about people travelling to Lynn Road, The Gunner, Rake Lane, Seaton Sluice etc and you've got twice as many buses than GNE are running to them. I know if I was travelling from Seaton Sluice or Rake Lane and needed to get a later bus back there's only one choice I'd make.
L469 YVK - Interworking also makes no sense the 308's at night run to Blyth and go into the depot why would you have dead running back to Jesmond or an empty extra bus from Blyth to Newcastle. Also they'd be less frequent than GNE.
* From a timetable I've devised (which I will upload to the Arriva suggestions in due course), the only cross depot dead mileage would be as follows:
@ 1x Jesmond board running light back from Blyth between 1800-1900 (after doing a most likely profitable 17:10 308 journey to Blyth).
@ 1x Jesmond board running light to Whitley Bay to commence a short 308 to Newcastle on a Saturday morning.
Can't really comment on that.
L469 YVK - So removing the link from Marden to Whitley, Morrisons, Tynemouth and North Shields with Arriva and having an extremly long winded and pointless route along Rake Lane to Marden. (The recently axed 59 with 1 person a journey).
* 51A would be roughly be the same if not slightly quicker than the 306. 51A would provide links to Morrisons. GNE's 1/1A provide links to Whitley Bay, Tynemouth and North Shields from Marden.
The same again here people using the 306 between Whitley and Tynemouth most likely wont be going to Newcastle, we've had numerous bus routes doing stuff between them and they've all gone. You're also decreasing the frequency from half hourly to hourly and hourly bus routes aren't helpful for anyone.
Personally if I was Arriva I'd be doing a massive advertising campaign for the 308 as they have the potential to really kill off the 309 East of Cobalt as currently it stands as:
308: Quicker, more frequent, later night buses and cheaper.
309: Nicer buses, serves Cobalt.
Anyone travelling between Newcastle and anywhere East of Cobalt (other that streetdeckfan), the 308 is the much more appealing option now.
