Arriva North East: Service Suggestions
Arriva North East: Service Suggestions
Right then, how about this:
SAPPHIRE Service X21:
- Revised to operate every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 60 minutes evenings and Sundays.
- Will also be revised to operate via Hartford Road rather than Nedderton Lane.
- All Monday to Saturday daytime journeys omit Brunton Lane and Polwarth Drive.
- Will operate with a team of dedicated Sapphire drivers Monday to Saturday daytime with 11x ADL E400MMCs with plug sockets, free Wi-Fi, Buggy Bays, NSA's and similar high back coach seating like what Stagecoach Gold services use.
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- 5 x 14 plate E400s alongside 7518 as a spare could then go to Darlington and Belmont to make the 7 fully double deck if passenger growth continues. 1x 14 plate will remain at Ashington as a 'dedicated' spare for the X21 and if needed, the other one can float between the three depots (long term PVR shortgaes, severe roadworks etc).
- The 57 plate E400s could then be refurbished to MAX spec (with no NSA's, just simple headrest re-trim) and allocated to service 35 with whatevers left being used as spare.
- The 3x Streetlites currently on the 35 will be refurbished to MAX spec (free Wi-Fi, USB charging points, leather Civic V3 seating) to be joined alongside further 4x new ones for MAX Service X22.
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MAX Service X22:
- Will operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 60 minutes evenings and Sundays.
- Will operate current X22 route to Glebe Road then instead of serving Bedlington Front Street, will serve the stop on Glebe Road before the Red Lion Roundabout then after there, the current X21 route to Newcastle via Nedderton.
- Evening and Sunday journeys also extend to North Seaton Demesne.
- Will operate with 7x MAX Spec Streetlites (3x refurbished, 4x new) with free Wi-Fi, USB charging points, leather Civic V3 seating.
During evenings and Sundays, the combined PVR for services X21, X22 and Service 35 would be 6 vehicles using 6x E400MMCs.
Information will be included in X22 timetable clearly stating that if you want a faster journey from Ashington, Stakeford or Bedlington to Newcastle to use SAPPHIRE service X21. Services X21 and X22 during evenings and Sundays would combine to give a bus approximately every 30 minutes from Ashington, Bedlington (either Red Lion or Glebe Road) and between A1068 and Newcastle.
For stand arrangements at Haymarket, Services X20, X21 and 51 would use stand P. Service X22 would use stand N during Monday to Saturday daytime and Stand P during evenings and Sundays.
