I've just been thinking back to my childhood and early adult life after leaving school. My first job was in Newcastle, back then most GoAhead routes were Double Decker, I'm thinking routes such as, 631, 632, 633, 642 from Winlaton, and also even other routes such as 602, 610, 611, 651, 644.
Whether boarding these buses from Winlaton or Blaydon or obviously the later 2 services from Sunniside or Whickham in the morning traveling to work, or coming back home on an evening, these buses were always packed full.
Why did GNE and Arriva decide to change from Double Decker to Single ?
Obviously the 10 is now Double Decker again, but you have lost services such as 631, 632, 633 & 642 to be combined into service 31 & 32 both still as Single Decker, now I don't know what loading figures are like nowadays, as I've not needed to use theses services for some 20 years or more now, but thinking back to the past these were well used, I don't see why they needed to go Single Deck. Same with Arriva when they made the 602 single deck.
Mind you thinking back to my childhood, bus fare prices within Tyne & Wear for a Single journey Child were 5p then increased to 10p and last couple of years at school they had risen to 15p.
When I left school and got my first job in Newcastle, my Adult Tyne & Wear All Zone bus pass cost me £ 29.50 (ish) per month !!!!
Happy Times !
RE: Go North East: Latest News & Discussion - May 2015