(13 Oct 2015, 8:40 pm)Dan wrote There is a fine balance between providing a fast journey time and actually picking passengers up..!
If very few passengers get on/off at Hobson, it's pointless running a service through there, when running a service nearby could benefit other passengers instead, where there is greater demand.
This suggests that GNE exists purely to make money with no regard for public service. To chop the service between Pickering Nook and Crookgate Bank Top will cause considerable inconvenience to a relatively small group of passengers. An hourly 6A via Hobson would not detract from the service provided to Burnopfield village. The same number of passengers would travel with very little inconvenience.
Similarly, GNE refuses to consider diverting service 46 from Shotley Bridge via Daisy Hill, Medomsley Village rejoining the main Red Kite route at Hamsterley Mill. Granted, it would reduce the service through Low Westwood to half-hourly but the same number of passengers would travel and the diverted service could pick up a small number of extra passengers. Requires no alteration to the overall timetable.
I could also go on about the lack of any service between Stanley and Consett after about 20:30 ........
All this does is strengthen the case for Quality Contracts.