(13 Aug 2016, 9:44 pm)Tom wrote I think it will last, I've seen massive improvements the last few days now people know about it. Tried it out today for the first time, and a few people got on in Wallsend (mainly got off around Walker) then a few people along Westbourne Avenue and then Walker Road. To be fair I was a bit early judging it. Quite a few fare paying passengers throughout the journey and it seemed people were surprised at how cheap it was compared to Stagecoach!
It's the 11 I don't think will last. Shocking fares too, 90p more than the 1 for the same journey! Howdon to Newcastle is £3.30 on the 11, yet £2.40 on the 1. No idea how the fares can be so different. People got off because of that fare when I was on today. Only 2 people going past Wallsend to Newcastle.
Maybe the driver didn't have his or her fare stage programmed correctly (either human or technical error). Was it definitely the same stop? Only think I can think off is that GNE are putting a bit of a levy on top with it being a slightly quick service than the 1. Arriva used to do that with a now defunct well known express service (R.I.P) on the Coast Road with some of the fares from Whitley Bay / Preston Grange areas being more expensive than the usual regular stopping service.