(27 Dec 2019, 10:08 am)Jimmi wrote Most the passengers I could see on the buses yesterday were people heading to the Boxing Day sales in Newcastle and at the Metrocentre, although numbers weren't big on some a fair few were cash fares so likely made enough to at very least breakeven.

My thinking now is only core routes in and out of Newcastle/Metrocentre are particularly worth running on Boxing Day after my observations yesterday, despite statements I've made in the past, I now think there ain't much market to run deeper into County Durham especially Arriva territory.

Maybe there needs to be some sort of flexibility and annual revision of which area has a focus of attention. 
Apart from shopping, the matches will play a big part in the numbers of bums on seats. 
Newcastle were away yesterday, so those travelling from deepest darkest ANE territory would have been doing other things.
Not sure Sunderland (and the position they're in) would have had much impact on services in East Durham either way
Going back a few years, then I do think things would have been different on that corridor. 

One thing that really bugs me, is that operators trot out the 'not enough demand' patter, when there's not much in the way of scientific analysis of checking out the demand.
Surely it's more of a gut feeling or guess-work. We all know how accurate that can be!