Bit of a pedantic question, but here goes...

I've noticed on BusTimes that, from 10th February, GNE services no longer seem to show a traditional individual trip number per se, and the Journey number is the starting time of the journey / relief time, twice. From my observations, often - but not always the journey code would start with the last digit(s) of the route number, for example journey 901 on route 309, journey 1931 on route 319. I believe any Nexus secured services had numbers which fell outside of this format.

For as long as I can remember - Going back into the 90s - GNE trips always had a journey number shown on the ticket, as well as being on duty boards.

Have these numbers been dispensed with? I haven't had cause to travel on a bus recently, so don't know if tickets just show the start time.

If so, is there any reason for this, or is it simply the case that the traditional journey numbers have become surplus to requirements?