(03 Apr 2021, 9:41 am)Dan wrote What would be bonkers, is if this service is so popular, that passengers intending to travel towards Whitby and Scarborough are turned away because X9/X10 passengers are using it as a 'local' service and taking up a valuable seat. The trouble is that it's a huge unknown, and it's important not to forget that buses are currently restricted in capacity.
If the service was an all-day service, providing a combined 20-minute frequency headway with the existing X9 and X10 services, I would agree with you that there should be integration of tickets between the three services. That isn't the case, and in the same vein as the Explorer ticket not being valid, why should passengers with an existing bus service be prioritised over those wanting to use the new link?
I'm not sure if your finger slipped when you quoted the post or if you deliberately removed the main body of the post, which provided context and examples.
Either way, I've added it to this reply.
Yes, those boarding the X11 can buy a ticket which will allow them travel on the X9/10, but it's not the case for those using the X9/10 and wanting to take advantage of the X11.
How does an ordinary punter standing in Middlesbrough differentiate between the three routes, particularly when they have the same brand-name, are operated by the same company, all go via Gateshead and terminate in Newcastle?
Never mind that the bus working the X11, may have been on the X9/10 earlier in the week as an allocated spare...
Surely it is about reducing barriers to public transport, making it attractive and not pi$$ing passengers off to the extent they use the train instead.
As an 'enthusiast', I understand the differences between the three routes. An ordinary punter, the very same punter who GNE want to attract - may not.
I'd certainly not want to be the driver of an X11 having to break the news to a queue of passengers in Middlesbrough or Peterlee - that their ticket isn't valid, they need to pay a premium or hang-around until the next X10 rocks up.
Even more so, if I then drive off with a half-empty bus, which has struggled to break even on that particular day.
"yes, I do go to Newcastle. Yes, I was driving the X9 just the other day. Yes, it does have the same brand name on the side as the X10. But no, you can't get on the bus unless you pay a premium, even though I'm half empty and there's plenty of seats left'.
*gets back to the depot and chats to colleagues in the canteen*
"mixed bag today, didn't carry many back. Could have boosted numbers with a few Buzzfare pass holders and then taken a handful of cash fares at Boro and Peterlee, but I wasn't allowed. There was a few punters at Washington that had just missed the 4 to Heworth and the X1 to the town. The next buses weren't for another 30mins, but I didn't let them on".
The idea for commercial operators is to make money. Not lower revenue and put barriers up so passengers can't use the service.
You mentioned rainy days earlier on in the thread and how that will impact on numbers travelling to/from Whitby and Scarborough.
I'm not sure the rain has any impact on those needing to make an evening journey north from Middlesbrough, Peterlee or Washington and I would have thought the opportunity to take those fares and increase revenue, was something a business looking to make money would do.
(03 Apr 2021, 9:53 am)RMF1254 wrote Well said, Dan. I can’t believe all this negativity against GNE especially when they are trying new ideas with these new services. I guess if they did nothing people would also complain.
I think you missed the point of the post.
I've been a long time advocate of new services and commercial teams coming up with something that hasn't existed in one guise or another since 1986 - or in some cases, even earlier.
However, I'm also of the understanding the operators need to make money, attract passengers and not put barriers in place to potential passengers. I'm not sure the ticket restrictions on the X11 allow them to meet any of those criteria.