(20 Jun 2021, 12:19 pm)Adrian wrote I don't think you can compare the two, and our economy is moving away from being a 9am-5pm Mon-Fri job. Public transport networks are still largely behind with this, although I recognise that GNE have moved some services to 24/7 and provide later runs, specifically for shift workers.

Also the lack of services on a Sunday. As I've said before for most people Sunday is just another day, it's nowt special, and they need to stop treating as such. Obviously they're limited by the lack of shops on a Sunday, but that's another discussion!

(20 Jun 2021, 12:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote So it suits your needs, wants and expectations. 
Not everyone is in the same position, not everyone lives outside a bus stop, not everyone has one bus taking them the majority of their journey and not everyone can 'work' on a bus.

Eldest C has a personal life and 3 buses just to see his girlfriend (who lives 10/15 mins away in the car) was just one of the reasons he learned to drive.
Price, practicality and his job role were other factors.

I've mentioned previously that I bought a house in the past and part of the decision to buy that house was based on its public transport links.
Those links have gone unfortunately.
Fortunately, the road network allows me to get to most places quicker, easier and cheaper than the bus ever did when it operated directly or since it became a military operation to ensure connections.

The soft improvements to the on-board experience doesn't make much difference and neither do the bus lanes which appear at some point en-route to either of the 3 City Centres or at various points at other stages of my drive in.
Pricing does (been chatting about the £1 fare this morning to some mates) as do the practicalities in getting a bus home at the end of the evening. 
As attractive as that £1 fare is, it's looking like a taxi home that particular night as there isn't a bus which works for us.

It does, yes. But also a lot of my friends who live up in Gateshead/Newcastle also have no intention of getting a car anytime soon. But then again, they also live and work on a single route.

One of the biggest annoyances for me using public transport is definitely the connections. It's not so bad when I'm connecting to a frequent service like the 49, but when I'm on my way back down home on an evening and I have to change from the X21 to the Arriva 6 (because the latest GNE bus to West Auckland leaves Newcastle at 4pm!), I have a 40-50 minute wait.

I think for me the thing that will tip me over edge to getting a car won't be the cost, time, or even the 'freedom' of being able to go out whenever I want, but things like being able to go to B&Q and buy bags of sand or some wood without having to pay for delivery or get the mother to pick it up, and that's something that public transport will never be able to overcome.