(30 Aug 2021, 2:56 pm)Dan wrote Aside from Drifter60's example (which is just one case, on one day), is there really much of a demand for a through service from Parkside and Seaham through to Seaburn and South Shields? I don't understand the growing obsession with this proposed route.
Leisure facilities at Seaburn are growing (Stack, pubs, restaurants, etc), and whilst you could say a proactive operator would be capitalising on this, I really don't think extending the 60 is the right option. There needs to be more than just leisure to warrant this kind of thing (i.e. with the extension of the 21 to Brandon, there's leisure at Arnison Centre, education at New College, and work).
No doubt I'll be shot down for saying this, but there can't be a bus provided for every eventuality. With the impending BSIP, it'd be more likely to expect an enhancement to Network One ticketing and better integration of existing services.
I'm not sure anyone has ever suggested a bus being provided for every opportunity.
I've certainly suggested (and I know others have too), that the network is reimagined and it is adapted to suit changing travel patterns.
Before anyone gets on their protective high-horse - this isn't about one specific operator.
It's the whole lot here in the NE and there are many examples of the network now, being as it was (or pretty similar) 20, 30, 40 years ago when town and city centres were king, out of town retail parks were new, business parks didn't exist and the internet was in its infancy (or didn't exist).
Yes, Drifter60 may have provided one example on one day, but who is to say that the residents living on the route of the 60, don't fancy a day out on the other side of the river?
Who is to say that people living on the north side of the river don't work at Seaham?
Or do we just pretend that keeping the status quo is good, changing buses is easy and ticketing works nicely?