(13 Mar 2022, 6:34 pm)L469 YVK wrote After seeing this month's changes to the 309/310/311, although the later journeys to Blyth perhaps had to go given the current climate, the rest of the evening times particularly for the ex Newcastle 310 journeys are all over the place. I've created a suggested evening timetable with the following in mind:
- Users of services 310/311 in High Farm & Hadrian Park (not easily covered by other services) would have a more convenient service restored, departing Newcastle between the xx:00 and xx:30 side of the hour, as opposed to waiting nearly an hour at xx:55.
- All 309 journeys in both directions compliant with Cobalt shift patterns. Also a later service towards Blyth from Cobalt after 21:00 (20:00 on Sundays).
- Most service 309 journeys in both directions would work in 'partnership' with Arriva's 308 on common sections of route. This means that there would be a departure on both services at either side of the hour ex Newcastle. Arriva's 308 departing at xx:12 and GNE's 309 departing at either xx:50, xx:52 or xx:55.
- PVR remains unchanged initially at 4x vehicles and later reducing to 3x vehicles with a similar interworking pattern later on. Early evening times between 18:00 and 20:00 tidied up with some journeys withdrawn but a more streamlined and simplified timetable rather than having random 311 journeys running at whenever.
- Only pitfall will be the withdrawal of some later journeys towards Newcastle from Hadrian Park and High Farm. However, I'd imagine the usage of such journeys being very low. This would allow a small number of later 310 journeys to instead operate via Cobalt Business Park towards Newcastle.
Just had a quick look, imo you'd be better just extending the 311 to Northumberland Park via Cobalt and binning off the 309 completely in the evening. They have the 308 to go where they want to go and you'd restore a bus from Cobalt to Northumberland Park (the last 19 is 20:48 now).
Bus partnership and all that it 'should' not be a problem. Means the 310 gets a quicker service than meandering around Hadrian Park as well.