(05 Apr 2023, 7:39 am)ifm001 wrote I think the issue with Shields depot is, all the services are too frequent basically excluding the 30, X20 and X34. The others are too regular and have more services on long corridors.
For example the 3/4/17/18 all operating from the town centre to West Harton, Boldon Lane, via Stanhope Road.  All services operating every 12 mins giving a bus every few mins for very low numbers of passengers.  This is then complimented with GNE 5 and 50 in addition.

Same with Town Centre to Marsden and the 7/8 every 12 mins with additional services in 10, 11, 12, E1, E2 and E6 all stagecoach.

The service needs to be retained in Shields but perhaps a move back to old timetables of 20/30 min frequencies would be better.  If that means take off the single decks and replace with older double decks being released elsewhere, it may be beneficial.  

At the minute there is not enough passengers to warrant the frequencies and duplicated corridors as regular as they are now

I don't think thats just a Shields issue. Its also an issue on the A690 with 23/3/4 or more or less the latter two, they serve similar areas both ends and are every 6 mins combined, on top of the 23 aswell, they are more like every 4 mins.

Where as when GNE did it, it was the 55/X20/20 all went to different areas, and 20 went to Shields aswell.