(15 May 2023, 9:45 am)Andreos1 wrote It's almost a duplicate of the Nexus funded 727 (which replicated the Northern 721 and offered a 30min frequency between Barley Mow and Gateshead via Elisabethville and the QE).
If the 25 hadn't been diverted away from the QE, I'd argue the northern 82 extension wouldn't exist at all.
Without it, punters in various parts of Birtley wouldn't have that link to the hospital, bus companies would complain about traffic/demand more bus lanes etc. Repeat ad finum.
Is it an effective use of taxpayers money? Probably not.
Does it provide an important link to a key location. Aye.
Should Nexus need to fill the gap due to commercial operators continuing to make their fleet smaller and increase cost savings? Of course not.
Yeah some valid points there but surely it would make more sense to subsidise the 25 from Wrekenton to Newcastle via the QE rather than the 82 from Birtley to the QE since the 25 is commercial from Newcastle to Eighton Banks.
I'm not sure there's really the need for the direct link, it's not as if people can't change at Wrekenton (as inconvenient as it is). Seems crazy considering at the same time they wanted to scrap the 51 and expected people to travel 20 minutes in the wrong direction to travel an extra 10 minutes in the right direction. I'm assuming some local councilor has had a say to protect his interests ie. the leader.