(25 May 2023, 5:14 pm)L469 YVK wrote Idea to replace Arriva's 306 between Whitley Bay and Tynemouth (more Marden)
- 306 Tynemouth to Newcastle only - PVR of 306/308 reduced to 13x
- NEW X38 operated by Go North East - Every 30 minutes Mon - Sat daytime
* Marden Estate Loop (clockwise) - Broadway - Hillheads - NT Hospital - Billy Mill - Norham Road then non-stop to St Mary's Place & Haymarket (doesn't serve St Mary's place Eastbound).
- PVR increase of 1x for the overall Coast Road network, but faster journeys for most of the outer parts of the 308/309 which don't have a nearby Metro or alternative 'X' service.
- Link restored from Marden to NT Hospital. Link to Preston Grange Morrisons lost but links to other shops including an alternative Morrisons gained.
- Interworks with 307 & 309 - avoids driver changeovers at Formica to keep journey times fast.
- Could be 'docked' in the according peak flow direction to provide X39 boards.
I know you keep making these suggestions but ignoring operators surely ditching the 308/309 would be better they're not ideal bus routes. Just to pluck something up and I'm numbering them in the 70's and 80's as I cba with big numbers something like this would be much optimum:
X70 (SD): Newcastle - NON STOP - Battle Hill (Coast Road) - Silverlink - Billy Mill - Lynn Road - NT Hospital - Morrisons (Loop) - Marden Estate - Whitley Bay (Every 30 Minutes)
70 (DD): Newcastle - Station Road - Selby Gardens - Battle Hill - Cobalt - New York - NT Hospital - Whitley Bay - Seaton Sluice - Links Road - Blyth (Every 30 Minutes)
70A (DD): Same as above, Newcastle to Seaton Sluice - South Beach - Amersham Drive - Blyth (Every 30 Minutes)
71 (DD): Newcastle - Station Road - Selby Gardens - Battle Hill - Silverlink - Billy Mill - Queen Alexander Road - North Shields - Tynemouth (Every 30 Minutes)
71A (DD): Newcastle - Station Road - Selby Gardens - Battle Hill - Silverlink - Verne Road - Central Avenue - Lansdowne Terrace - Hawkeys Lane - North Shields - Tynemouth (Every 30 Minutes)
70/70A/71/71A (Every 7.5 Minutes, Newcastle to Battle Hill)
80 (SD): Newcastle - Station Road - Wiltshire Drive - Holystone - Shiremoor - Briardene - Whitley Bay (Hourly)
81 (SD): Newcastle - Station Road - Wiltshire Drive - Holystone - Backworth (Hourly)
82 (SD): Newcastle - Station Road - High Farm - Battle Hill - Hadrian Park - Cobalt South - Norham Road - Meadowell (omit Verne Road) - North Shields - Fish Quay (Every 30 Minutes)
SD = Single Decker, DD = Double Decker
It's much better use of resources, 6 BPH is overkill between Whitley Bay and Blyth and it means Cobalt and Silverlink, arguably the most two important points on the route both have 4 BPH plus Verne Road and the areas around there don't have to go on a magical mystery tour of the North East.
It's basically how the Coast Road was for years with some small changes to reflect changes ie. Cobalt being built.