(28 Oct 2023, 8:48 pm)Storx wrote Wouldn't say GNE dominate Durham and Sunderland mind, Stagecoach dominate Sunderland imo, and Arriva dominate the stronger corridors in Durham, Peterlee to Durham for example.
Gateshead should be GNE's gold mine, they dominate the Metro Centre and they dominate corridors which should have rapid transport but don't. Areas like Low Fell, Birtley, Felling, the QE etc. should be some of the strongest corridors in the North East, similar to the Stagecoach Newcastle services. Instead we have one corridor with constant investment (Durham Road) and everywhere else is limping around with buses from London which are life expired.
Not to mention Washington is one of the largest towns without a rail service at all, yet the bus services towards other areas without changing after travelling in the wrong direction are non existent and that's if it isn't subsidised.
The state of some routes routes which used to be flagship routes; the 10, 27, 49, 51, 52, 56, 58, 93, 94 and 97 in particular is poor, nothing appealing about them to use them - if they bother to run at all. Most have had downgrades in recent times nevermind upgrades.
Whether they dominate them or not, they're clearly in the catchment area of a proportion of those populations.
Let's say a quarter of Durham and half of Sunderland (including Washington).
More than enough people to make the services viable - assuming GNE actually took the time to see where those people were travelling to.