(30 Jul 2014, 8:14 am)Dan wrote Back on my laptop again, so I'm now in a position to clear up a few things... It's a big one:
Now that timetables have been released for both services, we can clearly see that the PVR goes up from 15 to 16, meaning that just one extra vehicle is required.
Correct - Percy Main will still have one spare Volvo B9TL equipped with Wi-Fi and power sockets.
Whilst I am of the opinion that these vehicles should be repainted, one must also consider the cost of doing so. Additional resources are being pumped into service 309 - and not at the expense of any other services. Go North East may wait to see how well the revised frequency works before repainting (what would presumably be) Volvo B9TL 6116. Although one could argue that these service changes are coming at the detriment of customers given that other vehicles besides Volvo B9TLs are more likely to crop up with just one spare vehicle, I think that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in this case, given that fares are not changing, and customers can benefit from a higher frequency to make their journeys with greater ease. I admit to being incredibly sceptical about this at first, but this was mainly while we were of the opinion that the PVR would increase by 2, and the Cobalt Clipper would have no allocated spare vehicle. Having just one spare vehicle will assist this operation, although not as efficiently as having two, of course!
We'll see how well the revised 309 service performs. I agree that Go North East could well be giving Arriva a run for their money here, and it'll be interesting to see if Arriva responds in any way by changing their timetables. It's not often we see bus operators pumping additional resources into services for the benefit of customers, but Go North East has done this quite a lot recently. (Fairly) recent examples including the Blaydon Racers PVR going up by 1 to assist reliability and time-keeping, the TEN PVR going up by 1 for the same reasons (which, so I'm told, has worked incredibly well, up to now), introducing a later journey on Fast Cats service X35 following passenger requests, and now the Cobalt Clipper PVR also going up by 1. This shows signs of a bus operator listening to customers, not making pointless service changes that do not consider them.
Next year's orders will be interesting. Considering the "shell life" of each vehicle, a total of 98 vehicles (when you exclude the three SPDs which have already been withdrawn) are due for disposal next year. All in all, I feel this goal is unachievable, but I'd imagine that GNE certainly will get the majority, if not all, of those Dennis Tridents withdrawn, in addition to the Volvo B10BLEs. As you can imagine, it's going to be pretty difficult to do this, given they're in a 'spare role', and a lot of those vehicles will work double-decker scholar services. It's far too early for the "Red Arrows" branded Volvo B9TLs to take this role, and we've just seven Volvo B7TLs on the Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork which should be taking a more backseat role in the coming years given their age. In addition to the aforementioned 98 vehicles, GNE should also make a start on withdrawing the Dennis MPD vehicles, though I can't help but feel that they will be withdrawn all in one go, in 2016...
As far as I know, service 689 does not have Next Stop Announcements. They (now) work on every other "Venture" service.
Precisely - they shouldn't, and I'd be willing to bet an arm and a leg that they won't. I've explained this one hundred and one times in the past, and this is the final time I'm doing so...
Go-Ahead is the parent company to a number of bus operators, one of which is Go North East. When Go North East orders vehicles, they must submit 'bids' to Go-Ahead, who actually purchase the vehicles. In these 'bids', Go North East must submit details of the routes which these new vehicles will be allocated to (details being how much profit is generated over x amount of time, for example). I'm sure other details, such as planned cascades (which obviously can and do change over time) can also be included - if it will benefit the bid. I'd imagine that the order for the Citylink would have been pushed a great deal by Go-Ahead, due to the higher running costs of the articulated vehicles previously allocated. Immediately, even prior to expected growth of the service, this means that more profit will be generated. Go North East must convince Go-Ahead that they are making a sensible decision, as it were. The "payback time" will be one factor which will also heavily influence Go-Ahead's decision-making. The time it takes for GNE to pay Go-Ahead back for 6084 - 6100 was calculated by the vehicles being allocated to service 56 - not services 309/310.
As far as I know, these additional runs will be operated by Chester-le-Street depot, and I don't think these runs will be allocated branded vehicles. One could argue that, if the Pronto receives investment this year, the 'spare vehicles' could be based at Chester-le-Street for these peak time runs - that way, although a corporate liveried vehicle will turn up in place of a branded one, it would provide the same quality of service that a branded vehicle would.
It is also better to make service changes before planned investment rather than when or after new vehicles have entered service. For all of the services which received investment last year, no service changes took place at the same time as the vehicles entering service. This reduces customer confusion.
It must be noted that, as well as combating competition from Arriva North East on their X2 service, this will also relieve pressure on the Angel 21 service. Reducing passenger numbers along the route for the Angel means that it is more likely to keep to time, which of course, is better for the customers who live on the route of the Angel in places where the Pronto does not stop.
Linking in with an earlier quote in this post; this is another prime example of Go North East pumping additional resources into the network, and is a commendable move by the company.
One step at a time.
Go North East is heavily concentrating on the Tyne Valley and the Durham Road corridor at the moment, with their Tynedalexpress and Angel/Pronto services.
These are the corridors whereby Go North East is at an advantage due to the fact they have so many local connections which branch off from the main 'hubs'.
Arriva expects passenger growth from services X21/X22, given that they have been converted to Sapphire specification. As there is no competition from other companies on the route of these services, it must come from new customers - the perks of Sapphire must bring people out of their cars and onto public transport.
Go North East would therefore be foolish to even attempt to set up a rival service against Arriva's services in this area, especially when Arriva has the advantage of offering local connections, when Go North East doesn't (with the only other service in the area being service 19). This does not mean to say that it will never happen (who could have predicted GNE would set up a competing service against Arriva's 685?), but there's a time whereby this would be appropriate - and that's not now, I feel.
I'd say that it would work for the following:
1.) Powerful Mercedes buses that are proven and mostly reliable.
2.) Many conenctions around the North East.
3.) Buses to the Metrocentre from Eldon Sqaure.
4.) Reduced journey times particularly from Newbigggin and a happy medium of speed and reliability rather than waiting an hour for the X20.
5.) Radio control assisting in breakdowns and routing (non stop through Gosforth if A1 is closed or delayed bad).
6.) Local customer services based in Gateshead and not in Luton.
7.) Free Wi-Fi.
8.) High back seating.
9.) More frequent and faster than X21 and also X22 from Ashington and Bedlington.
10.) Combined frequency of every 15 mins (30 evenings and Sundays between Ashington, Stakeford, Bedlington Stn / Red Lion / Hartlands and Newcastle.
11.) New Cowgate junction further improving timings.
12.) Regular service in North Seaton including evejings and Sundays.