(31 Aug 2014, 7:53 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Without adding to the running cost - no. At least 2 of the Stockton workings start and finish down in the Teesside area. Then there's the cost of re-working the Sunday journeys which are geared to operation out of Stockton (and interwork with all of Stockton's Middlesbrough Sunday runs apart from the 5s of course).
But there's nothing stopping the Sunday and bank holiday workings remaining in Stockton I guess?
(31 Aug 2014, 7:59 pm)VolvoMarkII wrote I think you have hit the nail on the head here.
I bet that adding 4 dead journeys per day into the cost would be a significant chunk of profit cleared off for the sake of what? Running it all from Durham is logistically not an option I would guess.
If these extra journeys do not resolve a problem that is known about though, what next? Keep single decker operation in tact because it means moving the service from Stockton otherwise? Stunting growth rarely works.
(31 Aug 2014, 7:58 pm)Dan wrote Without wishing to turn this into the "Service Suggestions" thread...
If this were to happen, and the X2 was dropped to an hourly frequency, why couldn't the costs saved here be pumped into the evening runs to provide later journeys from Middlesbrough to Durham, to get the buses back home?
I can only imagine the frequency of the X2 at present links to the heavy competition on the Durham Road corridor provided by Go North East, but I'd suggest that anyone travelling who doesn't have onward Arriva connections in Durham (either to the X1 or to other Arriva services) will want to get on the 21 or X21 instead - especially as the latter is getting an increased frequency at peaks...
I know that the X2 probably doesn't justify the loadings for an increase of frequency like the X1 does, but living on the route, I'd be pretty peeved if it went to hourly. The X2 is the difference between me getting to Newcastle at no extra cost, or having to get a two zone Buzzfare to do the same. Full route of the X2/X24 is included in a few of the Durham saver tickets.