Sorry guys but I've just managed to work this one out:
If GNE ever decided to increase both the 309 / 310 to both every 30 minutes each during the evening (15 mins between Cobalt South and Newcastle) but only wanted to add 1 extra bus, they could do this:
- 58 would remain unchanged. No 310's would be re-routed via Hadrian Park and would just serve normal route.
- 310 would operate every 30 minutes throughout the whole route with no evening PVR change which currently stands at 3.
- 309 would operate every 30 minutes between Newcastle and Whitley Bay continuing to Blyth hourly. The Newcastle to Blyth runs would operate with a PVR of 2 as it does now. However, the Newcastle to Whitley Bay run PVR would be 1 but it would interwork with some 17A journeys.
- The 17A would only operate to Whitley Bay Town Centre and not the seafront during the evenings. It would have 1 hourly board between Wallsend Metro and Whitley Bay Town Centre operating with a PVR of 2 MPD's. Buses would have a 2 minute layover at Wallsend Metro and a 23 minute layover in Whitley Bay Town Centre but reliability shouldn't be an issue during the evening with it being a local route. There would however be another hourly running board (making up the 30 minute 17A frequency) including the short 309 workings with a PVR of 3 B9TL's but branding shouldn't be an issue and would perhaps create more brand awareness of the Cobalt Clipper. The fuel costs shouldn't be much more than a B10BLE and should be the same if not slightly cheaper after the flybrid technology has been fitted next year. The timings would something like this:
17A / 309 with a PVR of 3 B9TL's:
Haymarket (309): 15
Whitley Bay Park Avenue (309): 52
Whitley Bay HSBC (17A): 55
Wallsend Metro (17A): 43
Wallsend Metro (17A): 45
Whitley Bay Park Avenue (17A): 32
Whitley Bay HSBC (309): 35
Haymarket (309): 12
17A with a PVR of 2 MPD's:
Whitley Bay HSBC (17A): 25
Wallsend Metro (17A): 13
Wallsend Metro (17A): 15
Whitley Bay Park Avenue (17A): 02
Also, this would save on fuel costs with the pool van for the additional 309 journeys between Newcastle and Whitley Bay not being required to go all the way to New York and a change over would either happen in North Shields or if the office is closed, in Percy Main with only a short drive required from the depot on Norham Road. At the end of the day, Arriva interwork the X21/35 with Sapphire E400's during the evenings and on Sundays so the branding shouldn't be an issue neither should the vehicle type be.
RE: Go North East Service Suggestions