(14 Nov 2014, 10:55 am)gtom wrote In today's climate if the commercially run services into Birtley weren't making money...they wouldn't be running.

The 82/83 tend to get used in Birtley as a more local service as opposed to the whole route serving the North and Central end of Birtley (Portmeads etc) as well as Barley Mow as a link to the town centre (which will become more important once Morrisons opens at Easter 15)

Whilst Durham Road is well served other areas of Birtley aren't and Birtley is particularly hilly. Portmeads, Katergina etc are sheltered and elderly accomodation

The 23 is similar.  The short runs from Barley Mow to The Crematorium are mainly for the local.  Birtley has a very aged population and Elisabethville is nearly all elderly accommodation now as with large parts of Barley Mow.  

So it's more a 'service' than a commercial need.  Saying that I think the 23 could cope with going hourly.

Thanks for your reply and thanks to Andreos, Adam and Aureolin for replying too. Sorry it has taken me a while to respond. I have been having problems with my internet connection over the last few days and when I tried replying with my "Smart"phone it was rather awkward .

I have been looking into the buses that currently serve Birtley in great depth recently which is the main reason I was interested in the loadings. I don't deny that it is very important for all areas of Birtley to have a good and fair level of bus services, particularly into the town centre. I do agree with you gtom that while some areas of Birtley are possibly over bused, some parts receive little or poor service. I can understand that Malone Gardens and Selkirk Crescent are very difficult places to serve. After looking on google maps it seems the roads around there are hard to negoiate for a bus - they seem very narrow and parked cars make it difficult. I think a taxi bus is probably the best option for this part of Birtley, either that or maybe something the size of an Optare Alero. Another option could be to have a bus service (possibly 82?) to serve Mount Road, Highridge and Blackfell Way where there are bus stops. TB14 could be withdrawn as I doubt many people would use it and there would no longer be the need to negotiate the tight roads. At the same time these areas would still have a bus service and would only involve a short walk to there nearest bus stop judging by the map.

I think service 23 would work a lot better if it was a circular service and if it cut out some areas it really doesn't need to serve. The current 23 is just ridiculous and just isn't direct enough and I think that might put some people off from using the bus. For instance I have known a few poeple who live in Barley Mow who shop at the Galleries and its just daft how it takes 40 odd mins for the 23 to go complete this journey - a journey which probably takes less than 10 minutes by car. If 23 was made a circular service then journeys would be made direct for everyone and might increase the appeal of using the bus again.

I will put a suggestion for a ciruclar service 23 in the suggestions thread and you can see what you think.

Thanks.