(28 Dec 2014, 9:42 pm)Jimmi wrote Sadly the OK1 was butchered, part the problem was the lack of GNE connections - the OK1 was great if you lived on the route but if the OK1 didn't get close enough to where you live but Arriva did, you'd just use Arriva instead of forking out for an Explorer ticket you would just get an Arriva Day Ticket if Arriva went to your destination. Also Arriva fought back with the introduction of the X1 shortly after the OK1 was launched.

On the up-hand the OK1 has at least made Arriva make improvements to their existing services in that area, if it wasn't for the OK1 there probably wouldn't be an X1 now, we'd probably still have the 1/1B on a combined 30 minute frequency, same story with the X7 has meant Arriva have had to introduce the X21 from Sunderland to Peterlee through to Darlington on the 21.

Yes, although I previously referred to Go North East's customers losing out, I agree that the introduction of the OK1 (and hence Arriva's X1) has benefited Arriva's customers in the long run.
It's a shame that operators cannot use their own initiative to design services which benefit customers, and it takes competition for these routes to be introduced.

Passenger numbers dwindled on what were services 23/24, following the introduction and the growing success of Go North East's X7. I think Arriva took a very bold step by introducing brand new vehicles on service 23 whilst also introducing service X21, as Arriva would expect growth from the former whilst also expecting to run the latter profitably. I expect that service X21 will be on a six-month probation period before Arriva considers making any changes or cuts to the service; hopefully if any changes are made, the company thinks about how they have sandwiched the X21 in between the 22 and 23 and how this has possibly affected the success of the route.