Right, I've had a long hard think about this over the past couple of months and put some work into it. Basically, I've created a suggestion timetable for the Cobalt Clipper services. Now, all 17 B9TLs at Percy Main would have to be used, however:
- Service 309 would now inter-work with the 919 instead of the DFDS / Scholars boards. One journey towards Blyth would be cut short in the morning (Mon - Fri) and would terminate at Whitley Bay. However, the two journeys either side would get people into Blyth for on the hour and half hour starts. No afternoon 309 journeys would be cut short in the afternoon (Mon - Fri). Passengers on the 919 would then benefit from free Wi-Fi and power sockets attracting more passengers and creating growth. The Mon to Sat daytime PVR for the 309 would be 10.
- Services 309 / 919 and 310 / X39 with the exception of one journey towards Newcastle in the morning (Mon - Fri) and a late Sunday night journey towards North Shields from Newcastle would no longer inter-work. All changeovers would take place in either North Shields (310) or New York (309).
- Service 310 would inter-work with the X39. Two journeys in the morning towards North Shields would join back onto the 310 on Middle Engine Lane and the other would just operate straight back to North Shields due to a 310 following closely behind. Afternoon 310 journeys inter-working with the X39 would terminate at Norham Road as present with journeys continuing half hourly to Newcastle as Service 310. The Mon to Sat daytime PVR for the 310 would be 7.
- Services 309 / 310 have been re-timed to compete effectively with Arriva's 306 / 308. This means that most journeys would arrive and depart between Station Road and Newcastle just before either two services above and as a result, picking up more traffic particularly from St Mary's Place and at other stops between Station Road and Newcastle.
- In conjunction with the above point, all evening journeys on Services 309 / 310 would be increased to every 30 minutes (15 combined between Station Road and Newcastle) but all journeys would be re-timed to ensure that they arrive at Haymarket 4 minutes before the 306 / 308 (11 minutes after the previous Arriva service) and leave 5 minutes before the next Arriva service (10 minutes after the previous Arriva service). The evening PVR for the 309 would be 4 and the 310 would be 3.
- Sunday daytime journeys on Services 309 / 310 would be increased to every 20 minutes (10 combined between Station Road and Newcastle). This would pick up more loyalty to the Cobalt Clippers particularly between Blyth and Rake Lane where a certain green bus decides to turn up 15 minutes late every Sunday. Service 309 would operate with a PVR of 7 and Service 310 would operate with a PVR of 5. Both services would have 9 minutes layover at Haymarket and 11 minutes in Blyth (309) or 9 minutes in North Shields (310). Service 309 would be more frequent than Service 308 offering more opportunities to get out and about.
- Despite the fact that a Max PVR of 17 would leave the Clippers with no spare, Services 310 / X39 (with the exception of between Station Road and Newcastle) doesn't really have any competition with the exception of Arriva's Streetlites therefore, if any of the 17 buses were to go VOR, the 310 / X39 could pick up the slack with a Northern Spare or depending on what is done with 6084 and Riverside's / Hexham's operational requirements, 3942. What also must be taken into account is that if GNE were to ever lose any scholars work, the 919 would continue to be covered without buses sitting idle in Percy Main depot all day.
Please note that this is NOT an official document published or implemented by Go Ahead North East. Colour coding is used for fleet numbers in some instances. Blue means that the bus will be rotating onto other peak time Cobalt Services or back onto regular Cobalt Clipper Services completely. Red means that the bus has finished it's day and is no longer required as part of the PVR.
Attached in a separate post is the timetable for my suggestion (sorry, was in quick reply mode).
RE: Go North East: Service Suggestions
