(30 Mar 2022, 4:04 pm)L469 YVK wrote Here's a debate. Clearly arguments for and against both.
Should GNE retain branding as now? Or go down the following route:
- TyneTeesXpress (X10)
- XLines Generic - All applicable main 'X' routes
- GNE Electric (basically below but adapted for EV's)
- GNE Silver Service (but not called that) key 'Non X' routes
- GNE Corporate - For all other routes including secondary routes & minibus routes
(30 Mar 2022, 4:04 pm)L469 YVK wrote Here's a debate. Clearly arguments for and against both.So Silver Service, 21/56/58/X6/78/. So really any branded route.
Should GNE retain branding as now? Or go down the following route:
- TyneTeesXpress (X10)
- XLines Generic - All applicable main 'X' routes
- GNE Electric (basically below but adapted for EV's)
- GNE Silver Service (but not called that) key 'Non X' routes
- GNE Corporate - For all other routes including secondary routes & minibus routes
(30 Mar 2022, 4:55 pm)Storx wrote Rather see a generic livery across all operators in the North East under the following brands but I'll only do GNE routes.
Express - Fast routes connecting longer distance customers (X1, X6, X10, X20, X21, X30, X31 only)
Connect - Journeys connecting one or more towns with small communities in between (1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 309, 310, X5, X15, 21, 25, 56, X45, X46, 47, 60, 61, X70, X71, X72 and so on)
Local - Local journeys connecting one main town and small communities (5, 12, 39, 35, 51, 52, 55, 57, 58, 82, V1 and so on)
Electric - Different colour but still in their respective brand (53, 54)
Make the brands say on the tin what they actually do rather than some buses being XLines/MAX which aren't express and so on.
I'd also go further and brand each of the local with their respective name where it's based so SunderlandCity, Washington Locals, Consett Locals, North Tyneside Locals, NewcastleCity, Tynedale Locals and so on.
(30 Mar 2022, 4:55 pm)Storx wrote Rather see a generic livery across all operators in the North East under the following brands but I'll only do GNE routes.I would put the X45, X46 in the top bracket.
Express - Fast routes connecting longer distance customers (X1, X6, X10, X20, X21, X30, X31 only)
Connect - Journeys connecting one or more towns with small communities in between (1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 309, 310, X5, X15, 21, 25, 56, X45, X46, 47, 60, 61, X70, X71, X72 and so on)
Local - Local journeys connecting one main town and small communities (5, 12, 39, 35, 51, 52, 55, 57, 58, 82, V1 and so on)
Electric - Different colour but still in their respective brand (53, 54)
Make the brands say on the tin what they actually do rather than some buses being XLines/MAX which aren't express and so on.
I'd also go further and brand each of the local with their respective name where it's based so SunderlandCity, Washington Locals, Consett Locals, North Tyneside Locals, NewcastleCity, Tynedale Locals and so on.
(30 Mar 2022, 5:36 pm)cbma06 wrote Can’t see a generic livery brand across all operators in the north east, it’s like saying a generic brand for all the supermarkets into one livery, the companies have to have there own identity (in which GNE lost there’s years ago [emoji1787])
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(30 Mar 2022, 6:07 pm)ne14ne1 wrote That’s exactly what was proposed under the (unfortunately) failed Quality Contracts(?) scheme some years back.
Now that Manchester is going down a London style scheme it’s starting to look a little more promising for other areas such as the North East.
(30 Mar 2022, 5:36 pm)cbma06 wrote Can’t see a generic livery brand across all operators in the north east, it’s like saying a generic brand for all the supermarkets into one livery, the companies have to have there own identity (in which GNE lost there’s years ago [emoji1787])
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(30 Mar 2022, 5:38 pm)Unber43 wrote I would put the X45, X46 in the top bracket.
But surely that defeats the point of XLines.
(30 Mar 2022, 7:05 pm)Storx wrote Yeah same sadly and tbh they'd probably all do better moneywise if they did aswell so people are confused as tbh no-one really cares if it's Stagecoach, GNE, Arriva, GCT and so on as long tickets worked across them all.X45/X46, are express version of the slower version the 47.
They're not express routes though so it just dilutes the point of an express service. My idea is based purely on the route type rather than putting letters on numbers and which ones you like more etc. Same applies with Arriva with the 306, 308, X7, X8 and X9 which aren't really express either.
The express network really is the
Arriva: 685, X10, X11, X12, X14, X15, X18, X20, X21, X22
GNE: X1, X6, X10, X20, X21, X30, X31, X66
SNE: 100, X24, X34, X63, X77, X78, X79, X82
I'm undecided on the SNE X47, X87, X88 as even known they're express they'd be better branded under the NewcastleCity brand imo.
(30 Mar 2022, 7:10 pm)Unber43 wrote X45/X46, are express version of the slower version the 47.
(30 Mar 2022, 7:45 pm)MurdnunoC wrote X45/46 replaced the 45/46 initially with the intention that the service would operate non-stop between Central Station and Metrocentre thus cutting one whole minute from the journey.X45/46 do operate Non-Stop between Central Station and Metro.
During the pandemic both services started to, once again, serve all stops between Metrocentre and Central Station and continue to do so to this day. The X45/46 are certainly not express services and, as the current 47/47a did not continue to Consett until recently, you cannot argue that those services are the 'express' version of the 47/47a as the route of the X45/46 existed beforehand
(30 Mar 2022, 7:51 pm)Unber43 wrote X45/46 do operate Non-Stop between Central Station and Metro.
Whenever I have been on it it has driven past people. I sometimes get off the 47 when I get on it at the Metrocentre if the X45/46 is behind and I normally pass the 47/ get into Eldon Square before it
(30 Mar 2022, 8:34 pm)Unber43 wrote Well it may not be non-stop, but is like 14 less stops than the 47
(30 Mar 2022, 8:49 pm)MurdnunoC wrote 14 stops between Metrocentre and Central Station? There are only nine as far as I can see, and that's including Handy Drive. So that's only six stops less than the 47.Yeah sorry my mistake, I counted both wyas.
Handy Drive (X45/46)
St Omers Road
Kingfisher Court (X45/46)
Teemers Drive
Gas Works (X45/46)
Askew Road (Bottom)
Askew Road (Middle)
Askew Road (Top)
Redheugh Bridge
(30 Mar 2022, 7:10 pm)Unber43 wrote X45/X46, are express version of the slower version the 47.
(30 Mar 2022, 9:05 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote Keep the branding as it is useful
Many people and elderly with disabilities may not be able to read but recognise say a Quaylink bus they will associate that as the Yellow Bus
Or
Say Prince Bishops as the Purple Bus
It's like word association but brand association
Think the Cobalt route you want the silver and blue Bus
Yeah 95pc of buses are on branded routes but it does promote routes in other ways too
Who remembers seeing branded 685 branded service it can spark a debate to make a day out for people
Branding is useful
Think about if you see the Beamish advert Bus the association thinking I can get the bus to Beamish its a good thing branded buses as its self advertisement
You could be like Stagecoach who don't branded the buses ish
Look at X24 and X34 providing a visual advertisement when they were branded buses
You forget its enthuiasts on this page to the Joe public a bus is a bus and that is why branding and marketing is essential
If you work in Cobalt or Silverlink and see the branded bus going past you notice it and recognise it in other places and the colours associate where you have seen it so when in Cobalt people see the bus and read the side to associate where it goes
I say keep the branding and continue with it
(30 Mar 2022, 10:34 pm)omnicity4659 wrote When you have hundreds of mobile billboards driving around towns and cities then it makes sense to market them through route branding, however we've returned to branding for branding's sake yet again.Some good points. But the one thing to add to this, is that money can be spent on cheesy lines like we see on the 2 about raisins, currents and other types of berries or even a traditional linear map displayed instead.
I've sat behind many GNE buses in the car, even as an 'enthusiast' I no longer know where a lot of their routes go - so having a Cherry bus saying "get out of the (traffic) jam" or an Xlines bus saying "posher than your car" doesn't really help...
(31 Mar 2022, 11:45 am)ne14ne1 wrote One strong unified integrated network is what a city/large metropolitan area needs.Indeed I read Roger French's recent blog in praise of Transdev Blazefield - he was extolling the virtues of paper timetables (a relic that I don't understand or see the value in attracting younger new passengers with) solid branding with buzzwords (Best Impressions obviously) plants in the bus station, on board recycling and friendly on board graphics as all these fantastic things.
All these different colours and names just make it confusing and appear fragmented, but it seems to keep the spotters and industry colleagues frothing.
(31 Mar 2022, 11:31 am)Ambassador wrote It's a hard one - most businesses would argue you grow the business through strong branding and proposition but buses are different. The vast majority of people are taking a bus because there is no other option for them or through the prohibitive cost of a taxi for example.I'd argue they're advertising a brand or product. A brand or product that doesn't have much meaning to most people.
No amount of paint or slogans can fix the current driver shortages or the image the daily cancellation list creates of a brand. Route numbers are still prevalent form of branding - the 21 existed decades before anyone even thought of popping an Angel over a coal seam and whether its the red angel, the pink one or the green one - it's the 21.
There is value to some branding but stuff like berries and little pinks is nonsense really - it tells you nothing whereas X-Lines at least informs and educates about where the service goes. Then of course mixed allocations (Voyager, Corporate, random other route) don't help either at all.
Has the branding (and the wider bus market) moved on since 2006? Nope.
(31 Mar 2022, 11:45 am)ne14ne1 wrote One strong unified integrated network is what a city/large metropolitan area needs.You would be forgiven for thinking that's what they intended!
All these different colours and names just make it confusing and appear fragmented, but it seems to keep the spotters and industry colleagues frothing.