(24 Nov 2013, 10:07 pm)Dan wrote First off - the Sunderland to Hastings Hill corridor:
It's a corridor served by "Silver Arrows" 2A/2C, "Lime" 8/78, providing a healthy 10 buses per hour. This clearly shows that there is demand for this level of service along this corridor. The 'revised' 10 buses per hour would not be at such a level because, as an express service, the X2 would only call 'limited stop'.
Secondly - the frequency reduction on "Silver Arrows" services 2A/2C:
In November 2012 (or was it 2011?), these services were increased in frequency. This increase in frequency helped out massively with the reliability of the service, and also provided passengers living on the route with a higher level of service. From Hastings Hill, all passengers would be at a loss, as the X2 would follow the same route as "Lime" service 8, so would not serve Penshaw or any of the stops beyond there.
If the 15 minute frequency was to be re-instated, then surely the reliability of the services would drop once more, and the customers who have "earned" that frequency will also be dropped?
As you can see in my proposal the X2 would follow the 2A/2C Route along Hastings Hill/Penshaw/Shiney Row and would serve the Stops along that Section of the Route to then Maintain the Frequency so that the 2A/2C Passengers don't lose the current Level of Service. And they'd also get the Benefit of a Direct Xpress to Newcastle also as a Result creating a New Link as no doubt there will be Passengers who use the 2A/2C and then swap onto the X1 at The Galleries to Continue there Journey to Work.
I'm yet to see the point of the X2...
To me, if there are any passengers travelling directly from Sunderland to Newcastle, they would use the X3/X36 as they are at present.
For passengers along the Chester Road corridor, a solid ten minute frequency with connections at The Galleries is of very little inconvenience.
It would benefit those who were hunting a cheaper fare from, let's say, the Royal Hospital to Newcastle. They'd be entitled to a 'return'. That would not be of benefit to Go North East, however.
Would this increase the running times? "Lime" services 8/78 interwork remember, so if the running times were increased, the interworking schedule would go tits up, and Go North East would have to think of a new way of operating both services.
If anything it would make the Journey Time into Sunderland Quicker as the 8 would have to Serve stops at Hastings Hill and along Chester Road via the Hospital into Sunderland
Waterview Park to Sunderland on the 8 takes 17 Minutes while on the 73 it takes 13 Minutes if it wasn't to Serve Castletown, So that is 4 Minutes Difference, but then that's extra 4 Minutes Layover Time after a Journey from Stanley or Consett.