(09 May 2018, 7:51 pm)L469 YVK wrote Well for starters, the StreetDecks would only be used on 'some' 309 trips; mainly during the evenings and on Sundays. The majority of StreetDeck workings would be on service 310 and also the X39. Having a heavy duty decker being tugged around on the 310 is surely more costly compared to a Volvo B9TL being used on a route that it is suited for (i.e the X21). And GNE wouldn't have considered GKN modifications on the B9TLs if they weren't deemed too heavy duty for the Cobalt Clipper (particularly the 310).
An hour on the X21 covers 10 kilometres more of it's journey than an hour run on the 310. It's longer distance in the same time, this means more BSOG payment by some margin at the end of the day.
Just between the Newcastle -> Durham section of the X21 and the whole of the 310 between Newcastle -> North Shields 7am -> 5pm in a day (take 6p per kilometre):
310: 18 kilometres -> £0.29 38 trips -> £11.02
X21: 28 Kilometres -> £0.45 25 trips -> £11.25
So just the fast part of the X21 earns more BSOG in a day period than the 310 does in that same period of time.
The Misc X39 (10km @6p over 3 trips) / 309 trips £10.50 (29km @ 6p over 5 trips)
The southern part of the X21 is another £11.22 (11km @ 6p over 30 trips)
BSOG on 310/X39 with select 309 journeys comes to £21.52 x 2 = £43.04
BSOG on X21 comes to £22.47 x 2 = £44.94
So the conclusion here is the X21 saves the most money. The routes are very similar in terms of speedlimits offered (on 309) so I would discredit any argument about reliability. The GKN modification doesn't seem relevant to the discussion of reliability or indeed anything, unless it saves more money offered than the Euro 6 MH Streetdecks. The only way you're going to make a cost-effective based move is if that is true. The statement that "iif they weren't deemed too heavy duty" is mere opinion at this moment in time, unless you have any data to support your argument.
(09 May 2018, 7:51 pm)L469 YVK wrote And in terms of reliability with regards to 'similar work', the only truly fast sections of route on the 309 are:
- Coast Road between Benfield Road and Station Road
- Blyth Road between Whitley Bay and Old Hartley
- Links Road between Seaton Sluice and South Beach
And as for the 310, the only fast section of route is the Coast Road between Benfield Road and Station Road.
Again, you can't have it both ways and this only invalidates your point. The longer and faster the trip, the more distance covered in the same time, hence higher BSOG payments. It only makes sense to allocate the higher-BSOG paying buses to where they would earn the most money!