(06 Jan 2020, 8:27 pm)ifm001 wrote If you lived on the sections of route that don't have any other bus services you would not be saying that. Maybe if it didn't operate at approx every 63/64 minutes and had a more regular timetable it would gain patronage.
I would if only a few passengers used it! Admittedly I haven't used the 516 very much, but when I have the passenger numbers have been very low. There is one bus per hour, that is more than regular enough for the passenger numbers. Yes, if the service was more regular it might gain more passengers, I argue that with the 74 (even if curtailed, rather than full route to/from Hexham), but we can't know that unfortunately. Most services in South Shields are operated by Stagecoach, I am sure if the 516 was operated by Stagecoach it would gain more passengers.