(14 Feb 2020, 8:29 pm)Storx wrote Commented above with ** remember these are from a North Tyneside / SE Northumberland perspective so having 25 buses or 4 buses going along the Coast Road won't affect them. I wasn't attacking GNE there it's just genuinely what's happened in the area whereas you've got a major bias towards GNE.

GNE might be good in Consett, Hexham and Gateshead but in Sunderland and North Tyneside they've been butchering away at services for awhile now with little improvements on the main.

I get your point. Yes the vehicles aren't exactly new on the likes of the Coaster but if you look at Arriva, you have 59 & 61 plate VDL Geminis running Blyth's "goldmine" routes (X10/ X11/308) plus any other ex London / Yorkshire cast-offs that pop up from time.

GNE have 8 & 9 year old B9TLs on the X1 (due to be replaced) and 7 year old B9TLs on the TVT (due to be refurbished) but in their defence, these are heavy duty vehicles and more durable than the likes of the VDL Gemini (would also say E400s too but they have come on massively over the years)

The Coaster is a very funny route as although it needs capacity from time to time (Metro off, Mouth of Tyne, Nice Weatheretc), it doesn't need it all the time and at least GNE are investing in these service with engine modifications.  The Coaster also now has to compete with a very attractive 22 service betwen Churchill / Rosehill and Newcastle.

In terms of the 309 & 310, whilst a 15 minute frequency was 'nice', a 20 minute frequency is still relatively frequent and although GNE may lose out on some discretionary travellers, at least they'll only have the cost of running 21 vehicles (Cobalts & 57) on the road (rather than 25) when things are a tad on the quiet side.