(14 Jul 2020, 9:03 pm)Stanleyone wrote You're right it was 14.
My speculation could be the X45 running via the X47 route, which could in theory make the V9 redundant saving a minibus but adding additional capacity on the chop well to Consett bit. Also I would question the shotley extension to the X5/X15. Could reroute the V3/V4 via kings rd or run the X5 via the V4 route and serve the hospital after Cuthberts Avenue and the X15 via the V3 route. Saving more minibuses.
Not a bad shout that then it could see of the worst of the Solo's at Percy Main 698 - 70?. The only problem is the timing, if they both left Newcastle at the same time, by the time they're back together at Shotley they'd be in tandem. Ngl it's why I deleted it
(14 Jul 2020, 9:33 pm)L469 YVK wrote If the X45 was made to serve it's 45 route (but as express between Newcastle and MetroCentre), how would GoNE market routes so customers knew which ones were the fastest between Consett and Newcastle?
They could do 2x destination displays to prevent dilution so that the route is still marketed as an "express" for people between Blackhall Mill and Newcastle but known as a slower service for anywhere beyond Blackhall Mill.
So you could have (Destination / Via & for)..............
- X45(1) Blackhall Mill / then Newcastle
- X45(2) Newcastle / via Metrocentre
- X45(3) Blackhall Mill / then Consett
- X45(4) Consett / via Blackhill
A good idea would be to try and time the X46 / X70 & X71 so that they're at sort of even intervals and market them 3x services as the "fast" buses to Consett. Even keeping on nearby stands at Eldon Square would help with perhaps a dedicated Consett to Newcastle timetable for those 3x routes.
You don't basically, they'd probably want to try and push them onto the X70/X71 as they'll be quieter than the X45/X47 if they reduced the frequency of those.