(27 Oct 2020, 1:43 pm)Rob44 wrote I sat in the pub yesterday in Newcastle watching the world go by and notice SNE GNE and ANE all seemed to be busy leaving the city centre, ok not full but all had passengers into double figures. Then on the way home I was chatting to the driver of my transport and said he'd work the previous night and on six runs had a total of 2 passengers!. And i was the only one on the bus till I got home. Maybe a less frequent service on a night time might be the next step. 

Short term, I do think that is the most effective option. 
Longer term, I think the impact on public transport will only be a negative one. 

We've seen services on an evening slowly reduce or get farmed out by nexus as operators don't see enough money in running these services. 
It's like an ongoing race to the bottom. Cutting or reducing to save money, allocating smaller or lower spec vehicles to increase their bsog support etc. 

If and when this whole covid19 thing ends, passengers or potential passengers will have found alternatives if their services have ended or reduced in frequency. 
I can't see the majority returning to public transport if they've invested in a car or found out that taxis are cheaper and often more convenient.

I do think operators need to be creative and need to think about how to increase the popularity of those quieter services on an evening.