(10 Mar 2021, 8:48 am)Andreos1 wrote I think you make some interesting points here. Whilst there's not many areas that have two bus operators competing on a corridor along with the metro, I do think there is demand. 
The number of people living and working in the area indicates to me that there is a lot of potential to grow the network, rather than reduce it.

Then you have all of the business parks opening and developing, the new houses being built alongside the A19 and the likes of the Silverlink.
Yet (and I feel like a broken record), we have a network which is basically as it was - all be it condensed and reduced.
Competition has seen investment in vehicles, but not the network. 

Then the SNE rock up, see that one of the many gaps in the market is open to exploit and expands the 22 from Wallsend.
Making a resource investment in the network, which could be paying off.
On the other hand, there's ANE and GNE reducing their resource investment in the network... 
Maybe, just maybe, we would see a different outcome if the opposite happened.

Tbf to Arriva they haven't cut anything in North Tyneside either and have actually increased resources with the 51A and the 306 extension.

The best thing for North Tyneside (and some won't like this) would be for GNE to leave the area - I know it won't happen obv. but GNE have no purpose anymore. The 310 is duplicate of the 306 mostly, the 309 is a duplicate of the 308 mostly. The 311 is a waste of space. The 41/42/42A go through or connect with dominant Stagecoach (41) or Arriva and Stagecoach areas (42/42A). You've then got the 1 which goes through dominant Stagecoach areas (22, 40) or Arriva areas (306) plus the Metro shadowing it throughout. What's left the 11 and the 19 and the Ashington extension goes through Arriva areas. The competition brings nothing to benefit of passengers either bar the money spent from public taxes to subsidise 1/2 of it in the evening and Sundays.

We'll never know but I wouldn't be surprised if Percy Main is leaking money like a sieve. As people say the Little Coaster buses are constantly dead and the Coast Road services aren't exactly much better yet car usage on the Coast is through the roof.