(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.

Yeah I see your points, I definitely think Stagecoach went for a ‘he who dares’ approach, I know the 306/308 and 309/310 braise the outskirts of the silverlink but it’s been crying out for a bus to actually go into it! There was no reason why the 42 couldn’t have done that, at the end of the day it would only be omitting middle engine lane, where the 310 would serve the same purpose.

And let’s not forget that the Buses the 22 use aren’t actually too bad.

I like your idea of the linking up to new housing estates, but I’d be inclined to say that most the people in those areas are going to be resigned to using their car! But again it’s one of those until you try you don’t know?!

You never know the more we see an easing of lockdown (touch wood) it may help Go North East evaluate what they have a bit more and where they could expand.

You could argue GNE have done this to themselves at Percy Main, or you can go down the supply and demand route, either way I don’t think it’ll change soon.


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