(24 Oct 2021, 3:26 pm)Storx wrote The 306/308 won't be decreasing in frequency. The fact they've went back to every 15 minutes pretty much straight away whereas numerous other routes including the X10/X11 and 55 have stayed down in the frequency and are allocated deckers over the X7/X8/X9 shows how important they are to Arriva.

The 306/308 has other purposes than the Coast Road, they just happen to run along there. It's like saying the 43 should be cut in frequency because the Q3, 44, 45, 46, X10, X11, X21, X22, X15, X18, 30, 31 and so on serve Gosforth.

The Monday to Friday frequency has re-increased however, the Saturday frequency remains at every 20 minutes each. No doubt Arriva have initially re-increased to every 15 minutes each so they can at least assess passenger numbers. The X6 has already been withdrawn as a 10/20 minute service on the 306/308 wouldn't accommodate the X6 and no doubt the X6 would've probably made 'some' money for Arriva going against the flow as opposed to a full 15 minute service on the 306.

To implement newer and more efficient interworking patterns would take time including planning rotas and sourcing suitable vehicles (most likely extra DB300s). Not forgetting that Arriva could also bid to extend the 51A and partially replace the 359.

Billy Mill, West Chirton, Silverlink, Willington Square and Selby Gardens are still good strongholds for Arriva. However, they could still provide roughly (give or take) the same capacity on these sections of route with lower operational costs and a more streamlined frequency. And although there's other purposes than the Coast Road for the 308, lets not forget that the 309 (even before the £1.70 / £1 fares) offers fairly serious competition.

Now your point regarding the 43, that again has good strongholds and in fact, I'd say Wideopen is rather underserved. a 6/7/7 frequency with the 43/44/45 (similar to the 309/310/311) would actually provide more capacity and also offer a more streamlined service with the 45 to / from Lockey Park in Wideopen. At the moment, the 43 carries all the burden and no actual coordination with the 45.