(10 Dec 2021, 10:27 am)cbma06 wrote You could get any x1 to Hetton then get the half hourly service 65 from Hetton to Dalton park
Where is that advertised? If I wasn't an enthusiast, how would I know that?
For those who have the GNE app, the journey planner advises you to wait on a random street somewhere for the 65, rather than at Hetton Interchange.
(10 Dec 2021, 11:13 am)Andreos1 wrote Owt on social media about it not running?
It's an option I suppose, but could end up leaving customers out of pocket due to not being able to buy a single/return and depending on connection times, more than inconvenienced or delayed too.
Nothing on Social Media until it was questioned. I noticed on bustimes that the incoming journey was terminated at the Galleries, but no one had the sense to let the passengers waiting for it there that it had been pulled. Despite the stand being right outside of the canteen...
The lack of customer focus is shocking at times.
(10 Dec 2021, 11:44 am)cbma06 wrote Day tickets might be better , depends on the length of journey though, I’m sure GNE would prefer to sell there day tickets etc…
The extensions of x1 to Dalton park and Peterlee might look good through passengers eyes but since there are other services duplicating those extension sections by the same bus company and since the 65 have been turned into a bigger bus and frequency been doubled , GNE could advertise the 65 to Dalton Park connection on there X1 timetables and on the bus to promote the connection, same as the X1 to Easington lane and onward connection with service 55 and 62 to Peterlee, probably more towards service 55 as it’s a bigger bus than the 62, I’m surprised GNE are duplicating there routes since there’s a pandemic on and it’s been said that there still making a loss or the money from the government will shortly be going and there have to start making cut backs?.
The X1 extension that GNE should of looked into was extending some journeys from Easington Lane towards Haswell/Shotton/Wheatley Hill/side of Thornley and Ludworth back up the side of Haswell to Easington Lane, which would of been links between the villages and lost connection to Hetton/Houghton and towards Washington to Newcastle which were lost decades ago.
I'd actually purchased a day ticket, but I had went for the £4 City of Sunderland ticket. I'd have been out of pocket if I'd then went to Heworth for the X10, which I'd say is a better known connection than the X1/65 combo.
I'd agree about advertising onward connections better. You shouldn't have to have a good understanding of the bus network to use it. It's beyond me why we don't advertise the 21/X21 connections at Chester-le-Street for the 8/78 for example, or the 27/X9/X10 at Heworth for services into Newcastle, instead leaving people to think that the Metro is the only game in town.
We'll see what the BSIP has to offer in this respect, and hopefully not more of the same.