(16 Jan 2014, 6:37 pm)CatsFast101 wrote I think a service through the eye infirmary would be good. I'd have a service go the 38 route from Park Lane but then down Alexandra Road and rejoin the route at the mini roundabout at The Alexandria. As for which service, 60/61 are the only option really, maybe the 61?
Re-routing it this way rather than via Ashbrooke Range (which I thought Adam was suggesting, so it was similar to Stagecoach's 10/11 service) would be better, but would also increase the journey time by approximately 2 minutes. I can certainly recall from diversions in the past that, unless the drivers drove quite dangerously at excessively high speeds, the journey time was increased.
There is no room in the timetable for this to happen with the 60. However, there is room for it to happen in the 61's 9 minute layover, but I'm not entirely sure if there would be greater demand via Alexandra Road as opposed to Ryhope Road. I can't help but feel if there was demand for a service via the Eye Infirmary and Tunstall Rd to Sunderland from Grangetown, it would have been done. There is a very high number of vehicles per hour which use the Ryhope Rd corridor from Grangetown to Sunderland, and I don't think I've ever been on a bus whereby no passengers have been picked up. That shows demand for a service on Ryhope Road.
I do think it is unnecessarily trodding on Stagecoach's toes (who have established a fairly successful service, operating at a 15 minute frequency) though. Go North East may pick up dribs and drabs of customers, but anyone bound to a GNE service would have the sense to walk 5-10 minutes to the nearest GNE stop. I feel it may just be pensioners who would prefer a direct service to Park Lane if meeting another connection to go home.
Think about it, whichever way you do it - passengers are going to walk at some point: either to the nearest GNE stop at the Eye Infirmary, or to Park Lane if using a Stagecoach service.