(22 Mar 2022, 4:30 pm)busmanT wrote With Blackett Street having been temporarily closed for various events over the last couple of years Stagecoach will know the reduction in passenger numbers is when its closed - so I think no. 1 concern for Stagecoach is fewer passengers and hence less revenue.

The bus loop is longer (time and mileage) than using Blackett Street so Stagecoach will need more buses to keep the same frequencies - no. 2 concern costs increased.

Many of the streets on the loop are already heavily used by buses and buses stopping - more buses will potentially create bus congestion which will only delay buses and result in fewer passengers.

I think the no 2 concern realistically is at the heart of the Stagecoach objections.  They are perfectly happy using Market Street and Grainger Street for the 1/10/11/22/30/31/38 - none of which touch Blackett Street.  It's not as if the folks using those services are more likely to want to head to Bigg Market or Central Station than those on the 12/39/40/62/63 - it's just that it's operationally convenient for those services to run those routes through the city.  To claim it's to improve access is nonsense as the vast majority of passengers will have one service to choose from and get dumped wherever it happens to operate.