(31 Mar 2022, 9:44 am)busmanT wrote £2.90 is probably the correct fare for the journey = Go North East introduced, in my view unsustainable, cheap fares across North Tyneside / Northumberland last year with a maximum £1.70 (now £1.80) single fare.I'm not sure to be honest. Lower pricing has been proven to attract people. Businesses have built and developed based on a low pricing model and have been a success.
Looking at how the GNE network has reduced I do wonder if they would have been better keeping higher fares and running more routes - the new network map on the GNE website https://images-gonortheast.passenger-web...%20map.pdf shows clearly that they have hardly anything left.
Only commercial routes appear to be the Coaster 1 (9 PVR); Little Coaster 41/41A (3 PVR) & Cobalt and Coast 309/310/311 (16 PVR) - the other route (19) is fully secured by Nexus --- commercial PVR 28.
Arriva and Stagecoach the clear winners on North Tyneside, especially Stagecoach with the 10/11, 22 & now 317 running.
I'd argue there's more to it than low pricing (or high pricing). There will be a number of factors that come in to play, some internal which are controllable by the operator. Some will be external that can't be.
I'm yet to see any evidence of them controlling or managing all of the internal factors beyond the standard lick of paint, titivation and maybe a wish or two that the wind blows in the right direction.