(20 May 2022, 9:35 pm)mb134 wrote I've just had a chance to go through the entire set of proposed service changes for July, and it's alarming just how many recently rebranded services are either being completely withdrawn or reduced in some way. I may have missed some, and omitted some where other services are being increased to complement (e.g the 4 with the 58) but as far as I can tell:I remember pointing out that post pandemic (as was then - was probably summer 2020 when we thought it was all over), that this was the chance to take a good look at the network and changing travel patterns.
X-Lines X5/X15: Rebranded late 2020 - early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions proposed.
X-Lines X10: Rebranded early 2021 - Sunday frequency down to every 2 hours (after already cancelling the X9 altogether).
X-Lines X20: Rebranded 2019 with vehicle upgrade 2021 - early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions proposed alongside shortened route on Sundays.
MetroCentre Express X22: Branded summer 2021 - complete cancellation proposed.
X-Lines X30/31: Rebranded 2019 - frequency reductions outside of the peak, alongside reductions in early morning, evening, and Sunday journeys.
X-Lines X45/46: Rebranded 2020 - X46 completely withdrawn, with early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions also proposed for X45.
X-Lines X70/1/2: Rebranded 2020 - X70 completely withdrawn, alongside early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions.
Sunderland District Berries 2/21: Rebranded 2021 - early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions proposed.
Country Ranger 8: Rebranded 2021 - early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions proposed, and evening/Sunday route curtailment.
Tyne Valley 10/A/B: Rebranded 2021 - early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions proposed.
Durham Diamond 16/A: Rebranded 2021 - early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions proposed.
Crusader 27: Rebranded 2020 - early morning, evening (down to hourly from half hourly), and Sunday reductions proposed.
Sunderland District Blonde 38/A/C: Rebranded 2022 (?) - completely withdrawn.
Sunderland District Graphite 39/A: Rebranded 2021 - evening frequency down to hourly.
East Gateshead Orbit 51/52: Rebranded 2021 - early morning, evening, and Sunday reductions proposed.
Voltra 53/54: Rebranded 2020 - evening frequency down to every 40 minutes, coupled with early morning and Sunday reductions, and route adjustment (not serving Sage).
Sunderland District Violet 55: Rebranded 2021 - completely withdrawn.
Peterlee Purples 62/62A: Rebranded 2021 - completely withdrawn.
East Durham Explorer 65: Rebranded 2021 - late evening journeys withdrawn and Sunday frequency cut.
19 sets of services there that have been given complete rebrands within the last two years that are now facing complete cancellation, or cuts to journeys which branding is arguably aimed to help (early morning, evening, and Sundays). Is it that branding is not as effective as advocates would have us believe, certainly the Sunderland District brand seems to be in tatters, or are the company setting unrealistic expectations for how quickly the branding should have the desired (no pun intended) impact?
Someone (I won't name names) told me in no uncertain terms, that the branding and everything that came with it, was about building the network post pandemic.
It didn't matter that travel patterns were changing or that places had been ignored for the best part of 25 years.
Tables, charging points and branding would bring customers back.
It didn't.