(01 Jun 2022, 8:52 am)Ambassador wrote To be fair, of all the changes, the X22 seemed fairly logical and I get why. MetroCentre is one place that has excellent connections (versus say Team Valley).
The decision to repaint and rebrand looks farcical but we're used to that with GNE now, it's just what they do.
The whole issue with consultations is what people think vs what people do. They tend not to reach those impacted but those who might use a bus once or twice a month who see an angry facebook post on a local group and click the link.
I'm sure GNE have made the effort to engage less tech savvy vulnerable passengers.
I'm not convinced they have, to be honest.
When I asked why posters and leaflets weren't produced, allowing less tech savvy passengers the opportunity to respond, I was told that they have put messages on their social media, their website and in newspapers.
Newspapers as the only written media to those who don't use the Internet, I'd say has very limited scope. I only read the Chronicle and the Metro personally, but I haven't seen anything in there, other than the articles condemning GNE to hell, under the guise of 'journalism'.
They also added that drivers are mentioning the changes to the passengers, but again I'd say this has very limited scope. Looking at my own log over the last month, I've travelled on 72x Go North East buses, yet I've not seen one driver communicating (or taking feedback on the changes). How does this even work as a two-way process? You'd have buses running hours late, if drivers were expected to explain changes and document responses.
I did notice on social media that someone, who presumably works at the QE, made the point of putting their own posters up to advise patients...
The 'what people do vs what people think' argument should be covered by the data GNE have. Anyone using multi-trip tickets on smartcards or the app are sharing a token with GNE on every scan, so theoretically they should be able to track travel patterns and connections. Whether or not their software allows them to do that or not is another matter.