(29 Jun 2022, 9:55 pm)Drifter60 wrote Yes of course it’s got to make business sense - no one’s expecting a load of night buses going here, there and everywhere by next Tuesday. But perhaps looking at things a bit more realistically about who the target customers are and where they’re coming and going from. We’re told the 60 running to/from Parkside to Sunderland didn’t make enough money. Kudos to GNE for trying it, of course. But perhaps, as others have said, it wasn’t really an overly attractive proposition. There’s not that much in the way of employment sites, business parks or even nighttime leisure venues on the 60 route so I can certainly see why it hasn’t worked as well. Whereas the N21 serves Durham and Newcastle city centres bringing people to/from both locations, crucially at both end of the route so less scope for empty return trips. The same with 56 between Sunderland and Newcastle and also a main employment site with Nissan and on some trips connections at Concord to Follingsby Amazon iirc. So it’s easy to see where the 60 fell down. Having said that, I am surprised somewhat that some of the Saturday/Sunday early morning trips on the 60 haven’t managed to make some money - bringing people home after a night out in Sunderland.

It's like fitting a square peg in a round hole and they act all surprised when it doesn't fit and they give up trying.

Whilst my suggestions may not be the solution, they clearly show that there's something that can be done beyond the norm - that not only maintains connections, but opens up new connections that suit the various different markets that exist over the course of a day and night.