(14 Aug 2022, 10:59 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Here's a potentially unpopular opinion, no service needs a frequency higher than 30 minutes.

The only reasons to have a higher frequency is to increase capacity, or if it's providing a direct link between two interchanges ie. between Metrocentre and Gateshead or Newcastle.

IMO, a single decker operation with a frequency higher than 30 minutes is a waste, it should be upgraded to a decker before they increase the frequency. Obviously in cases like the 49 where there's a low bridge on the route I can make exceptions. But other than that, I can't see any valid reason.

I'd have agreed with you at one time, but I'd disagree now. At one time, somewhere like Old Durham Road in Gateshead had dozens of express services going down, between there and Newcastle, giving a combined frequency of every 10 minutes or so, but the individual services would be hourly/half hourly at best and branched off after the Galleries. So the main corridor was well-served and the fringe areas had a decent level of service.

If you do that now, then you end up bottlenecking the main corridor with people from Newcastle towards Wrekenton or Washington, leaving those further afield with a wait for the next one. As we've seen when there's been X1s missing or a Sunday timetable implemented on a Saturday.

Even services like the 4 in Washington worked similar. Core service between Heworth and Washington, but several variants covered and various terminus points after the Galleries.

(15 Aug 2022, 2:45 am)L469 YVK wrote Hadrian Park definitely doesn't need a half hourly service during the evenings. But pre Jan 2020 (before the 311), this is what operated:

309 ex Newcastle:
19:45, 20:45, 21:45, 22:50 (last one W.Bay only)

310 ex Newcastle:
20:15, 21:15, 22:20, 23:20
* Last 3 via Hadrian Park when 57 was Wardley to NCL only after 20:30

309 ex Blyth:
19:40, 20:40, 21:47
Cobalt @ 20:16, 21:16, 22:21

310 ex North Shields:
19:30, 20:30, 21:30, 22:30, 23:30
* Both 21:30 and 22:30 via Hadrian Park, 23:30 to Norham Road only


To sort it out, this is all GNE need to do:

309 ex Newcastle:
19:49, 20:49, 21:55*, 22:55*
* to W.Bay Cemetery only

310 ex Newcastle:
19:25, 20:22, 21:22, 22:25, 23:30*
* to Norham Road / Verne Road only

309 ex Blyth:
19:39, 20:50, 22:40*
* from W.Bay Cemetery only

310 ex North Shields:
19:29, 20:29, 21:29, 22:06*, 23:11**
* Operates via A191 New York Road and Cobalt Park, omits Hadrian Park and High Farm
* * To Norham Road only

So you want the last bus to Blyth to be at 20:49 from the town, and the same coming the other way? Who benefits from the service you're proposing to take away from Blyth?

Also, where do you propose to turn a bus around at Whitley Bay Cemetery?