(13 Aug 2022, 9:35 am)L469 YVK wrote A hypothetical one here, would Arriva not have been better off doing a deal with GNE?
GNE > Arriva
- 21 - Arriva takes this on and operates out of Belmont.
- GNE keep the X21 to keep CMA happy.
Arriva > GNE
- All Jesmond routes bar the 306 which is kept by Arriva and moved to Blyth. 685 moved to Hexham.
* All other services split between Percy Main & Riverside.
Benefits:
- Dead mileage reduced for both operators (although GNE would need to keep the X21 > could find space at Washington maybe moving the 8 to Consett and doing remote reliefs at Stanley).
- ANE get another 'gold mine' route in their portfolio alongside the 308 as well as some drivers from GNE's CLS operation if they agreed to TUPE and move to Belmont.
- GNE get an increased presence again in North Tyneside and can (hopefully under a new MD) stabilise their network.
- ANE can have a stronger focus concentrating on Blyth & Ashington.
I'm not going to hunt for your post which always mentioning it.
But I actually agree than Arriva should probably try later buses on the X7 / X11 / X21 / 308 possibly using the 43 / 44 / 45 / 52 / 53 / 54 buses which terminate in Newcastle at a night to get them back to Blyth / Ashington even if it's just a Saturday.
I'm not sure whether last night was a freak night but it's busiest I've seen all them at 11pm even before Covid. The X7 believe had 35+, there was still 24 on board at Seaton Delaval and quite a few had already left. The X11 and X21 seemed even busier. The X11 nearly filled a double decker (and I'm not talking 1 person per seat).
Mind it was noticeable how dead the Jesmond routes were on the other hand the 52 was single numbers and the 43 didn't seem much better (why on earth does the 52 and X7 leave a same time is a mystery considering the duplication of the routes and their both hourly but that's another thing).
Wonder if we might see long term the likes of the last 52 scrapped and running on the X7 instead with the inbound X7 terminating at Seghill to save buses, the inbound buses are always dead to get them back to the depot.