(10 Dec 2022, 10:40 am)busmanT wrote Surely the 310 would go via Hadrian Park with the 311 withdrawn, and the 306/308 run every 20 minutes, as they do on Saturdays. 
That way there could be an even 5-minute headway Haymarket to Station Road and vice-versa

306 x 20 min
308 x 20 min
309 x 20 min
310 x 20 min (via Hadrian Park)

There are currently 7 buses per hour Blyth to Whitley Bay on Mon-Fri, so reducing to 6 is still a saving (pre covid there were 8 per hour, 4 x 308 and 4 x 309).

I get what your saying and don't disagree per say as it would work but my idea was more about focusing on zones per say with the 306/308 focusing on the outlier areas being limited stop / using the fastest route and the 309/310 focusing on the Coast Road itself.



The map above probably explains it a better and build routes accordingly with Arriva's buses focusing on the right of the black line and the GNE services including buses to Cobalt from N. Tyneside the left hand side of the black line going to Newcastle.

As someone who used to use the 308 from time to time it's a chore of a bus route from Whitley Bay as it stops everywhere and I wouldn't be surprised if it put other punters off aswell. imo the 308/309 as it is don't benefit anyone from Whitley as they're both duplicate slow stopping services and is just a history from bus wars. The 306/310 are better though as they have their unique areas hence the 310 should have the quicker route avoiding Hadrian Park imo and terminating some short around New York on the 309 saving some resources.

Obviously they'd have to work together and split fares fairly for that to work but both would benefit from it imo. The buses are dead between Blyth and Whitley Bay most the time in particular.