(29 Mar 2023, 9:42 pm)Storx wrote Not sure the issue is the bus type mind. There's Streetlites on the 20 and 60 with GNE and the 1, X1 and X4 with Arriva which are actually challenging routes. Is there actually any section of the 1 that's above 30mph bar Central to Gateshead Interchange.

The route is just too long, one issue - a set of roadworks or whatever and the whole route is off whack and there's no way of sorting it. Stuff like Stagecoach's 1 can get away with it as they can just drop a board and run empty to catch up and no-one will notice because of the frequency. Do that on the GNE 1 and you've got big problems.

Also anyone using the bus to go to the Metro Centre from any point North of Gateshead has way too much time, it's an complete illogical route. It needs split up again imo. There's no benefits from a passenger point of view of it being joined up.

Tbf Streetlites have had issues with speed. However doing the 1 a couple times, thats no issue its literally stop start, stop start. Really it seems like there may be some need for an express tho I that could be seen as the 310.  

However I agree with the SCNE 1 you can just miss one out not a big deal, but when its every 15 mins/20 mins its massive, does anyone know how many 1's daily have ran NIS from any point to make up time, that means people had a 40 min wait for a bus. Even waiting 30 mins for an every 15 min bus is a bit of a joke. 

But yeah, it takes like 40 mins from Gateshead to Metrocentre, in that time, even if u had to wait 15 mins for an X66, then 10 mins on it you've saved 15 mins. 

The only advantage of getting the 97 imo is that u can get a charge when needed, same with the 96. However now you just loose battery on the buses allocated now.