(10 Jul 2023, 7:50 pm)L469 YVK wrote 22 - PVR would reduce by 1x.
307 - PVR unchanged (and 2-3 mins removed from journey time).*
354 - PVR unchanged - time re-utilised to serve NT Hospital rather than Cobalt.
*Note that serving Wiltshire Drive instead, would allow GNE to reduce the 307/309 evening PVR from 5x vehicles to 4x. Ex Newcastle to North Shields would be 39 minutes and ex North Shields to Newcastle would be 44 minutes.
The 22 is subsidised by Cobalt between Wallsend and Cobalt though so it's a massive PVR increase, as Cobalt won't be subsidising that so they'll have to take on that commercially.
It's also impossible since it's illegal for bus operators to discuss this, so unless it was regulated it can't happen. The fact GNE don't want to serve Wiltshire Drive probably suggest there's no money there, they've had ample chance to run it.
Who knows, GNE might take it on anyway it's really not that risky as it's only 1 bus. They just can't do anything without discussing it with Nexus first because of the subsidised elements. Regardless though, it needs to change as it's pathetic half of Whitley Bay have no evening bus service at all.
Personally though, if I was Nexus and needed to save money, I'd be looking at dropping both the 19 and 317 to hour in the evening and Sundays especially on the 19. There's absolutely no need for 2 buses an hour serving a business park which is mostly closed.