Hopefully this will be successful for GNE maybe even an increase in frequency and more later/evening services. However maybe there might be some changes 6 months in and they can only be good as long as they are for what passengers want, but just cos the routes change doesn't mean anything really.
(06 Aug 2023, 6:46 pm)mb134 wrote My views on it are purely focused on the 37 and the 352, I think the 38/355 situation is more complicated.This is where I think SC has the upperhand with the later services and the sunday service, perhaps Nexus may re-view their funding when it next comes around and deem it be better to give it to the 351-355 services.
The 37 is double the frequency of the 352, and has hourly evening & Sunday services (that they are Nexus funded is largely irrelevant, regular commuters have no idea that it's secured, but likely more willing to use a service if they know they can get it home later!). You've said the GNE options are half hourly combined, but that's only between Cramlington and Killingworth. Given it's more frequent, and more reliable, people paying for weekly and monthly tickets are more likely to go for the 37 imo.
The 355 is probably better than the 38 although, given the demographic I tend to see on the 55, a link to the hospital could potentially be quite useful.
Since the Stagecoach services are simply extensions to current successful services is it not also a far lower risk to Stagecoach, and potentially easier for them to make the numbers work longer term?
However if SC cancellations are bad even if the 352 is every 60 mins if ones missing constantly or late and 352 is timed a few mins earlier than SC competitors i think it will help also as Dan said no one knows where Whickham View is
Its like imo X20 saying X20 Langley Park I think hurt the service as knowone knew where it was same with the 21 Brandon (thankfully it says Durham and Brandon)
(06 Aug 2023, 6:46 pm)mb134 wrote My views on it are purely focused on the 37 and the 352, I think the 38/355 situation is more complicated.This is where I think SC has the upperhand with the later services and the sunday service, perhaps Nexus may re-view their funding when it next comes around and deem it be better to give it to the 351-355 services.
The 37 is double the frequency of the 352, and has hourly evening & Sunday services (that they are Nexus funded is largely irrelevant, regular commuters have no idea that it's secured, but likely more willing to use a service if they know they can get it home later!). You've said the GNE options are half hourly combined, but that's only between Cramlington and Killingworth. Given it's more frequent, and more reliable, people paying for weekly and monthly tickets are more likely to go for the 37 imo.
The 355 is probably better than the 38 although, given the demographic I tend to see on the 55, a link to the hospital could potentially be quite useful.
Since the Stagecoach services are simply extensions to current successful services is it not also a far lower risk to Stagecoach, and potentially easier for them to make the numbers work longer term?
However if SC cancellations are bad even if the 352 is every 60 mins if ones missing constantly or late and 352 is timed a few mins earlier than SC competitors i think it will help also as Dan said no one knows where Whickham View is
Its like imo X20 saying X20 Langley Park I think hurt the service as knowone knew where it was same with the 21 Brandon (thankfully it says Durham and Brandon)