(09 Mar 2024, 10:38 am)L469 YVK wrote Arguably for the 306/308, if the Coast Road was cleaned up more (with further route changes)......Arriva take on all the Blyth - Whitley Bay - Newcastle work (effectively the current 308 & 309) and likewise, GNE take on all the North Shields, Tynemouth, Marden work (effectively the current 306 & 307). Arriva would lose around a PVR of 4-5, but also lose a lot of dead mileage. That would help with Arriva's issues.
But Arriva are yet to see the impact of the ABTRL.
In fairness, it would likely make very little difference as they'd just end up moving buses out elsewhere.
(09 Mar 2024, 10:56 am)mb134 wrote There are enough minibuses to cover PVR for the 434 and 57/A, and I believe it was said at the time of the PVR increase that it was an intentional decision to not move up more Solos. Saloons are the spares for that route.
Bar a bus seemingly being missing for the X22 yesterday (after an accident, a breakdown, and while loaning a bus to Blyth), I don't recall Ashington missing PVR for quite some time so I'm not sure what the issues are that you think are present?
In fairness, it was Blyth, I was talking about more, it's been struggling for awhile now with cancellations again and loaning buses of Ashington pretty much says they've ran out of spares.
Ashington seemed to be have similar problems yesterday and the Solo's are behaving the past few days, so god only knows what happens when they decide they all need their monthly break.