(06 May 2024, 7:57 am)DaveFromUpNorth wrote I would be in favour of route by route

It means we can still have a say and complain to an extent.

We also have a risk that GCT could say run 50 routes ???

We could also see ideas like the "superloop" introduced

We could also see later buses in rural areas.

We could also see depots close or merge or make super depots. Personally I would close Blyth and Ashington depot and build a bigger depot say at Moor Farm Roundabout /Cramlington area.

This would then mean buses a shift and change last buses terminus points but realistic a good central point for say Arriva to operate from.
15mins to Ashington
10 mins to blyth
10 mins cramlington
15 mins to Morpeth
20 mins to Newcastle City Centre
5 minutes from Cramlington Hospital (key factor)
Yeah it would be a shakeup but it also means direct routes could be created to serve a specific spot  then travel light back to the depot.

Cramlington town Centre to Cramlington Hospital then to Blyth Town Centre 

This would give an option to run dead milage from these two areas before going off.

Same as a Morpeth -Ashington - cramlington town centre - cramlington Hospital

Newcastle Northumberland Park  Killingworth - Cramlington Hospital

Wallsend Metro Silverlink/Cobalt Northumberland Park Metro (gives a quick direct link between the two metro lines) Killingworth Bus Station then A19 up to to Cramlington Hospital

All these services then mean the services will run with reduced dead milage

Why make cramlington Hospital a hub with different services from North of the Tyne and Northumberland?  Easy the Hospital is the key one that everyone gets sent to but Noone knows how to get to it by bus

Eg. RVI is Newcastle City centre really

Freeman quite a few services people recognise

Coast road buses 309 for rake lane  QE  number of services pass  even Sunderland royal quite a few regional services all pass but I couldn't tell you how to get to Cramlington Hospital by bus.

It could also be an advantage and quicker link to get to Northumberland too

Creating the vision  is what is needed.

There would also be nothing stopping changing routes especially last buses this bus operates to Cramlington Hospital

Disagree about the hospital personally. If I was doing a hub, I'd do it at the West side of Manor Walks with the train station moved and offer connections with the railway instead - maybe try and get Lumo or someone similar to stop and offer connections further afield. Manor Walks is where people actually want to be, not the hospital. You could then offer a decent link between there and the hospital.

The Manchester model would be better than individual routes in the North East though as you'd just be feeding Arriva routes on a plate, least under the Manchester Arriva could be given the boot.

Don't agree with a super depot either, would just increase costs for the tax payer imo we need more depots not less.

Picking out Northumberland / North Tyneside as they're really connected ideally we need

Berwick Area (Mini Depot): Berwick Locals
Alnwick Area (Mini Depot): Alnwick Locals
Ashington (Main Depot) + Belford, Travelsure Depot? (Outstation): 1/2/35/777/X14/X15/X16/X18/X20/X21/X22
Cramlington (New Main Depot): X7/X8/X9/X10/X11/19/43/44/45/57/57A/353
Percy Main (Main Depot): 1/306/307/308/309/317/351/354
North Tyneside Area (Mini Depot): W1/W2/335/342/359
SE Northumberland Area (Mini Depot): 59/434/Morpeth Locals
Blyth Depot: Sold for regeneration

355/47/553 based from a Newcastle depot.

It's the only way your really going to actually have any competition for the routes. Mini depots, being the local independents routes for the likes of GCT, Glen Valley or Border Buses to bid for with the others being bid by the big boys, with maybe someone like Metroline or alternative throwing a bid in.

Obviously those routes assuming no changes

Route wise, I'd look at creating a proper midi bus network from Cramlington based from the new depot so you'd end up with something like, all every 30 minutes all linking at the new hub.

Route 1: Cramlington to North Shields via Killingworth (353)
Route 2: Cramlington to Whitley Bay via Seghill (57A)
Route 3: Cramlington to North Shields via East Cramlington (19)
Route 4: Cramlington to Morpeth via Bedlington (43)
Route 5: Cramlington to Ashington via Bedlington and Bedlington Station (old 19 Route)

The routes are all a mess currently being too long or bolted onto other services such as the 43 and it's causing delays for people wanting to be nowhere the trouble spots.