(22 Aug 2024, 4:54 pm)L469 YVK wrote Just had another thought about the BSIP and Derwentside (NOT vehicle allocations)

Is it not time GNE try something different out of the box? They're quick....but most of the Derwentside to Newcastle services (except the X45, 47 and to an extent the X73) are lucky to see anything other than farmers fields and rely on peak time commuter flows (Sunniside, Whickham and Dunston).

Arriva Northumbria have on their Blyth & Ashington 'X' routes.........
- Cramlington
- Bedlington
- Nelson Ind Estate
- Regent Centre
- Gosforth High Street

All of the above have something going for them and clearly places people want to be. Think Stanley to MetroCentre and the 'proper' Team Valley (not just Team Valley North). Yes, would be more 45-50 minutes sending 'X' buses via MetroCentre or Team Valley, but they'd actually be places people want to go to for some reason or another. And lets face it, the X32 is already in that timing territory.

A 5-10 minute inconvenience, but could grow passenger numbers and actually improve services with increased frequencies etc and stable income.

Personally I'd go backwards if I was looking at routes around there and restore the following routes

6: No Changes (Basically 43), Every 30 Minutes
7: X73 Route (Basically 44), Every 30 Minutes
----
6/7: Every 15 Minutes Combined, Stanley to Metrocentre / Newcastle

X70/X71/X30/X31, All via Lobley Hill / Gateshead
X32/X72/X73: Withdrawn 

X97: X30 to Whickham then via around X97 loop, Every 30 Minutes
96/97: Both Every 30 Minutes, 15 Minutes Combined

It's much better that the mess than what's around there now and means you'd end up with 30 minute services to Newcastle / Metrocentre from everywhere. There's no reason why the expresses should be going via Whickham, and Whickham have slow services to take them to their destination anyway.

I haven't worked it out but it shouldn't be many extra buses (if any).