(27 Aug 2024, 10:08 pm)Storx wrote See I personally find that completely confusing with far too many hourly services which are pointless.
I'd personally do the below and streamline everything in a few routes all with 30 minute combined parts so everything is connected:
10A: Extended to Consett hourly on 47 Route
45: Current X45 (Every 30 Minutes)
46: Current 47, Blackhall Mill to Newcastle only (Every 30 Minutes)
X30/X31: Stanley - Two Variants - Sunniside - Team Valley North - Gateshead - Newcastle (Hourly Each)
6: No Changes (Every 30 Minutes)
7: Current X73 (Every 30 Minutes)
X70/X71: Both via Lobley Hill (Hourly Each)
X97: Whickham Loop - Dunston - Newcastle (Every 30 Minutes)
45/46: Every 15 Minutes
6/7: Every 15 Minutes
X30/X31/X70/X71: Every 15 Minutes
It's much much tidier than what your proposing and pretty much generates the same links and isn't exactly changing much anyway as it's pretty much what the network is bar creating a new X97, scrapping the X32, swapping the 47/10A and sending all the X30/X31/X70/X71 via Gateshead.
To be honest, your 6 & 7 would be tricky standalone with a PVR of 10 as there'd be no efficient driving hours (2hr 30m round trip) if ran standalone. But......they could be interworked with the X97 & 12 to bump the driving hours to 3hr30m and 4hrs.
Like the idea of the 10A extension too instead of the 47 and would give some new links too.
Only things I would say.....
- X71 doesn't serve Gateshead now, maybe use that opportunity to create an hourly 47 (current X71 to Burnopfield, Busty Bank then as per 45 & 46). Would then give a 12-13 minute service combined with the 45 & 46 which would be a welcome capacity increase where needed and scrap the need for an extra 46 at peak times. Could even extend to Bridgehill giving a quicker option to accompany the 10A. And would also give 3bph from Consett to the MetroCentre at somewhat (although not exact) even intervals.
- Does Sunniside to Newcastle need to be a 15 minute frequency in the current climate? Especially if the X97 did Broadway > Burnthouse Ln > Kingsway Old Sunniside Rd and Whaggs Lane as part of the loop? The X30, X31 and X70 would be sufficient enough with one of them also serving the Lobley Hill Estate.
I'd also strongly advocate setting up a more direct and to the heart link to Team Valley such as the suggested X29 (Consett - Leadgate - Greencroft - Catchgate - Annfield Plain - Stanley then same as old peak time X32) in my earlier post, a route which would suit the profile of using BSIP funding effectively, offering travel opportunities to key places for various reasons.