(16 Dec 2024, 8:16 pm)Storx wrote If there's only 35 PAX on the X21 now and the train takes another 10 away as it's not exactly unrealistic in the Bedlington Station area then it's looking a bit sick imo.
Cancelling the 17:20 X22 out of Newcastle tonight isn't going to help things either mind.
I'm assuming the 35 passengers is in reference to my earlier post of sightings this morning. I'd point out (yet again...) that the X21 tends to dump significant amounts at both Cramlington Industrial Estate and Regent Centre, and loadings of 30+ into town from Gosforth are still pretty healthy when you take that into account.
As it happens I was on 7533 into town prior to it working the 1700 X22, and it took in about 25 (though some of those were off through Gosforth), and had a hefty queue waiting for it. I was on 7530 on the way back on the 1745, and again there was a good load.
As we have seen today, a train can be cancelled just as easily as a bus can be...
(16 Dec 2024, 6:10 pm)Shrek wrote I think the train will do well, but I don't think it'll hit Arriva too much. They'll likely have different passengers. But door to door and no changes may be a psychological reason for a lot of bus users to stick with it.
Agreed, the train makes complete sense for those living within a short walk of a station, for anyone connecting onto another service at Newcastle, or for people working at the southern end of the city centre. However, for many, the stations aren't in convenient locations, and Newcastle Central is quite far out of the way for anyone working in the RVI, retail, or the universities to name a few examples.
It should be a success if Northern manage it properly (and maybe start communicating to drivers when they want to terminate a service short rather than letting them know when it's too late...), and it can be a success without having a devastating impact on local bus services which serve a different purpose - not everyone works in Newcastle!