(02 Jan 2025, 3:52 pm)Storx wrote Yeah I know but the post you made a suggestion that GNE still wanted to run the Q3 over there but I'd assume if they wanted to run it commercially in the first place it still would be running.Completely agree. I live on the Q3 route in Walker and it would be much more profitable under Stagecoach as it runs in mostly Stagecoach dominated areas. Most residants in Walker, including myself, purchase Stagecoach only bus passes/tickets as most of our routes are Stagecoach, and go to where we need to go. The route itself is a good route, but the fact it's GNE puts people off, as like I said before, it's a Stagecoach dominated area.
I personally don't understand why the Q3 exists. The route is totally operationally out of area and doesn't really support the rest of the network either while not exactly being a gold mine either.
Brunton Park and Jesmond would be much suited in Arriva's or Stagecoach's network since they both already serve the area (30's/40's) and compliment them rather than sitting on the top of everything else.
imo you'd be better having two express routes doing this both every 20 minutes:
The rest of the area would then be stocked up by other routes ie some ideas:
19: Upped to every 30 minutes, full route
352: Withdrawn
353: North Shields to Killingworth only, upped to every 30 minutes
354: Newcastle to Killingworth only via A189/A1056, upped to every 30 minutes
359: Extended to Westerhope
37: Into Cramlington via X8 route from Burradon
Means you'd have:
19: North Shields - Cramlington
57/57A: Whitley Bay - Cramlington
342: Wallsend - Killingworth - Cramlington
359: Gosforth - Killingworth - Whitley Bay
353: Killingworth - North Shields
X7: Killingworth - Blyth
X8: Killingworth - Cramlington - Cramlington Hospital
It's all the hubs nicely connected together
RE: September 2024 Changes