(24 Apr 2025, 9:12 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote While I'm not a fan of combining services and losing direct links, the changes to the 17 really are pretty minimal - same frequency, same direct (i.e. no change of bus needed) links, arguably some new links created (I think?). All they really need to do is allocate some of the E300 to the boards that hit the scholars peaks (potentially even drafting in spares from Newcastle if needed as has been flagged both depots north of the Tyne seem to have had an influx of E300s without any apparent need of late). It's probably not a bad use of resources to combine those particular routes overall, and given no real loss of frequency or links (compared to some actual cuts elsewhere) petition seems a bit OTT to me.
Personally imo, they need to go back to the drawing board and sort the timetable out as it's an absolute mess.
The times out of South Shields are running as
3: 09/24/39/54
18: 10/25/40/55
Some fantastic timetabling there, for a route where 2/3 of both of them shadow each other in terms of where people are going.
The 17/18 right now, run every 7.5 minutes, give or take with the 3 just lingering inbetween so it's effectively a 66% capacity reduction for Stanhope Road as anyone sane is going to get the faster 3.
Obviously they wouldn't do anything stupid like having the timetable as
3: 09/34/39/54
4: 11/36/41/56
Heading out of South Shields aswell, oh wait...