(24 Feb 2014, 7:18 pm)Dan wrote Like I said before, I see both sides to the argument. While I do get the point being made in regards to the loss of passengers and agree with it somewhat, vehicle running costs as well as drivers' wages are often expensive. It's for that reason why propping an early morning/late night/Sunday service up by using profits generated earlier in the day isn't as good. I really can't relate though, which is why my views are skewed somewhat.

I often think that some 10 min frequencies could be reduced from say 6 buses an hour to 4 an hour, allowing buses to run to a similar frequency into the evening. The staff and running costs should be similar - just more spread out. It should theoretically maintain the same profit margin also, as those travelling from A to B throughout the day will do so whether their bus is every 10 mins or every 15 mins. That's an alternative to propping up an early morning/late night/Sunday service. Simply abandoning customers who don't travel throughout the day is not. Maybe this is something a VPA would achieve though?

(24 Feb 2014, 7:31 pm)Dan wrote But clearly management of both Arriva North East and Go North East prefer to chop services down...

And cost cutting isn't unique to transport operators. We read about redundancies every other day in the news. All because of cost cutting. It doesn't make it right, but they're paid to maintain a target profit margin.

(24 Feb 2014, 7:20 pm)andreos1 wrote I blame Thatcher!
If she hadn't shut down the pits - the populations of East Durham (and those working in the area), would still be using the services that went to each and every one of the colliery villages in the area.

Since the working population (those who do work) now travel away to out of town call centres or industrial estates, the demand that existed for public transport through to Sunderland has waned.
Just look at the old United or TMS timetables to see the reductions over the years.

ANE have down the same route others have and have focused routes down certain core corridors throughout East Durham.
IF (and it is a big if), ANE managed to keep the tendered work or adapt it when taken on commercially, I have a feeling the entire network across that area would be totally different.

I was going to refrain from replying to a post about Thatcher, but really couldn't. If Thatcher wasn't such a <insert word of your choice here>, then we'd still have the PTE running strong.