(07 Sep 2014, 12:32 pm)mb134 wrote Oh aye, forgot about that
However they're never going to know if they don't give it a shot, people will want to get from Amble to Alnwick and people will be more inclined to use the bus if they are more frequent surely? I know the 420 was poorly used but things may have changed and you may as well give it another go, they make millions so it cant do too much harm if it doesn't go well?

There is very little organic methods in the way of identifying passenger trends.
Granted, with the advent of technology, it is possible to identify individual journeys and hopefully this is analysed - but if you, me or someone else boards the bus, say with a paper day/week ticket, then the operators won't know where we travel.
It is impossible to analyse each and every paper ticket, in the way the smartcard tickets can be.

I think operators need to be more proactive in finding out what passengers need/want - rather than forcing passengers to travel within the confines of what the operators offer.

There will be countless other similar examples up and down the country, but I know of someone living in Bournmoor. If they need to travel to a certain place beginning with F(or make the return journey home), just a mile up the road beyond 9pm - it involves getting a taxi or using three buses.
I get that the buses are taken off due to lack of revenue (and other operational issues), but what else can passengers do, if the operators can't/won't listen or are not proactive in finding out what their passengers are needing?
Look at Spirit Buses. They have designed their network around what residents need/want. Hopefully it will work for the guy behind it.

You are right in what you say about people needing to travel from Amble to Alnwick. It is a given that there will be commuters and people needing to go about their lives.
It seems strange the last bus wasn't used that often.