Suggestions for North Tyneside, Northumberland and Newcastle:
What I've noticed with the Cobalt Clipper 309 is that people will use it to commute on the following sectors:
- Newcastle to Cobalt (AM)
- Cobalt to Newcastle (PM)
- Blyth to Cobalt (AM)
- Cobalt to Blyth (PM)
- Battle Hill to Newcastle (AM)
- Newcastle to Battle Hill (PM)
Have you noticed the above? Now, to compete more with Arriva's 308 and offer a reliable and quick service, here is what I've come up with:
- Cobalt Clipper Service 309 would only operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime. Evening and Sunday journeys would continue to operate at the same frequencies. The PVR would change from 10 to 7 with no interworking occurring with the 310 and the evening PVR would remain at 2 with the Sunday daytime PVR being 5 with a 15 minute layover at each end. The 7 vehicles used would be double deckers 6101 - 6107.
- Cobalt Clipper Service 310 would also be reduced to every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime. Evening and Sunday journeys would continue to operate at the same frequencies. The PVR would remain at 6 with no interworking occurring with the 309 and the evening PVR would remain at 3 with the Sunday daytime PVR being 4 with a 15 minute layover at each end. The 310 would remain under the Cobalt Clipper brand with the same facilities available but the vehicle type would be changed to full size single deck vehicles
- Peak time service X39 would now be interworked with new service 304. Also, services 309 / 310 would depart from Stand N providing journeys don't clash with the X20 and 51.
- Two new services under the brand Coast Link would be introduced. Both services would offer fast frequent links along the Coast Road, North Tyneside and Northumberland (305). Both services would depart from Stand M.
- NEW Service 304 would operate every up to every 15 minutes between Tynemouth and Newcastle Monday to Saturday daytime (30 minutes during evenings and Sundays. Buses would start from Grand Parade and operate via the Seafront and Front Street. From there, buses would follow Arriva's 306 route up to Billy Mill then Arriva's 308 route to Newcastle from there. Buses towards Tynemouth would operate via Percy Park Road and in Tynemouth for safety reasons, would also follow the Percy Park Road towards North Shields and Newcastle rather than the Seafront during the evenings. Service 304 would operate with a PVR of 7 (3 evenings and Sundays) full size single deck vehicles equipped with free Wi-Fi, power sockets and next stop announcements with information screens. Service 304 would also interwork with Cobalt Express service X39.
- NEW Service 305 would operate every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime with evening and Sunday buses operating half hourly. Buses would serve the 309 route between Blyth and New York but via Ridley Park rather then Renwick Road and Broadway. Buses from New York would operate to Willington Square via Norham Road North, Middle Engine Lane, Cobalt South / Tyneside Audi and The Silverlink on to the Coast Road to Willington Square and from there, buses would follow Arriva's 308 route to Newcastle. Service 305 would be carefully timed to ensure that a significant majority of journeys would gain custom from Arriva's 308 service. Journey times would be VERY similar to the 308 with journeys on paper that take a few minutes more doing so to ensure reliability and punctuality take precedent unlike a few 308 journeys that take longer than stated. Therefore, the difference would be marginal between the 2 services and a more direct route than Cobalt Clipper service 309 with attractive ticketing options would gain custom from Arriva. The PVR would be 9 Monday to Saturday daytime and 4 during evenings and Sundays. The fleet would consist of double deckers 6108 to 6116 leaving 1 spare for either Cobalt Clipper service 309 or Coast Link service 305. Buses would feature free Wi-Fi, power sockets, next stop announcements and information screens.
- Together, services 304 / 305 would provide a bus every 7/8 minutes (15 evenings and Sundays) between the Silverlink (From the back road near the old Menzies or the Coast Road slip road) and Willington Square to Newcastle Haymarket. Next stop announcements would either be provided by Metroradio or Heart Radio
- Also, Cobalt Clipper services 309 and 310 would provide a bus up to every 9-11 minutes (29-31 evenings and Sundays) between Cobalt South and Newcastle.
The following route savers would be available for services 58, 304, 305, 307, 309, X39, X58 and 310:
- All services between Willington Square / Hadrian Park / Battle Hill and Newcastle John Dobson Street and Haymarket for £3.50 per day or £12.50 per week.
- All services above anywhere in North Tyneside and Newcastle to John Dobson Street and Haymarket for £4.00 per day or £15.00 per week.
- All services above anywhere in Northumberland, North Tyneside and Newcastle to John Dobson Street and Haymarket for £4.50 per day or £17.50 per week.
Here is a copy of a Monday to Friday timetable for service 305:
[attachment=5922]
MT = Monday to Thursday only
F = Friday only
RE: Go North East Service Suggestions