The same company who scrapped loads of routes to make people buy day tickets and use connections has post this on Facebook today.

Oh the irony!

(10 Jul 2020, 7:35 pm)idiot wrote The same company who scrapped loads of routes to make people buy day tickets and use connections has post this on Facebook today.

Oh the irony!

Thing is, it's sometimes faster to not take the most direct route!
For instance, for me to travel from my grandfather's to mine, it was often faster to take the X30 to Stanley, the 16 to Durham, then the X21 to Tindale than it is to just get the 49/X30 then X21

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(10 Jul 2020, 7:35 pm)idiot wrote The same company who scrapped loads of routes to make people buy day tickets and use connections has post this on Facebook today.

Oh the irony!

Hub and spoke model - but wanting people to travel directly to their destinations?
Impossible!

Many examples of where it's easier to take two or even three buses opposed to one...
Boldon to Houghton: Could take the 35, although it would be faster to take the 50 to Washington and change to the X1, or take the 9 to Sunderland and connect with the 20.

Metrocentre to Whitley Bay: Could take the 1A, although it would be faster to take the 10 to Newcastle, and change to the 309.

Hebburn to Murton: Could take the 9, although it is so much faster using the 27 to Heworth, changing to the X10 to Dalton Park and boarding the 9 there.

I understand the 9 doesn't go to Murton anymore, although that was one example of where taking 3 buses is faster than staying on the direct one.

(10 Jul 2020, 10:43 pm)S830OFT wrote Many examples of where it's easier to take two or even three buses opposed to one...
Boldon to Houghton: Could take the 35, although it would be faster to take the 50 to Washington and change to the X1, or take the 9 to Sunderland and connect with the 20.

Metrocentre to Whitley Bay: Could take the 1A, although it would be faster to take the 10 to Newcastle, and change to the 309.

Hebburn to Murton: Could take the 9, although it is so much faster using the 27 to Heworth, changing to the X10 to Dalton Park and boarding the 9 there.

I understand the 9 doesn't go to Murton anymore, although that was one example of where taking 3 buses is faster than staying on the direct one.

Yep, I was just using the X21 as an example because it's an 'express' route! Plus, with it only being a 10 minute ride into either Gateshead on the 49 or Newcastle on the X30, you'd assume it would be faster. I mean, it's not that much faster, maybe 10 minutes or so, and it does depend on the time you leave. 

To be honest, travelling during 'peak' times, I'd always go via Stanley anyway as the X21 was usually packed by the time it left Eldon Square, whereas the X30 and 16 were usually quite quiet, then by the time we get to Durham, I'd get on the same X21 I would have been on had I gone to Newcastle/Gateshead, but it'd be empty!

Same reason I'd take the 1A from Gateshead to Metrocentre, it takes considerably longer but you don't have to sit next to anyone because it's pretty much always dead during peak times!

(10 Jul 2020, 10:43 pm)S830OFT wrote Many examples of where it's easier to take two or even three buses opposed to one...
Boldon to Houghton: Could take the 35, although it would be faster to take the 50 to Washington and change to the X1, or take the 9 to Sunderland and connect with the 20.

Metrocentre to Whitley Bay: Could take the 1A, although it would be faster to take the 10 to Newcastle, and change to the 309.

Hebburn to Murton: Could take the 9, although it is so much faster using the 27 to Heworth, changing to the X10 to Dalton Park and boarding the 9 there.

I understand the 9 doesn't go to Murton anymore, although that was one example of where taking 3 buses is faster than staying on the direct one.

I think the point is that on your journey from Boldon to Houghton, you don't take the 9 to Jarrow, then the 26 or 27 to South Shields and then catch the 20 to Houghton because it's a nice day for a ride out.

I was simply pointing out the normal average passenger would typically choose the quickest option to get to their destination...

Your normal average passenger would typically choose the quickest - and most convenient (remember that!) - way to their destination.

I could hop onto the 35 from the west end of Ashington to Morpeth at xx:10, get the xx:28 X18 to Newcastle, getting me there at xx:01. Your average punter doesn't and takes the less complex route of waiting a couple of minutes for the X22 and getting into Newcastle at xx:08.