markymark2000
On Moderation
The 6 is part of an interworking loop with the Eport 7 and the Chester 2. It used to be something like the bus would do a 2 to Eport, a few trips on the 6 and 7 then return as a 2 to Chester as the drivers all have to get back to Chester for their breaks. I can't find the timetable to show exactly how it worked but it all interworked happily even when the 6 was half hourly. The route will be busier now than it was pre Covid, as I say, 450+ houses are now occupied minutes from the route. The route can also be done quicker but of course there are all of the normal variables. The 12:40 trip today left 5 minutes late, got back to the bus station on time and that was on an E300 (which can struggle on some of the tighter estates such as Parklands).I notice that the current journey time is 33 minutes, which is presumably why the frequency is reducing (although 45 minutes might be more friendly). Presumably the S106 funding is paying for the second bus and driver?
What was the journey time when it operated half-hourly? Or if over 30 minutes, did it interwork or were the buses idle for nearly half an hour? My last paper timetable is dated before the current service pattern, and I can't find anything useful at a quick look on archive.org - or was the service restructured at the same time? Journey times just over a suitable pattern must be a nightmare for schedulers, be that 17 minutes, 33 minutes or 65 minutes.
Lets not forget that a route that might have been commercial per-S106 funding (and pre-Covid) may not be now with increased costs, and may have already been trimmed had S106 funding not been available to prop it up?
Presumably every 40 minutes is the commercial service level, i.e. one bus, one driver, but doubled costs aren't? Otherwise, not sure I understand your comment that current management only want funding.
The fact Stagecoach has stated that they are still negotiating with the council over service provision, to me, suggests that they have reduced it more than necessary in a bid to get funding. If the council stepped away and said no funding is available and it was forced to run fully commercially, it would likely end up half hourly.