The trouble here is that the 1/2/3 go from Stephenson Place, not New Beetwell Street. Connections therefore aren't as easy. This, to me, is what Hulleys got right and what made the 84 viable - linking this side of town with the hospital without needing a change. You say you've got year of experience with Holymoorside, but ignore the changes Hulleys made which resulted in the service being more viable and well used.
Of course the poor connectivity within Chesterfield is mainly a result of the poor provision from the council in terms of location of stops / provision of bus-only routes across town. It's a shame the 1/2/3 can't loop around town as per the 43 etc to connect better with areas of town and incoming routes, but I guess the additional time to do so wouldn't work within the constraints of the timetable.
In return I'd ask - what is the plan after South Yorkshire franchising? Surely you are going to have to move away from Sheffield-centered tickets at that point? Removing the Chesterfield day ticket and not offering a Chesterfield-centered ticket for the routes that radiate out from there just seems odd.
As an example, my wife has gone in to town today. When she learned the Chesterfield day ticket was no more she decided to walk. Takes 45 minutes so not a short walk either. Presumably your sums say it's worth putting off some passengers to make more from the few who pay regardless?
The rail extension makes sense so I'm surprised Hulleys needed funding for this - maybe just taking what is on offer, can't blame them for that. As I've commented elsewhere, I hope the funding Hulleys were receiving is also offered to you for the same provision. While the focus seems to be on Holymoorside, a lot of people miss that this also means that Chatsworth Road is without a bus service in the evening.
I've wondered for a while if it wouldn't work better to extend the 90b to Walton Shops via Boythorpe (making it stand-alone) and have the 91 run up Chatsworth Road, turn down Somersall Lane, up Netherfield, Somersby Ave then Walton Back Lane to Holymoorside, and back down Chatsworth Road.
(Indeed I wonder if doing that during the day wouldn't work better as it fills in a few gaps that would be useful, plus if the Boythorpe X17 was extended through the top of Walton locals would have better provision with no more vehicles needed)
Ah yes, how could I have forgotten about that? Maybe because I submitted some comments only to be told the decision had already been taken on what to run so, despite the consultation still being open, you weren't going to act on comments received. (Or words to that effect) Hopefully, as you mentioned, those comments were fed in to the upcoming changes and the reply I got was just poorly worded to give me the impression comments weren't worth making.