(04 Jun 2015, 4:02 pm)Malarkey wrote I actually hadnt taken into account the extra running time, but that is a good idea I reckon.
As for the 4A, Coming out of Houghton it will go down Station Road onto Drinkburn Cresent and along Blind Lane and up Success Road to Philadelphia, alternatively could it turn right off of Blind Lane and go up Coaley Lane to Newbottle and down to Philadelphia, either way the routing is a various of the old 294/493, used to use the 294/493 to my Grandparents when they were Alive as they lived on Blind Lane, we used to go to the Beehive for Lunch sometimes also.
I would of done the following:
X1 normal route but decrease the service to every 20 minutes
X2 same as X1 between Newcastle and Shiney row then 4 route to Houghton then X1 route as far as Hetton Interchange on 20 minute freq.
Have service 4 as 4/4A/4C
service 4/4A/4C original 194 route between Heworth and Newbottle then the old 161 route to Houghton then:
service 4 every 30 minutes down to Chester-Le-Street replacing service 71.
service 4A every 30 minutes anti clockwise running down to fence houses then Rainton Bridge-Hall Lane estate then Houghton back to Heworth.
service 4C every 30 minutes clockwise running upto Hall lane estate-Rainton Bridge-fence houses then Houghton to Heworth.
service 4A/4C goes through Hall Lane estate and not round the estate of what service 20 does.
I mentioned service 71 instead of service 36, as the proposal was sent to GNE before service 71 was cancelled and service 36 was introduced.