(21 Jul 2015, 3:50 pm)Malarkey wrote Yesterday Go North East issued a consultation for Services operating through the following Areas - Stanley, North Durham, Whickham, Dunston & Winlaton, For the Diamond Services the following was Suggested.
"We know Diamond services 43, 44 and 44A aren’t as reliable as you need them to be. The main cause of this issue is traffic congestion in Newcastle city centre, Metrocentre and Durham. A problem at just one of these locations means that the whole route is affected. Therefore to improve reliability we propose splitting the route at Stanley bus station, so it would run between Newcastle and Stanley and between Stanley and Durham as two separate services. This means that some passengers might need to change buses, but overall reliability on the service would be improved for the majority of passengers."
I have came up with the following below, with Service 43 being split and merged with Highwayman Services 98/98A at Whickham to provide a faster links between Stanley & Newcastle, and would be numbered 42/43, New Service X43 provides a limited stop Express Service between Durham, Stanley & Newcastle.
42 - Newcastle - Dunston - Knightside Gardens - Whickham - Sunniside - Burnopfield - Tantobie - Tanfield Lea - Stanley - Hourly
43 - Newcastle - Dunston - Fellside Park - Whickham - Sunniside - Burnopfield - Tantobie - Tanfield Lea - Stanley - Hourly
X43 - Newcastle - (A695/A184/A1/A692) - Lobley Hill - Sunniside - Burnopfield - Tantobie - Tanfield Lea - Stanley - South Moor - Craghead - Sacriston - Framwellgate Moor - Durham - Every 30 Minutes
Sevice 44 route remains the same between Newcastle & Stanley were it will Terminate, Current Service X43 is renumbered and is extended from Stanley to Durham, and from MetroCentre to Newcastle to provide a limited stop Express Service between Durham, Stanley & Newcastle.
44 - Newcastle - Teams - MetroCentre - Swalwell - Whickham - Sunniside - Dipton - Annfield Plain - Stanley - Every 30 Minutes
X44 - Newcastle - MetroCentre - Crookgate - Crookgate Bank - Tanfield Village - Sleepy Valley - Tantobie - Tanfield Lea - Stanley - South Moor - Craghead -Sacriston - Framwellgate Moor - Durham - Every 30 Minutes
Personally, I think the X43 is best left how it is.