The idea of the changes back last year meant that people between Alnwick and Berwick on the X18 had the same journey time to Newcastle as what they would've done on the 501 but it meant that people would have to change in Alnwick onto the X15.
My suggestion to the above problems stated by posters would be:
- More layover time in Alnwick for both services to allow people to make connections. Make through fares available on both services to use. An example would be Newcastle to Seahouses via Alnwick using the X15 then the X18.
- Extend peak time journeys on the 20 to Alnwick. This would give people between Widdrington and Alnwick a bus roughly every 30 minutes at the peak times to and from Newcastle on Mondays to Fridays.
- Increase the X14 to every 20 minutes during the peak times Monday to Friday and every 60 minutes on evenings and Sundays between Morpeth and Newcastle. Off peak Monday to Friday journeys and during Saturday daytimes, buses would continue to operate every 30 minutes.
- Services X15 and X18 would operate strictly limited stop to Barras Bridge and Haymarket from Morpeth either via the Central Motorway or Great North Road. This would apply during the peak times Monday to Friday. Off peak Monday to Friday journeys and during Saturday daytimes, buses would continue to operate every 30 minutes combined between Morpeth and Newcastle.
- The changes above would mean a direct bus between Morpeth and Newcastle during the peak times Monday to Friday every 30 minutes and a bus for all stops between Morpeth and Newcastle every 20 minutes during the peak times Monday to Friday. At all other times bar evenings and Sundays, buses would continue to serve all stops between Morpeth and Newcastle every 15 minutes combined.
- A new 30 minute combined frequency for evening and Sunday journeys would apply serving all stops between Morpeth and Newcastle with services X14 and X18.
- Unless stated, no other frequencies would change. What I mean by all stops is the current express route between Morpeth and Newcastle serving Great North Road, Regent Centre and Gosforth only. These stops mean "all stops".
RE: Arriva North East Service Suggestions