(30 May 2018, 8:48 pm)S830OFT wrote Service Suggestion:
688: Allenheads - Allendale - Hexham - Acomb - Hexham - Slaley - Whittonstall - Shotley Bridge - Consett.
Service 688 combined with service 689 to allow some journeys to carry on past Hexham. Journeys from Allenheads will not serve Acomb and will operate to Consett, whilst journeys from Allendale will operate to Acomb.
The service will operate up to every 2 hours between Allendale and Hexham, whilst Allenheads, Whittonstall and Consett have a bus every 4 hours = 3 or 4 trips. Service 680 from Bellingham will also serve Acomb.
Advantages:
1. Extra buses Monday to Friday between Hexham and Consett
2. Cross Town Connections
3. More clear timing for the bus instead of it being at random times
4. Same amount of Saturday journeys between Hexham and Consett
Disadvantages:
1. Less frequent by several minutes between Allendale to Hexham
2. No longer serving Hexham Aldi
3. Allenheads looses the afternoon 2 hour frequency
Another disadvantage.... it's over 31 miles and would need to be tachograph or split at somewhere logical mid-route!