(14 Sep 2020, 10:56 pm)Storx wrote Surely the purpose of the X1 stopping at Wrekenton is to offer a link between there and Washington and the South end of the route since it's a hub where you could connect to other services to Low Fell or wherever rather than towards Newcastle?
Seriously though I don't mean this nastily but surely people can't complain about a bus service every 12 minutes from Hetton which is 17 mile away from Newcastle when there's places much closer ie. large areas of Washington without any service at all and takes the same amount of time once you've messed around changing buses.
Washington really has a crap service for the size of the place unless you don't mind getting a local bus then changing at the Galleries which to be blunt most commuters wont.
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Personally I'd look at a new loop service such as https://goo.gl/maps/qXmntQq8eBBMxA6u6 which will be a replacement for the 25, 925, 56 (Part), X1 (Part), X1A, 81, 82, 85, 86.
51 - Above Route Clockwise - Every 20 Mins
52 - Above Route Anti Clockwise - Every 20 Mins
-> Combined Every 10 Mins Sheriff Hill
Then do the following changes
X56 - Current 56 to Springwell then current X1 to Newcastle (Every 20 Minutes) Not sure on usage but if busy, have shorts on Eastern Section.
X1 - Current X1 Easington Lane to Washington then A1231, Eighton Banks (Serve Here), Wrekenton, current X1 to Newcastle (Every 15/20 Minutes - Not sure on popularity)
21A - Extend 2 of the 21 shorts 25 Route south of Chester Le Street (Every 30 Minutes)
80 - Current 82 Birtley to Washington, 83 To Concord (Every 30 Minutes Washington to Concord, Hourly to Birtley)
81 - 84 (Every 30 Minutes)
Creates all sorts of new connections from Washington to Newcastle and Gateshead without changing and makes the 56 quicker from Concord and Sunderland at the same time and fixes the stupid 925 issue.
I agree about your comments on Washington, however the purpose of the X1 is to provide more than just a bus from Hetton to Newcastle. It's the sort out route which is core to the current GNE operating model in that it crosses through several hubs and sees a significant number of people (I do think it could be more) who do commute towards Tyneside.
However, I don't think Wrekenton forms one of those hubs. Granted some will use it to change buses, but I reckon others will use a formal interchange facility which provides better facilities and a roof.
The problem with the X1 as it stands, is that it's used as a local service in the coalfields. If you're in Easington Lane and needing to get to the shops in Hetton, punters will get the X1 or 55. If the 55 isn't reaching its potential financially in this section, then the X1 could be one reason why.
For those commuting further afield from the coalfields, there's very little incentive to use the X1 as it stands due to the cost and journey times.
Add the fact that it's just as quick to get a metro from Newcastle and a 4 to the Galleries as it is to get an X1 all the way, confirms that the northern portion isn't the fastest either - despite the bus priority measures coming out of Newcastle and up Old Durham Road.
I like your suggestion about using Eighton Banks. I don't think the residents would though. They complained bitterly when it went that way for a short period in the past.