(03 Apr 2021, 10:49 am)Dan wrote The only 'harm' is that it would become needlessly complicated - you can't travel southbound on the X11 with your X9/X10 ticket, but you can travel northbound?
This is another example of a barrier which would cause confusion (exactly what Andreos1 is against), so with that in mind, I think we're in agreement that it's better to have the X11 treated completely separately to the X9/X10 for simplicity... Unless, of course, Andreos1 has an argument for leaving Whitby/Scarborough passengers behind, in favour of allowing those with alternative options to travel on the X11 instead.
In my last post I was merely playing devil's advocate by highlighting how each practice could be applied to the service in one direction but not the other, from the point of view of seat availability. Obviously, I do not believe that system should be implemented, like you say it would be far too complicated in terms of ticketing having one rule one way and one rule the other. Although I can see Andreos' point about somebody missing the X10 10 minutes earlier, and being disgruntled about not being allowed on the X11, I guess that would be hard luck, in ordinary circumstances were the X11 not running they would have had to wait the 40 minutes anyway. And so fundamentally I agree it is easier for the X11 to be considered a separate entity. But like others have pointed out it's slightly awkward treating it separately on the one hand, but then branding it X-Lines, using the X9/X10 spare vehicle and numbering it the X11 on the other.