(21 Apr 2022, 6:30 pm)Jack Gill wrote So this might be a stupid question, but what is the most popular route across GNE? Now I know it might be obvious to say the 21, but from what I've seen (based on bustimes, so not totally accurate) the 21 doesn't actually get busy on a lot of journeys, even at the reduced 10 minute "temporary" timetable.

21 pretty much.

Using the number of passengers on board at a time doesn't really say much as it doesn't pick up people getting on/off. There's quite a few places where people swap around so you might have 10 people going from CLS -> Birtley, 5 from Birtley to Low Fell and 15 from Low Fell to Gateshead but you won't pick them up as the max there is 15. Compare to that say the X71 where there's very little in between Consett and Newcastle of real wanting to go to so you might have 25 people at Newcastle by Consett you might have only had 35 people on board.

Without data though in the Newcastle area it's generally considered

SNE: 39/40
Arriva: 308
GNE: 21

Are the flagship routes, some might argue about the 308 nowadays but it was the first service to go back to normal service.