When XLines was at its peak at Consett, GNE offered...

2x X45
1x X46
1x X70
1x X71
1x 47
1x 47A 
7/8 buses per hour to Newcastle from Consett, you could get to Metrocentre & Newcastle every 10 mins within an hour

It is now..

2x X45
1x X71
2x 47 = 5 buses per hour from Consett, 3 buses per hour under 1 hour to Newcastle. 

But GNE totally upgraded the entire Consett network brand new buses, however since then there has been slashes 

X46 reduced to 1ph, now 0ph 
47A 1ph, now 0ph 
47 1ph, now 2ph. X46 was withdrawn due to low passenger numbers, yet the 47 was double in frequency. 
X70 withdrawn 
X30 extension to Consett withdrawn. 

Clearly GNE old routes aren't working, I was on the X71 today as well as the 47 and I was thinking about the reductions as people were complaning in Consett I do wonder how many people who live on the X45/47/X71 route and travel to Newcastle/Metrocentre/Gateshead using their car instead of the bus when they are able to, why are they doing it when you could get a bus every 15 mins at one point and I think thats what GNE have to find out why they aren't using their services, do they not want to walk so far to the bus stop, when there car is right outside, do they need to change buses? 

GNE needs to find out why people aren't using their services, instead of relying on old routes which used to work e.g 39/38 they need to adapt to new travel plans. It would be really intresting for GNE/DCC to do a survey on the streets where the buses stop and a couple of street either side which have 2-5 mins walking why they are using it, what would make them use it?