(11 Mar 2023, 11:05 am)L469 YVK wrote Well the 306 via Tynemouth Road, Manor Road and the Broadway to Newcastle would actually improve the Marden to Newcastle service provision with a slightly more direct route.

And is Linskill Terrace really a popular corridor or.....Billy Mill to Tynemouth for that matter considering the 2345 306 ex Newcastle is about to be withdrawn? If it was, the 309 would be down to depart at 2330 or 2335 with the 306 remaining at 2345 or 2350. I travelled to Linskill Terrace on the 2042 service ex Newcastle back in Oct 2021, and was the only passenger on by the time it got there.

I know Stagecoach aren't there to bail out GNE's crap operations, but the same could be said for the Coast Road and Arriva bailing GNE out. Not forgetting that High Howdon to Wallsend and Newcastle was originally GNE territory before the 22 was extended and also the 80/42/42A to Cobalt. 

As for Throckley, they also have the X82, 684 and 685.

But not anywhere between on the 22 which is a very busy route. I wouldn't say Arriva is really bailing GNE out, both are as bad as each other and they're both winning really.

If we're going down the radical route changes then something like this would be better:

10/11 (SNE): Terminate in Newcastle

22: Every 20 Minutes (SNE)
23: Every 20 Minutes, 22 extended from Howdon to Whitley Bay via 1 route (SNE)

22/23 Combined: Every 10 Minutes Throckley to Howdon

X36: Every 30 Minutes; X82 Throckley to Newcastle, extended to Cobalt at peak times

36: Every 20 Minutes; West Denton Park - West Road - Newcastle - High Farm - Battle Hill - Cobalt - 37
37: Every 20 Minutes; West Denton - West Road - Newcastle - High Farm - Battle Hill - Hadrian Park - Norham Road - New York - Cobalt - 36
38: Every 10 Minutes; Extended hourly to Whitley Bay via Benton Road and doing loop around the new housing estate near The Range.

36/37/38 Combined: Every 5 Minutes West Road, 36/37 Every 10 Minutes Battle Hill to Newcastle

306 - Every 30 Minutes;
307 - Every 30 Minutes; 306 from Newcastle to Norham Road, 307 route to North Shields, 306 to Tynemouth only
308 - Every 15 Minutes (Arriva)

317 - Slight route change near NT Hospital
19 - Additionally serve Meadowell instead of Royal Quays

1 - Withdrawn replaced by 23 mostly
51 - Withdrawn, replaced by 37/38
54 - Upped to Every 30 Minutes extended to Blyth via South Beach
309 - Withdrawn replaced by 36 and 54

It creates a network that serves a purpose and cross city links which are lacking East / West, obviously you can't do it under the current model though.

Network Map below:


D. Pink: 36
Red: 37
L Green: 38

Light Blue: 306/307
Dark Blue: 307 Variant
Purple: 308

Bright Blue: 22
Bright Pink: 23

Turquoise: 54

Mustard: 19
Burgundy: 317

It literally removes all duplication from the area.