(06 Jul 2023, 10:06 am)ian foster wrote Why does everyone think there should be a link between Marden and Battle hill. Why not have X38 Whitley Bay to Newcastle via old 44 route non stop along the Coast Rd. from Norham Rd. and keep the 308 as it is.
There's way too much transport between Blyth / Whitley Bay and Newcastle via Seaton Sluice.
There's absolutely no need for 6 buses and 12 metro trains an hour between Whitley Bay and Newcastle. It doesn't need more along there, the 308 just isn't needed imo - it's just a legacy route from yesteryear before Cobalt was built. That was more about making the 306 actually useful (same again way too much transport between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay, 6 buses and 6 Metro's doing the same area give or take).
That was about linking more areas and creating better links to the local area but creating a loop, ie. Marden to NT Hospital for example.
The diagram below probably shows it better (Red: 80/80A, Blue: 81/82, Green: 83/84, Pink: 57/57A), (Thick Line: Every 15 Minutes, Thin Line: Every 30 Minutes).