(Yesterday, 5:52 pm)Storx wrote I know this is starting to mix up subsidised and commercial routes now so it's a bit more complicated but for the stuff you mentioned I'd do something like:
X2 (Was 25) - 8 - 50
Reasons for changes:
- Faster 50 route into Washington not around the world.
- New link from Washington, CLS and South Birtley to Stadium of Light on the 8
- Extension of 82 so it actually goes somewhere rather than terminating in a business park.
- Quicker X2 from Washington to Sunderland, should help reduce some loads on Chester Road
- New direct links to Newcastle in South Washington without changing
- New direct links from Birtley to Sunderland
- New direct links to the East from North Chester Le Street and Vigo Lane
- Sorts out the absolute mess of the 81/82.
- 4 BPH between Castletown, Southwick and Sunderland (combined with 35).
- More express buses between Newcastle / QE / Wrekenton and another express route for Birtley avoiding Low Fell.
Negatives
- Very small section of Washington loses direct link to Chester Le Street
- Picktree loses 2 buses an hour, but there's nothing there anyway
This is the sort of stuff where BSIP should be going imo. For the rest of the stuff you mentioned you've got the 2/2A to play around with as they don't really need to do the route they do into Washington anymore as they're covered by the X2 or 8 so there's flexibility to play with them.
You could easily shave 40 minutes off the journey time by not having the existing route going through every estate and instead have it run Express between Durham & CLS, CLS & Washington and Washington and Boldon to South Shields, end to end would be 60 minutes rather than a 100 as it is now.
The 82 Extension could be from Waterview Park and have it operate through onto Nissan then operate the northern section of the current 50 route into South Shields, from opposite side of the route from Birtley have it run down into CLS to pick up the western section of the route into Durham
With the X2 I agree there should be an express service, personally I would withdraw the 2A and have the 8 go through Biddick rather than Glebe or have a variation of the 4 cover this section of the route covering through to the top of Penshaw.
I think the Evening/Sunday only Service 81 should run all day 7 days a week with an extension from Gateshead into Newcastle creating a permanent direct link.
You could play the Stagecoach Express Card by having an X56 running from the City Centre via the 56 route then from Town End Farm direct into Gateeshead onto Newcastle via A19/Felling Bypass again like the 50 offering a faster service without going around the houses and shaving around 30 minutes off of the journey.