(11 Jan 2015, 9:13 pm)aureolin wrote See, I completely agree with what you're saying about GNE always winning the battle between Durham and Newcastle on frequency alone, but it beggars the question of why the X2 is kept in it's present form? I'd say it would make more sense to keep the X12 as a standalone service, with added layover at either end to improve reliability. To replace the X2, run two of the 6's through to Newcastle as an X6, providing the same limited stop service between Durham & Chester le Street, but then non-stop to Gateshead (or even Newcastle) via the A1? It would probably even result in a reduction in PVR?

I think something should be done to improve the reliability of service X12 as at times it can be running late especially seems to be late arriving in Sedgefield.

Problem with extending the 6 to Newcastle is the 6 operates every 12 minutes so having two journeys an hour would not be 30 minutes apart so this could be confusing to some people. I do think that the 6 should be extended to Framwellgate Moor as this could steal New College students from the X21.

I personally would like to see service 7 extended to Newcastle instead as this would be following a different route to the X21 south of Durham after Croxdale as I think it could maybe pick up people from Aycliffe, Chilton and Ferryhill as when I've used the X2 at times a few passengers have jumped on the 7 and this will replicate the old service 723 but the journey time from Darlington to Durham would be longer and a round trip would probably take 4 and a half hours.