I know that this should be in service suggestions but here is my idea for the X21 / X22.

In order to:
- Speed up journey times from Newbiggin, Wansbeck Hospital, Ashington, Stakeford, and Bedlington Station to and from Newcastle.
- Reduce the PVR to 14 vehicle leaving 3 spare Sapphire vehicles.
- To improve reliability across all services.
- To streamline 1 simple core frequency with no lengthy gaps (15/5 e.t.c) from Ashington to Newcastle via Stakeford and Bedlington Front Street with another service providing all alternative local connections between Ashington and Newcastle

Suggestion for Service X21:
- Service X21 would be revised to operate every 15 minutes between Ashington and Newcastle with buses extending half hourly between to and from Newbiggin. The route between Newbiggin and Bedlington Front Street would remain unchanged but between Bedlington Front Street and Newcastle, buses would operate via the current X22 route at all times to provide a faster service for longer distance passengers and to improve reliability. Evening and Sunday journeys would also be increased to operate every 30 minutes between Ashington and Newcastle extending every 60 minutes to and from Newbiggin.

All in all, service X21 would now provide a core combined frequency of every 15 minutes (30 evenings and Sundays) with equal gaps between Ashington and Newcastle via North Seaton Elephant, Stakeford, Bedlington Station, Bedlington Front Street, Regent Centre, Gosforth and Newcastle. This would technically increase the number of buses from 3 to 4 to and from Bedlington Front Street due to the 15 minute gaps between the current X21 / X22 being eliminated with an equal 4 buses (2 evenings and Sundays) per hour between Ashington and Newcastle.

A new revised service X22 would provide all alternative local connections via the 'slow route' between Ashington and Newcastle. Service X21 would continue to use Stand P and service X22 would use stand N with the X20 being re-timed to accommodate this.

Suggestion for Service X22:
- Service X22 would be revised to operate every 30 minutes (60 evenings and Sundays) between Ashington and Newcastle. Buses would operate the same route as now between Ashington and Guide Post. Between Guide Post and Newcastle however, buses would continue down the A1068 as now but to Bedlington Glebe Road. From Glebe Road, buses would then continue to Newcastle via the Red Lion Roundabout then via the current X21 route from there to Newcastle via Ridge Terrace and  Nedderton.

Total PVR requirements:
- Services X21 / X22 Monday to Saturday daytime: 14 ADL E400s (7522-7528, 7518 and 6 of the best of 7501 - 7509).
- Long X21 and 35 evenings and Sundays: 4 ADL E400s (7522-7525).
- Short X21 and X22 evenings and Sundays: 4 ADL E400s (7526-7528 and 7518).

Interworking Patterns for X21 / X22 Monday to Saturday daytime:
- X21 from Newbiggin to Newcastle with 10 minutes layover in Newcastle.
- X21 from Newcastle to Ashington with 6 minutes layover in Ashington.
- X22 from Ashington to Newcastle with 6 minutes layover in Newcastle.
- X22 from Newcastle to Ashington with 9 minutes layover in Ashington.
- X21 from Ashington to Newcastle with 10 minutes layover in Newcastle.
- X21 from Newcastle to Newbiggin with 7 minutes layover in Newbiggin.
Average layover time in 7 hour cycle to and from Newbiggin = 6.85 minutes per hour

Interworking Patterns for X21 (long) / 35 evenings and Sundays:
- 35 from Morpeth to Newbiggin with 10 minutes layover in Newbiggin.
- X21 from Newbiggin to Newcastle with 5 minutes layover in Newcastle.
- X21 from Newcastle to Newbiggin with 10 minutes layover in Newbiggin.
- 35 from Newbiggin to Morpeth with 7 minutes layover in Morpeth.
Average layover time in 4 hour cycle to and from Morpeth = 8 minutes per hour

Interworking Patterns for X21 (short) / X22 evenings and Sundays:
- X21 from Ashington to Newcastle with 5 minutes layover in Newcastle.
- X21 from Newcastle to Ashington with 10 minutes layover in Ashington.
- X22 from Ashington to Newcastle with 5 minutes layover in Newcastle.
- X22 from Newcastle to Ashington with 8 minutes layover in Morpeth.
Average layover time in 4 hour cycle to and from Ashington = 7 minutes per hour

Example timetable with timings (not full one):