(01 Jan 2025, 10:59 pm)busmanT wrote Go North East are not allowed to run buses in Great Park west of the A1 on Brunton Lane as it's private land.

However, when they were, they decided to annoy virtually the entire bus using population by insisting on sending the Q3 via Jesmond, even after the funding to do so was given to Stagecoach for the 35 to do it. 

From what I understand the main issue which Great Park residents had with the Q3 was the Jesmond section, and had that been removed then I doubt there would have been as much desire to push for a change in the bus service as there was through 2024 - which ultimately resulted in the X47 extension and the 49.

So, as I understand it, essentially the commercial masterminds at GNE gave away a fairly lucrative contract with the Great Park consortium because they wanted to run a service every 20 minutes for pensioners in Jesmond instead of prioritising the thousands of fare paying pensioners in a rapidly growing part of the city. It's a complete mystery why their network is a mess...

(01 Jan 2025, 11:25 pm)PH - BQA wrote However, when they were, they decided to annoy virtually the entire bus using population by insisting on sending the Q3 via Jesmond, even after the funding to do so was given to Stagecoach for the 35 to do it. 

From what I understand the main issue which Great Park residents had with the Q3 was the Jesmond section, and had that been removed then I doubt there would have been as much desire to push for a change in the bus service as there was through 2024 - which ultimately resulted in the X47 extension and the 49.

So, as I understand it, essentially the commercial masterminds at GNE gave away a fairly lucrative contract with the Great Park consortium because they wanted to run a service every 20 minutes for pensioners in Jesmond instead of prioritising the thousands of fare paying pensioners in a rapidly growing part of the city. It's a complete mystery why their network is a mess...

Surely that can't be true either way anyway. 

I can't imagine someone in the Great Park is going to say, 'no you can't run buses here, we'd rather pay someone else to run a substantially worse service'. 

That just doesn't make sense to me. I'm sure if GNE said they'd like to run a service commercially they'd be over the moon.

(02 Jan 2025, 8:33 am)Storx wrote Surely that can't be true either way anyway. 

I can't imagine someone in the Great Park is going to say, 'no you can't run buses here, we'd rather pay someone else to run a substantially worse service'. 

That just doesn't make sense to me. I'm sure if GNE said they'd like to run a service commercially they'd be over the moon.

What can’t be true, that they aren’t allowed to run services on the west side of the bridge? As a result of the roads on that side not yet being adopted by NCC, I believe it is correct - and it’s certainly what the councillor (iirc) has said in response to some of the pensioners asking why GNE can’t run their service too. As the services need to be subsidised at this stage, the consortium can choose who can run on their roads. 

From the information that I’ve seen posted on the local groups, the Q3 was nearly commercially viable pre-pandemic. I’m assuming due to a combination of the pandemic, and GNEs mismanagement of the service, that was no longer the case by 2024. When announcing the X47/49 changes, it was stated that the consortium believed that they were the changes most likely to become commercially viable as the S106 money used to fund the services is due to run out relatively soon.

Just thinking, but could the following not be scrapped:

- 352 - Got 37 and increased new 352 and 353
- 354 - Got new 54
- 355 - Got 38 and X7/X8 could just do all stops via Matthew Bank and Great North Road
- 359 - Got new 54 and 352
- X63 (off peak) - Got new 54 or 62/63

And have the following replace them?

- SNE 54 - Same route as old (basically evening & Sunday service) but covers most of the X63 loop (see map). Altternative stops available within walking distance and 62/63 available as alternatives if needs must.

GNE 352 & 353 - Both extended to NSECH via High Pit
- NEW 352 *see map* (every 60 mins) - North Shields - Billy Mill - New York - Murton Village - Westminster Avenue - Norham Road North - New York Road then as per 353

- 353 (every 60 mins) - North Shields - Billy Mill - North Tyneside Hospital - New York then as per current route with NESCH via Cobalt

Admittedly not perfect, but no 'major' changes and hoovers up all weak commercial services and all mickey mouse subsidised services. Also opens up a few hospital links too including restoring the Forest Hall to North Tyneside Hospital Link.

See the 400m (Nexus Guidance) circle mapper screenshot too. Most homes currently served by Garth 20 & 24 stops are also within 400m walking distance to alternative stops.

Not too sure what could happen with the 335 & 351 though (interwork with 359)

(02 Jan 2025, 11:31 am)PH - BQA wrote What can’t be true, that they aren’t allowed to run services on the west side of the bridge? As a result of the roads on that side not yet being adopted by NCC, I believe it is correct - and it’s certainly what the councillor (iirc) has said in response to some of the pensioners asking why GNE can’t run their service too. As the services need to be subsidised at this stage, the consortium can choose who can run on their roads. 

From the information that I’ve seen posted on the local groups, the Q3 was nearly commercially viable pre-pandemic. I’m assuming due to a combination of the pandemic, and GNEs mismanagement of the service, that was no longer the case by 2024. When announcing the X47/49 changes, it was stated that the consortium believed that they were the changes most likely to become commercially viable as the S106 money used to fund the services is due to run out relatively soon.

Aye but surely if GNE wanted to run the Q3 in the area commercially they'd let them do so without the S106 money anyway? In an ideal the Q3 and X47 would've been the best scenario if it was actually possible.

I can't see any logical reason on why the Great Park would say no to GNE running a service, even if they had to pay a dodgy £1 subsidy to get around any rules...? It just doesn't make sense, unless there's some idiots running the show there.

(02 Jan 2025, 3:07 pm)Storx wrote Aye but surely if GNE wanted to run the Q3 in the area commercially they'd let them do so without the S106 money anyway? In an ideal the Q3 and X47 would've been the best scenario if it was actually possible.

I can't see any logical reason on why the Great Park would say no to GNE running a service, even if they had to pay a dodgy £1 subsidy to get around any rules...? It just doesn't make sense, unless there's some idiots running the show there.

But the Q3 clearly wasn't commercial. It reportedly was almost commercial pre-covid  but increased costs and reduced patronage (I imagine that a lot of Great Park residents now work from home part of the week) mean it can have been nowhere near in latter time.

X47 and Q3 both serving great park wouldn't have worked has there wouldn't have been enough passengers for both of them.

Anyway, Great Park west of the A1 is private land and they (Great Park Consortium) decided to give the bus service contract to Stagecoach with exclusivity.

(02 Jan 2025, 3:44 pm)busmanT wrote But the Q3 clearly wasn't commercial. It reportedly was almost commercial pre-covid  but increased costs and reduced patronage (I imagine that a lot of Great Park residents now work from home part of the week) mean it can have been nowhere near in latter time.

X47 and Q3 both serving great park wouldn't have worked has there wouldn't have been enough passengers for both of them.

Anyway, Great Park west of the A1 is private land and they (Great Park Consortium) decided to give the bus service contract to Stagecoach with exclusivity.

Yeah I know but the post you made a suggestion that GNE still wanted to run the Q3 over there but I'd assume if they wanted to run it commercially in the first place it still would be running.

I personally don't understand why the Q3 exists. The route is totally operationally out of area and doesn't really support the rest of the network either while not exactly being a gold mine either.

Brunton Park and Jesmond would be much suited in Arriva's or Stagecoach's network since they both already serve the area (30's/40's) and compliment them rather than sitting on the top of everything else.

(02 Jan 2025, 3:52 pm)Storx wrote Yeah I know but the post you made a suggestion that GNE still wanted to run the Q3 over there but I'd assume if they wanted to run it commercially in the first place it still would be running.

I personally don't understand why the Q3 exists. The route is totally operationally out of area and doesn't really support the rest of the network either while not exactly being a gold mine either.

Brunton Park and Jesmond would be much suited in Arriva's or Stagecoach's network since they both already serve the area (30's/40's) and compliment them rather than sitting on the top of everything else.

---

imo you'd be better having two express routes doing this both every 20 minutes:


The rest of the area would then be stocked up by other routes ie some ideas:
19: Upped to every 30 minutes, full route
352: Withdrawn
353: North Shields to Killingworth only, upped to every 30 minutes
354: Newcastle to Killingworth only via A189/A1056, upped to every 30 minutes
359: Extended to Westerhope
37: Into Cramlington via X8 route from Burradon

Means you'd have:
19: North Shields - Cramlington
57/57A: Whitley Bay - Cramlington
342: Wallsend - Killingworth - Cramlington
359: Gosforth - Killingworth - Whitley Bay
353: Killingworth - North Shields
X7: Killingworth - Blyth
X8: Killingworth - Cramlington - Cramlington Hospital

It's all the hubs nicely connected together

Completely agree. I live on the Q3 route in Walker and it would be much more profitable under Stagecoach as it runs in mostly Stagecoach dominated areas. Most residants in Walker, including myself, purchase Stagecoach only bus passes/tickets as most of our routes are Stagecoach, and go to where we need to go. The route itself is a good route, but the fact it's GNE puts people off, as like I said before, it's a Stagecoach dominated area.

(02 Jan 2025, 12:12 pm)L469 YVK wrote Just thinking, but could the following not be scrapped:

- 352 - Got 37 and increased new 352 and 353
- 354 - Got new 54
- 355 - Got 38 and X7/X8 could just do all stops via Matthew Bank and Great North Road
- 359 - Got new 54 and 352
- X63 (off peak) - Got new 54 or 62/63

And have the following replace them?

- SNE 54 - Same route as old (basically evening & Sunday service) but covers most of the X63 loop (see map). Altternative stops available within walking distance and 62/63 available as alternatives if needs must.

GNE 352 & 353 - Both extended to NSECH via High Pit
- NEW 352 *see map* (every 60 mins) - North Shields - Billy Mill - New York - Murton Village - Westminster Avenue - Norham Road North - New York Road then as per 353

- 353 (every 60 mins) - North Shields - Billy Mill - North Tyneside Hospital - New York then as per current route with NESCH via Cobalt

Admittedly not perfect, but no 'major' changes and hoovers up all weak commercial services and all mickey mouse subsidised services. Also opens up a few hospital links too including restoring the Forest Hall to North Tyneside Hospital Link.

See the 400m (Nexus Guidance) circle mapper screenshot too. Most homes currently served by Garth 20 & 24 stops are also within 400m walking distance to alternative stops.

Not too sure what could happen with the 335 & 351 though (interwork with 359)

Not sure I agree with this if we're trying to make a decent express network to Killingworth then the X7/X8 need to be part of it imo. I know it's different operators but imo SE Northumberland would be better served with something like this:


which are:
18 (Every 30 Minutes): Morpeth to Walker via Cramlington, Killingworth, Freeman and Byker (Pink)
42 (Every 30 Minutes): Newcastle to Blyth (Red)
43 (Every 30 Minutes): Newcastle to Cramlington Hospital (Red)
X7 (Every 20 Minutes): Newcastle to Blyth via Killingworth (Blue)
X8 (Every 20 Minutes): Newcastle to Cramlington via Killingworth (Orange)

There's arguably too many buses between Burradon and Cramlington and this would tidy them all up and open new links, allover the place.

With those links, you've also sorted out Backworth to Newcastle aswell, the rest of the village will have to change to the Metro/Train at Northumberland Park (or walk)

(02 Jan 2025, 4:20 pm)lewisparker1509 wrote Completely agree. I live on the Q3 route in Walker and it would be much more profitable under Stagecoach as it runs in mostly Stagecoach dominated areas. Most residants in Walker, including myself, purchase Stagecoach only bus passes/tickets as most of our routes are Stagecoach, and go to where we need to go. The route itself is a good route, but the fact it's GNE puts people off, as like I said before, it's a Stagecoach dominated area.

Yeah imagine it's the same in Gosforth with everyone jumping on the Arriva services up there aswell since they get slammed.

when ive been travelling to or from the rigg on the 44 i've notice more than a handful of customers ignoring the Arriva services and waiting for the Q3 both along GNR heading to town and in the haymarket itself

(02 Jan 2025, 4:54 pm)Storx wrote Not sure I agree with this if we're trying to make a decent express network to Killingworth then the X7/X8 need to be part of it imo. I know it's different operators but imo SE Northumberland would be better served with something like this:


which are:
18 (Every 30 Minutes): Morpeth to Walker via Cramlington, Killingworth, Freeman and Byker (Pink)
42 (Every 30 Minutes): Newcastle to Blyth (Red)
43 (Every 30 Minutes): Newcastle to Cramlington Hospital (Red)
X7 (Every 20 Minutes): Newcastle to Blyth via Killingworth (Blue)
X8 (Every 20 Minutes): Newcastle to Cramlington via Killingworth (Orange)

There's arguably too many buses between Burradon and Cramlington and this would tidy them all up and open new links, allover the place.

With those links, you've also sorted out Backworth to Newcastle aswell, the rest of the village will have to change to the Metro/Train at Northumberland Park (or walk)


Yeah imagine it's the same in Gosforth with everyone jumping on the Arriva services up there aswell since they get slammed.

Withdraw the Q3 and replace it with the 49 direct via GNR is what I say

(02 Jan 2025, 3:44 pm)busmanT wrote But the Q3 clearly wasn't commercial. It reportedly was almost commercial pre-covid  but increased costs and reduced patronage (I imagine that a lot of Great Park residents now work from home part of the week) mean it can have been nowhere near in latter time.

X47 and Q3 both serving great park wouldn't have worked has there wouldn't have been enough passengers for both of them.

Anyway, Great Park west of the A1 is private land and they (Great Park Consortium) decided to give the bus service contract to Stagecoach with exclusivity.

You've made this point previously. Are you suggesting that because it's private land, they can prevent a commercial bus operator registering a service there? 

I understand that in the NGP Master Plan, the developers have a number of planning obligations around public transport, but they can't make the area exclusive to their chosen operator. A private road can still be a public place.

(02 Jan 2025, 5:40 pm)Rob44 wrote when ive been travelling to or from the rigg on the 44 i've notice more than a handful of customers ignoring the Arriva services and waiting for the Q3 both along GNR heading to town and in the haymarket itself

I think the point is that public transport has to be attractive, if you're ever going to encourage more people to use it. Whilst you're never going to please everyone, I think the modern attitude of forcing everyone to go down one corridor, instead of having choice, has long-proven to not work. 

NGP actually have a planning condition to 'increasing the attractiveness of local facilities, by providing high quality public transport and by making proper provision for  cycling and walking.'; and whilst I'd agree that is subjective, if nothing else, they've hopefully learned a lesson in how to not plan public transport changes.

To busmant’s point. I think it’s an important one.

Despite what you’ll read in the press, the vast majority of office workers are still 1 or 2 days max in the office. We can debate the merits of profit or whatever, but we can’t under the lasting impact of Covid from a commercial pov.

The lowest paid are the captive audience. They’ll use a bus regardless and they’ll tolerate the change/transfers/quality of bus.

But you’ve lost thousands of people who pre Covid were buying weekly or monthly tickets. It’s one day a week so they might just drive, that few quid multiplied into thousands then makes a route profitable or not and we are currently in a reality where that really matters.

Whilst I will always question our operators and I do think GNE are just sitting waiting for contracts at this stage (which is a dangerous game if franchising brings in metroline etc) I sort of have some sympathy on commercial risk in some areas. X39, 21 profitable….use of BSiP to put verses on the latter is indefensible

And on great park. I think as enthusiasts we have ideas but friends and colleagues who live there and use the bus, they’re happy.

(02 Jan 2025, 3:44 pm)busmanT wrote But the Q3 clearly wasn't commercial. It reportedly was almost commercial pre-covid  but increased costs and reduced patronage (I imagine that a lot of Great Park residents now work from home part of the week) mean it can have been nowhere near in latter time.

X47 and Q3 both serving great park wouldn't have worked has there wouldn't have been enough passengers for both of them.

Anyway, Great Park west of the A1 is private land and they (Great Park Consortium) decided to give the bus service contract to Stagecoach with exclusivity.

This seems lost on the vocal minority of folk posting on the GP pages sadly. While it is a large area, the reality is that the Q3s were generally fairly lightly loaded from what I saw and they were just 3 per hour. Now we're 4 months into the Stagecoach X47 operation with 4 buses per hour, and I think the busiest service I've been on left GP with about 20 people on it (granted I don't use it to commute, so I'm not seeing peak loads). I still think it's got a good chance of being commercially viable in the end, as by the time it's through Kingston Park they tend to have a full seated load if it's a saloon, and it's only the cost of 1 additional bus to Stagecoach versus what the X47 was before the change.

The 49 is worryingly quiet during the day, there are numerous times when I've caught it and been the only person on the bus for the full trip. It's a bit of a shame, as realistically that's the perfect route from Great Park to Newcastle, but it's nowhere near frequent enough. 

A continuation of the Q3, alongside the X47 and 49, would have seen Great Park served by 8 buses per hour to Newcastle, which is complete overkill - certainly at present.

(02 Jan 2025, 6:40 pm)Adrian wrote You've made this point previously. Are you suggesting that because it's private land, they can prevent a commercial bus operator registering a service there? 

I understand that in the NGP Master Plan, the developers have a number of planning obligations around public transport, but they can't make the area exclusive to their chosen operator. A private road can still be a public place.


I think the point is that public transport has to be attractive, if you're ever going to encourage more people to use it. Whilst you're never going to please everyone, I think the modern attitude of forcing everyone to go down one corridor, instead of having choice, has long-proven to not work. 

NGP actually have a planning condition to 'increasing the attractiveness of local facilities, by providing high quality public transport and by making proper provision for  cycling and walking.'; and whilst I'd agree that is subjective, if nothing else, they've hopefully learned a lesson in how to not plan public transport changes.

imo the biggest issue with public transport especially at the West side of Tyneside is the complete lack of radial routes, it's all good funnelling everyone through Newcastle / Gateshead but it's not use if you're travelling from Chester Le Street to Team Valley, Ryton to Newburn Business Park or West Denton to the Airport.

It's not like there's nothing there either considering one of the biggest shopping centres in the country and one of the largest industrial estates are both on it.

We keep wasting BSIP on other rubbish but one service I'd see restored is some form of the old X22 or X88 running around Gateshead but instead serving Team Valley and parts of Dunston rather than being express, and a similar service to the North running from the Metro Centre to the Airport via the West End and Kingston Park and get better buses to those deprived areas wanting better links where there's potential for leisure travellers aswell.

The fact the West End has a better service to the airport in the middle of the night sums up how broken the network is in certain places.

Maybe something like this - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.03589...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTIxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D, for the Northern route. There's probably demand for a bus between places like West Road and Benwell anyway, which also don't exist.

(03 Jan 2025, 12:09 am)Storx wrote imo the biggest issue with public transport especially at the West side of Tyneside is the complete lack of radial routes, it's all good funnelling everyone through Newcastle / Gateshead but it's not use if you're travelling from Chester Le Street to Team Valley, Ryton to Newburn Business Park or West Denton to the Airport.

Somewhat in the vein of the London Superloop, what about the following to connect the outskirts of Newcastle and Gateshead. Some of this will include sections of current routes:

NL1: Cobalt to Team Valley: Cobalt - Middle Engine Lane - Howdon - Jarrow - Pelaw - Heworth - Felling - Gateshead Interchange - Team Valley (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01426...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)

NL2: Team Valley to Kingston Park: Team Valley - A1 - Metrocentre Interchange - Newburn Riverside - Lemington - West Denton - Denton Burn - Blakelaw - Kingston Park (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.92354...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)

NL3: Kingston Park to Cobalt: Kingston Park - Great Park - Sandy Lane - Quorum - Four Lane Ends - Benton - Holystone - West Allotment - Cobalt (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01403...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)

Most of the major industrial estates and business parks are included, as are several retail parks/shopping centres. All routes are fairly direct, with no huge detours around housing estates etc.

(03 Jan 2025, 7:18 pm)PH - BQA wrote Somewhat in the vein of the London Superloop, what about the following to connect the outskirts of Newcastle and Gateshead. Some of this will include sections of current routes:

NL1: Cobalt to Team Valley: Cobalt - Middle Engine Lane - Howdon - Jarrow - Pelaw - Heworth - Felling - Gateshead Interchange - Team Valley (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01426...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)

NL2: Team Valley to Kingston Park: Team Valley - A1 - Metrocentre Interchange - Newburn Riverside - Lemington - West Denton - Denton Burn - Blakelaw - Kingston Park (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.92354...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)

NL3: Kingston Park to Cobalt: Kingston Park - Great Park - Sandy Lane - Quorum - Four Lane Ends - Benton - Holystone - West Allotment - Cobalt (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01403...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)

Most of the major industrial estates and business parks are included, as are several retail parks/shopping centres. All routes are fairly direct, with no huge detours around housing estates etc.

Aye can't disagree with some of those. Not going to lie on the East side I'd always love to see the 19 and 9 merged together as one long route running from Sunderland all the way through to Cramlington. 

The 9 to North Shields is a bit of a dog leg really and people wanting that route can use the ferry anyway. 

Cobalt and Silverlink are arguably places where people South of the Tyne are more likely to want to go not to mention the connections between all 4 Metro lines (Fellgate / Jarrow / Percy Main / Northumberland Park)

Whether you do it via Howdon rather than Percy Main could be an option though? It's certainly a nicer Metro station.

---

This aside one route that badly needs changed is the 32/32A it's clearly a legacy route linking the whole West End to a hospital that doesn't exist anymore and goes on a magical mystery tour. Surely going to Kingston Park instead of Kenton and going towards the Metro Centre rather than duplicating the 10 buses to Newcastle would be a better use of it?

(03 Jan 2025, 8:44 pm)Storx wrote Aye can't disagree with some of those. Not going to lie on the East side I'd always love to see the 19 and 9 merged together as one long route running from Sunderland all the way through to Cramlington. 

The 9 to North Shields is a bit of a dog leg really and people wanting that route can use the ferry anyway. 

Cobalt and Silverlink are arguably places where people South of the Tyne are more likely to want to go not to mention the connections between all 4 Metro lines (Fellgate / Jarrow / Percy Main / Northumberland Park)

Whether you do it via Howdon rather than Percy Main could be an option though? It's certainly a nicer Metro station.

---

This aside one route that badly needs changed is the 32/32A it's clearly a legacy route linking the whole West End to a hospital that doesn't exist anymore and goes on a magical mystery tour. Surely going to Kingston Park instead of Kenton and going towards the Metro Centre rather than duplicating the 10 buses to Newcastle would be a better use of it?

Sunderland-Cramlington used to exist up until 2007, it was the 319, there was also the original 310 Sunderland-Blyth

(03 Jan 2025, 8:44 pm)Storx wrote This aside one route that badly needs changed is the 32/32A it's clearly a legacy route linking the whole West End to a hospital that doesn't exist anymore and goes on a magical mystery tour. Surely going to Kingston Park instead of Kenton and going towards the Metro Centre rather than duplicating the 10 buses to Newcastle would be a better use of it?

Similar challenges to the 18 in Sunderland with this one I'd say.  It does provide unique links but like you say it is a very very convoluted route especially in the west end where it must double back on itself three or four times.

Don't think you could just pull it out of Kenton, it doesn't really duplicate the 10 at all, more shadows the 7 if anything.  It's the only bus service covering much of Montagu since they pulled the 15 years ago.  If anything it's the loop around Buddle Road area I'd bin off, the whole lot of it is covered by the 1/30/31 at a much higher frequency.

(Yesterday, 2:22 am)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Similar challenges to the 18 in Sunderland with this one I'd say.  It does provide unique links but like you say it is a very very convoluted route especially in the west end where it must double back on itself three or four times.

Don't think you could just pull it out of Kenton, it doesn't really duplicate the 10 at all, more shadows the 7 if anything.  It's the only bus service covering much of Montagu since they pulled the 15 years ago.  If anything it's the loop around Buddle Road area I'd bin off, the whole lot of it is covered by the 1/30/31 at a much higher frequency.

Yeah you're right with the 18, least the hospital still exists on that one.

Btw, think you misread that, I meant literally 10 buses from Benwell to Newcastle on the 1/30 rather than the 10 itself.

Personally I'd say swap the 32/32A for something like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Metrocen...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTIxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Then for the Kenton area just extend the 1 every 30 minutes like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.99183...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTIxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

It would arguably provide a better service anyway for pretty much everyone and would keep the links between Benwell itself, which are arguably needed in a way.