(01 Jun 2025, 1:06 pm)Aaron21 wrote Why would you run the X16 to Wooler peak only when it was never that. It's a contract. Same as the 777. This is what kinda annoys me about these "service suggestions" is that people are doing this for the benefit of what "THEY" want to see and not what the customer wants. So what if the 777 isn't getting as many passenger as other service. Doesn't mean it should be withdrawn. Same could be said about a few others services that shouldn't be around but I dont see you doing the same to them

The X16 is already peak time only during the week? Happy to be corrected but I believe the contract is still seperate from the X16 aswell as the old 710 aswell. Arriva just put a bid in that merged it with the X16 which saved costs of duplicating the Morpeth to Newcastle part. 

Also as someone else said the 777 is lucky if they're carrying one passenger person per run. The routes completely dead and my money is paying for the thing I'm allowed to have a view on it. 

I know they're subsidised this was about using the BSIP to increase the frequency of Alnwick to Morpeth and giving the two services North of there a faster service at the same time? Apart from the loss of the 777 and the 2 people who use it, there's virtually no negatives at all, I can think of.

(01 Jun 2025, 2:32 pm)Storx wrote Also as someone else said the 777 is lucky if they're carrying one passenger person per run. The routes completely dead and my money is paying for the thing I'm allowed to have a view on it. 

Interesting. Used many 777s have you?

Some Arriva suggestions for the routes in East Durham to hopefully make the best use of their resources, but also offer punctual network links and improvements for customers.

22: Service reduced to every 60 minutes, although service 23 will be returned to Sunderland to continue two buses per hour via Easington Colliery & service X22 will serve Shotton Colliery for all journeys, aswell as faster buses to Sunderland & Durham on services X22/X24. This service will no longer operate between Peterlee and Sunderland on an evening, with this segment transferred to new service 239.

22A: Service reintroduced between Peterlee and Durham to ensure there continues to be two buses per hour going via Wheatley Hill & Thornley (Mon - Sat Daytimes). This service will serve Oakerside & Pennine Drive in Peterlee opposed to via Burnhope Way to compensate the reduction in frequency on service 24.

23: Service reintroduced between Hartlepool and Sunderland with a 60 minute frequency throughout. Combining with the 22/24/X22/X24 to offer three buses per hour along common sections of route. The short journeys will be discontinued, with additional buses available on service 24/X24 between Hartlepool and Peterlee.

24: Service reduced to every 60 minutes, with the introduction of service X24 allowing the continuation of two buses per hour along common sections during the day.

239: Service reintroduced Monday to Saturday evenings to reflect DCC contract journeys between Sedgefield and Peterlee, but also to make better use of resources to ensure buses are not laying over for long periods of time at Peterlee, with an extension onto Sunderland replacing service 22 journeys.

- Journeys to Sunderland will replace evening journeys on service 22.
- Reintroduce an hourly evening frequency to Sunderland.

(Sedgefield | Fishburn | Trimdon | Wingate | Shotton Colliery | Acre Rigg Schools | Peterlee | Easington Colliery | Easington Village | Dalton Park | New Seaham | Ryhope | Grangetown | Sunderland)

X12: Service reduced to every 60 minutes throughout the route, with improved services X13/X22 complimenting frequencys across the route.

- Service will serve Fishburn opposed to Teesside Park.
- Service will run alongside service X22 to continue two buses per hour between Sedgefield and Middlesbrough.
- Service will be combined with service X13 to continue two buses per hour between Sedgefield and Durham, with an improved frequency onwards to Newcastle.

X13: New service that will combine with service X12 to offer two buses per hour between Newcastle, Durham and Sedgefield. This service will additionally serve Fishburn, which was an original proposal by Arriva, opening up new links to Durham & Newcastle, and also reinstating links to Darlington.

- Service will be combined with service X12 to offer two buses per hour between Newcastle and Sedgefield.
- Service will reinstate links between Sedgefield, Newton Aycliffe and Darlington.
- Service will offer new faster links to Darlington from Newcastle and Durham.
- Service will operate hourly Monday to Saturday Daytimes.

(Newcastle | Gateshead | Low Fell | Birtley | Chester-le-Street | Framwellgate Moor | Durham | Durham University | Bowburn | Coxhoe | Fishburn | Sedgefield | Newton Aycliffe | North Road | Darlington)

X22: Service will be reduced to every 60 minutes throughout, although will extend to Sunderland via Easington Village and New Seaham, aswell as extended back to Middlesbrough, ensuring there continues to be two buses per hour between Sedgefield and Middlesbrough.

Evening journeys that start from Sedgefield will be renumbered 239, although Sunday journeys will continue as normal.

- All journeys extended to Middlesbrough.
- All journeys extended to Sunderland via Easington Village & New Seaham.
- All journeys will serve Shotton Colliery.

(Middlesbrough | Stockton | North Tees Hospital | Thorpe Thewles | Sedgefield | Fishburn | Trimdon | Wingate | Shotton Colliery | Burnhope Way | Peterlee | Easington Village | New Seaham | Ryhope Village | Grangetown | Sunderland)

X24: New fast service that will reintroduce some quick links.

- Up to every 60 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)
- Limited stop between Peterlee and Hartlepool, calling only at key stops.
- Offer faster buses between Durham, Peterlee & Hartlepool
- Peak journeys extend to Framwellgate Moor during term time.

(Durham | Sherburn Road | Sherburn Hill | B1283 | Haswell Plough | Haswell | Shotton Colliery | Burnhope Way | Peterlee | Horden | Blackhall Rocks | Crimdon | Hart Station | University Hospital | Hartlepool Marina)

(27 Jul 2025, 11:12 pm)S830OFT wrote Some Arriva suggestions for the routes in East Durham to hopefully make the best use of their resources, but also offer punctual network links and improvements for customers.

22: Service reduced to every 60 minutes, although service 23 will be returned to Sunderland to continue two buses per hour via Easington Colliery & service X22 will serve Shotton Colliery for all journeys, aswell as faster buses to Sunderland & Durham on services X22/X24. This service will no longer operate between Peterlee and Sunderland on an evening, with this segment transferred to new service 239.

22A: Service reintroduced between Peterlee and Durham to ensure there continues to be two buses per hour going via Wheatley Hill & Thornley (Mon - Sat Daytimes). This service will serve Oakerside & Pennine Drive in Peterlee opposed to via Burnhope Way to compensate the reduction in frequency on service 24.

23: Service reintroduced between Hartlepool and Sunderland with a 60 minute frequency throughout. Combining with the 22/24/X22/X24 to offer three buses per hour along common sections of route. The short journeys will be discontinued, with additional buses available on service 24/X24 between Hartlepool and Peterlee.

24: Service reduced to every 60 minutes, with the introduction of service X24 allowing the continuation of two buses per hour along common sections during the day.

239: Service reintroduced Monday to Saturday evenings to reflect DCC contract journeys between Sedgefield and Peterlee, but also to make better use of resources to ensure buses are not laying over for long periods of time at Peterlee, with an extension onto Sunderland replacing service 22 journeys.

- Journeys to Sunderland will replace evening journeys on service 22.
- Reintroduce an hourly evening frequency to Sunderland.

(Sedgefield | Fishburn | Trimdon | Wingate | Shotton Colliery | Acre Rigg Schools | Peterlee | Easington Colliery | Easington Village | Dalton Park | New Seaham | Ryhope | Grangetown | Sunderland)

X12: Service reduced to every 60 minutes throughout the route, with improved services X13/X22 complimenting frequencys across the route.

- Service will serve Fishburn opposed to Teesside Park.
- Service will run alongside service X22 to continue two buses per hour between Sedgefield and Middlesbrough.
- Service will be combined with service X13 to continue two buses per hour between Sedgefield and Durham, with an improved frequency onwards to Newcastle.

X13: New service that will combine with service X12 to offer two buses per hour between Newcastle, Durham and Sedgefield. This service will additionally serve Fishburn, which was an original proposal by Arriva, opening up new links to Durham & Newcastle, and also reinstating links to Darlington.

- Service will be combined with service X12 to offer two buses per hour between Newcastle and Sedgefield.
- Service will reinstate links between Sedgefield, Newton Aycliffe and Darlington.
- Service will offer new faster links to Darlington from Newcastle and Durham.
- Service will operate hourly Monday to Saturday Daytimes.

(Newcastle | Gateshead | Low Fell | Birtley | Chester-le-Street | Framwellgate Moor | Durham | Durham University | Bowburn | Coxhoe | Fishburn | Sedgefield | Newton Aycliffe | North Road | Darlington)

X22: Service will be reduced to every 60 minutes throughout, although will extend to Sunderland via Easington Village and New Seaham, aswell as extended back to Middlesbrough, ensuring there continues to be two buses per hour between Sedgefield and Middlesbrough.

Evening journeys that start from Sedgefield will be renumbered 239, although Sunday journeys will continue as normal.

- All journeys extended to Middlesbrough.
- All journeys extended to Sunderland via Easington Village & New Seaham.
- All journeys will serve Shotton Colliery.

(Middlesbrough | Stockton | North Tees Hospital | Thorpe Thewles | Sedgefield | Fishburn | Trimdon | Wingate | Shotton Colliery | Burnhope Way | Peterlee | Easington Village | New Seaham | Ryhope Village | Grangetown | Sunderland)

X24: New fast service that will reintroduce some quick links.

- Up to every 60 minutes (Mon - Sat Daytimes)
- Limited stop between Peterlee and Hartlepool, calling only at key stops.
- Offer faster buses between Durham, Peterlee & Hartlepool
- Peak journeys extend to Framwellgate Moor during term time.

(Durham | Sherburn Road | Sherburn Hill | B1283 | Haswell Plough | Haswell | Shotton Colliery | Burnhope Way | Peterlee | Horden | Blackhall Rocks | Crimdon | Hart Station | University Hospital | Hartlepool Marina)

Edited slightly

Not sure I agree with any of this if I had to be honest, it's just complicated and reducing frequencies across the board. Personally I'd rather have a slower 30 minute service than a faster hourly service as if I miss that service then it's a very long wait.

You've also reduced the only bus between Durham and Teesside down to hourly, if anything I'd be looking at increasing the X12 to every 20 minutes not vice versa. 

Personally I'd look at messing around with all the short and pretty useless subsidised services in that and use BSIP to extend to be more useful, something like:



which ends up with an hourly:
X58: Durham to Hartlepool via Sherburn (Fast)
59: Durham to Sedgefield via Trimdon
60: Hartlepool to Sedgefield via Trimdon

54: Spennymoor to Stockton via Sedgefield, Wynyard and Billingham
55: Durham to Darlington via Spennymoor, Coundon and Shildon

X7: Darlington to Spennymoor via Ferryhill and Chilton (Limited stop from Newton Aycliffe to Darlington)
X8: Darlington to Peterlee via Newton Aycliffe and Sedgefield (Limited stop from Newton Aycliffe to Darlington)
X9: Stockton to Peterlee via Sedgefield

113, 99, 8, 8A, 59, 35A, 239, X22, X40, X41 - All withdrawn.

They're all subsidised services, or are in the evening at least, and would massively improve connections across that area rather than a lot of short buses going from here and everywhere, admit it'd be an increase in PVR but it's where BSIP should be used imo. The X8/X9 are just restoring the old X21/X22 but merged with the 8 so it doesn't sit there like a sore thumb. These were commercial until reletively recent so the demand must be there.

ie some of the new links:
Durham to Hartlepool fast link
Sedgefield to Hartlepool
Sedgefield to Darlington
Wynard to Sedgefield and Spennymoor
Shildon to Durham
Lots of places to Amazon Bowburn
Sedgefield to Spennymoor
East Spennymoor to Durham
Newton Aycliffe to Darlington fast link
Darlington to Peterlee
Coundon to Durham, 2 bus per hour

Some sizable communities there.