(Yesterday, 12:27 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote No, that was my point. The 56 and 27 serve places along the route, they are not end-to-end Newcastle to Sunderland/South Shields routes. X24/X34 are designed for end-to-end journeys, which is covered by the Metro.

I have actually done the full 56 and 27 routes, and they aren't bad. But I wasn't saying to do that, I was saying get the Metro.

That mean the X77/X78 arent needed then, thats covered by the Metro to the Airport?

(10 hours ago)Malarkey wrote I had this in mind including serving Team Valley.

Aye could do, not going to lie I was thinking something like this and create new links in the Sunderland side rather than duplicating everything else



Could easily work with Nexus and get shot of the 99 or 599 because they're both not needed. The hospital links aren't great from the North side and it would fix some of the Pallion issues at the Northern side since the 10/11 changes ie. you don't have to go on a tour around the loop.

There's always the option of extending the 4 over to Boldon Asda from Downhill, to offer connections to services 30 to South Shields & X34 to Newcastle.

Unfortunately, the biggest problem I find with Stagecoach in the North East is there just is not any innovation by them to start new routes, unless of course they are heavily subsidised & contracted routes...

(7 hours ago)S830OFT wrote Unfortunately, the biggest problem I find with Stagecoach in the North East is there just is not any innovation by them to start new routes, unless of course they are heavily subsidised & contracted routes...

Apart from the X24 and X34 of course - where this discussion started, with the mad suggestion that they shouldn't exist...

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(11 hours ago)morritt89 wrote I live in the North of Sunderland and used the X36 a fair bit. It saved a trek to Southwick Green to get the 56 and was also quicker (or at least seemed quicker) than the 56 to Newcastle.

The issue, in my opinion, is that the estates that it went through (Carley Hill, Withereack, Redhouse and Downhill)  were dominated by Stagecoach.  I think if Stagecoach ran the X36 or an alternative Newcastle express via Sunderland North Estates (or even reinstate lost links with the 7 via Newcastle Road) it would be more successful.

I think this is the problem with a North Sunderland 'express' - unlike X24 where you can just head straight along Chester Road (pretty much the same as a car journey), not piddle around all the individual estates, for some reason that's exactly what seems to happen north of the river.  Weaving through the various council estates is always going to feel slow and circuitous.  If they wanted an express to work in that area, an X56 that runs North Hylton Road/Washington Road but then via FBP instead of a magical mystery tour of Washington and Gateshead would be more likely to appeal I'd guess.

(7 hours ago)S830OFT wrote There's always the option of extending the 4 over to Boldon Asda from Downhill, to offer connections to services 30 to South Shields & X34 to Newcastle.

Unfortunately, the biggest problem I find with Stagecoach in the North East is there just is not any innovation by them to start new routes, unless of course they are heavily subsidised & contracted routes...

The won't take the risk because (feel like a broken record here) why invest in sonething you're very likely going to have taken off you very soon?

Plus, the group is owned by an investment firm, who want it to look as good as possible on paper.