Article in the Hexham Courant today -

http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/news...rPath=home

The 685 is a jointly-operated service so thought best to mention it here rather than in the operator threads.

Is it just me who doesn't understand where some of this moaning comes from? For such a long distance route, I don't think the occasional 10 minute delay is anything to shout about at all. I've found myself regularly waiting much longer than this for a local bus service on a far shorter route!

For a route that is in competition with the train and other buses between Hexham and Newcastle, it might just not be economical to insert an extra bus into the timetable.

Going from the article, a problem journey appears to be the 0745 from Newcastle. This trip is operated by Arriva and I think they run the 685 from their Jesmond depot, and this journey will have come straight from there. Pleasing to see that Arriva are aware and working to resolve this though.

I've never travelled on the route myself, but I think it would be too much of an ask to expect every bus to operate to timetable when you take into consideration the mileage these coaches are put up to.