The changes aren't a huge surprise. Newcastle has a fairly untouched and unchanged stale network in Stagecoach terms.
It's never really had a full change since the Busways takeover. A few cosmetic snips here and there.
The likes of the 22 and X63 being left alone probably says more for commercial partnership with Cobalt and Quorum more than anything.
The huge issue is the traffic around Newcastle that barring huge investment in infrastructure you aren't going to solve, Newcastle is a growing big city and it's beginning to show as commuters move out towards subabrbs to live and work in but still commute through the city centre. Sunderland just doesn't compare
RE: Stagecoach North East: Upcoming Service Changes
Wistfully stuck in the 90s