If Arriva really want to win back customers in the Tyne Valley, why not try this:

- Service X80 will replace service 685. It would serve the current 685 route between Carlisle and Hexham. From Hexham, buses would serve GNE's 10 route between Hexham and Prudhoe Front Street. From Prudhoe, buses would then operate limited stop to Newcastle only calling at Blaydon and Metro Centre. Service X80 would operate every 30 minutes during the day between Newcastle and Hexham with buses continuing hourly to Carlisle. Evening and Sunday buses would operate every 2 hours between Carlisle and Hexham with buses then feeding onto a regular Sunday service between Hexham and Newcastle.

- Service 602 would serve Prudhoe to Newcastle every 30 minutes using the same route as the 10B but buses would call at all stops between Metro Centre and Newcastle. Evening and Sunday buses would operate hourly contunuing to Hexham with buses every 2 hours continuing to Carlisle as service X80.

-Service 603 would serve Rockwood Hill to Newcastle every 15 minutes via the 10A route but serving all stops between Metro Centre and Newcastle. Evening and Sunday buses would operate every 30 minutes.

- Service 604 would operate the same route as the 10B between Low Prudhoe and Stoneyflat Bank. After this point, buses would serve the same route as service 10 between Here and Newcastle but serving all stops between Metro Centre and Newcastle. Buses would operate every 30 minutes with evening and Sunday buses operating every 60 minutes.