(15 Aug 2018, 10:01 pm)S830OFT wrote Im thinking maybe PCL could operate a commercial service to Newcastle by simply extending one of the Wooler services using a Versa. I could actually see it working as Arriva prove themselves unreliable when it comes to Alnwick services.
Suggestion:
Route N1 'The Northern Direct'
Alnwick - Willowburn - Shilbottle - A1 - Morpeth - Stannington - Dinnington - Newcastle Airport - Newcastle St. Thomas Street - Central Station.
This service will replace service S1/S2 in Stannington, it will reinstate the link to Newcastle, it will allow links to Train and Flight Connections by serving Newcastle Airport and Central Station. Also will allow more choice for passengers, in particular Alnwick to Morpeth as the current X15 is always delayed for various reasons.
"Arriva prove themselves unreliable" - I wonder if you've given much thought to why the Alnwick services aren't always bang on time, or how often you use them and understand why? The A1 north of Morpeth is a single carriageway for much of the X15 route, and is frequently at a standstill. Morpeth traffic is also ridiculously unpredictable, and can be awful at various points of the day. Also "unreliable" - yes they're usually 5-10 minutes late, but in all the time I've used them, they've never failed to turn up.
The N1 - I don't understand how that route would be any more reliable than the X15. The issue with the X15 is, mainly, the A1 between Morpeth and Alnwick, and Morpeth itself. There also isn't an awful lot of demand for a really slow route to the Airport. Most people will get a taxi, or an express to Regent Centre and catch a Metro.