(15 Aug 2018, 10:18 pm)mb134 wrote "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.
It's well worth a try at New Ideas, people said the X10 into Dalton Park would be a bad move, it turns out it's boosted passenger numbers...
And I think you will find most delays are caused by passengers at the bus stations mainly purchasing various tickets. I've been on the X15 quite a few times and even when it departs Newcastle late it makes up the time on route.