(27 Dec 2013, 4:26 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote And it wasn't worth turning out for, loadings were abysmal. I did the Arriva 44/45 to Dinnington for Weardale in 2010 & 2011; in 2010 Newcastle were at home and several buses were overloaded after the match and loadings reasonable at other times, in 2011 much less busy and it can't have been worth the small fortune Nexus paid for these services with drivers on £200 for the day and light running from Stanhope.
Weardale should have a go at operating a revised X21 service next year, because I noticed a few posts complaining about the lack of services from Newcastle to Bishop.
They could re-route it from Durham to serve the Metrocentre (stopping at Framwellgate Moor and Chester, then non-stop), then continue to Newcastle. This would provide a link from Durham to the Metrocentre, and Bishop to Newcastle and Metrocentre.