(13 Jul 2020, 9:54 pm)Andreos1 wrote Imagine the media outcry when those essential workers who have to use the 25 to work, suddenly had a faff on getting there, 'cos their bus to work was re-routed during a global pandemic?

I'm not saying they did do it that way to prove a point, but you can see why some would have those suspicions.

The Wrekenton - Harlow Green/Low Fell link could have been saved in so many other different ways. Ways, that wouldn't have necessarily seen the introduction of a new service and associated costs, just to maintain the Birtley South - QE connection.

Having just had another look at the timetable and the slack in it, I can't believe they're not sending it in to Barley Mow to penetrate the estate and potentially pick up extra passengers. Ditto at the other end and Windy Nook.
There will be people in those areas, who will need to get to the hospital once this covid19 is over with - yet are being ignored.
You have people on shifts in those areas, who may use public transport - but are being ignored.

You've then got the dinner break and 2 hour gap in service which would disrupt flow too.

Yet people wonder why it doesn't work?

Same thing is true about 938 in Sunderland, the only unique place it serves is Tunstall Bank Estate, it follows the 38 for most of it's journey, then ends up following the 39A through Esdale estate. In the case of the 938 especially, I don't see why they couldn't just pay GNE to extend the 38/38A back to Tunstall Bank, rather then have a bus just follow around commercial services before serving an estate that has 8 buses an hour on the main road 50 metres away. Complete waste of time.