(25 Jan 2021, 1:20 am)Storx wrote Well if it's using the Metro Zones which has been rumoured then the train will be cheaper at £5.30 vs £6.40 for the bus.

I know you mentioned Cramlington but the service there is a token service at best really being hourly and not running in the evenings and they've got an express service every 10 minutes which is literally non stop bar the Regent Centre and Gosforth. Around here I could imagine there being a large shift for commuters as the X7 is so unreliable with whatever mad scheme North Tyneside are upto lately around Gosforth or Sandy Lane and it's been known to take an hour to do a 9 mile journey (the same problems you'd hit in a car).

It's the same story with up Bebside who have the equally unreliable X8 for the same reasons and I could imagine there being a large shift up there with passengers potentially changing from bus to train if the fares are right (or just driving to the station and using the P&R).

Sadly it's one of the few areas where you can't even blame Arriva as they've tried their hardest to make them reliable but North Tyneside and Newcastle CC just set them up to fail. It's definitely interesting though to see how well it will do and whether we'll see a reduction in cars aswell with all the large car parks planned.

I appreciate there's other factors which comes in to play at Cramlington, but if the demand was there - there would probably be more of a service.
However for the vast majority of people in Cramlington, getting the bus in to the town is easier and that comes down to factors such as convenience and the location of the station vs the majority of the population. 

If you repeat that on the B&T line, again there will be similar situations.
If you're in Newbiggin, is getting a bus in to Ashington, walking to the station, hanging around waiting for a train and then hiking back up in to the town from Central Station really going to be an option for many?
If you're in Seghill and off to Uni in Newcastle or to work on Northumberland St - which is going to be the more attractive option?

I agree that for some the train will be a draw. Others will stick with the bus imo. 
As developers start building more properties in SE Northumberland, then as long as bus operators adapt to suit new markets - they should survive without too much of an issue. They have the flexibility that the train doesn't have. It's up to them to use that flexibility rather than keeping and maintaining the status quo.