(07 Apr 2021, 6:13 pm)mb134 wrote That will never work. During the day, the main bulk of X21/22 passengers use it for local trips rather than to town. Similarly, the one bus per hour on the X20 is generally more than enough. You'd then be leaving Newbiggin with the 35 as the only regular service, which gets busy enough as it is.With some investment and subsequent cascades, the 35 and X19 (with X19 covering Woodhorn) as well as hourly X21 would be more than fine. 35 really should be allocated deckers.
Peaks are busier for the X20, yes, but then they've already got two extra trips per day to allow for that.
The X19 would offer much quicker links from Newbiggin to Newcastle (just over 1 hour) as well as give some serious competition to BRT with a half hourly X19/X20 from Ashington to Newcastle.
Not forgetting a PVR reduction of 3x vehicles and less reliance on misc workings (scholars etc) to run on to the peak X20's.