(24 Dec 2021, 11:54 am)Adrian wrote In the short term, maybe, but in the mid-long term it'll just re-enforce the position that buses aren't a convenient form of transport for them and will speed up their desire to learn to drive and get behind a wheel.

Plus the X22 generally takes around 40 minutes from Durham to the Metrocentre, whereas the X21/X66 takes almost twice the time at 76 minutes. Not exactly convenient for a 17 mile trip... an average speed of 22mph?

Didn't help that in the most recent timetable change the X21 got extra running time added in so the journey time is now the same as the X12 takes from Durham, at least on the plus side the 21 & X21 now leave 15 minutes between each other although annoyingly for me now leaves 5 mins in front of the X12 towards Newcastle (annoying long wait or painfully long 21 trip for me if the 7 arrives in Durham late).

Problem with suspending the likes of the X22 is it damages any thoughts of its existence so will just be forgotten about when the service starts up again, to a degree this is what saw the downfall of Arriva's X24 which ran to the same route as the X22 does. If you have to suspend something at CLS, at least its a service mostly used for leisure purposes although some Metrocentre staff do use it.

Think this could be the case for some time, they're gonna struggle to recruit when posts on their socials are littered with comments about poor pay, bad experiences from past members of staff and frustrated passengers from buses not running.