(24 Dec 2021, 11:00 am)Adrian wrote The suggestion that a growing popularity of a railway service is impacting the X84/X85, or the all but abandoned battle with the railway service on the X9/X10, feels like an acceptance of defeat. What happened to offering a better product, travel experience and so on?

Surely that's the correct thing if everything was right. It shouldn't be bus vs train. It should public transport vs car. The fact that trains up here are so fragmented is a massive issue in comparison to say places like Leeds where you can get train and bus tickets. There is literally no ticket for someone catching a train from Hexham to Newcastle, then a bus from there to Cobalt let's say.

The problem isn't the X84/X85, it's the horrendous ticket acceptance between trains and buses. It's £173 a month for someone travelling from Huddersfield to Leeds with the ability to use any train in West Yorkshire and buses county wise. Good value imo as trains are never cheap and it's what is needed in places like Hexham. You'd be looking at £20's worth of petrol a week at least travelling back and forwards from Hexham every day with a car before parking and so on. (£92 without the train).

It's the same for the X9/X10. Surely the best answer would be a train then change to a bus on one ticket. less vehicles through the ULEZ and less traffic on the roads especially in Newcastle which is just filled with buses.

It's the same with Newcastle to Durham, yes the hill is a big problem but if we're being serious then you could easily build some escalators up from where the top of the ramp is with that improved aswell. It's literally a 5 minute walk from the bus station with that done and that would be a big push. Bus to Durham 15 mins, train to Newcastle 15 mins. 45 minute journey time vs driving for from 45 mins but that could be double with traffic.