(15 Jan 2022, 1:25 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Thanks. Personally I don't see the point of coordinating the 684/685 times when tickets are not valid on both services. For the full journey an Explorer is required, for anywhere else on the route a day rover would be required. Highly doubt people will use both services. An hourly service is unfortunate.

But surely there's less point in running the services at more or less exactly the same times as currently happens with the X84/685? Because for passengers living in the villages on the route they're essentially going from an hourly to a half hourly service. So I fail to understand why you can't see the point in that. With the BSIP and other measures in the future, changes are going to be about reducing competition and increasing provision. Not least you've got to consider that the 684 is funded for by Northumberland County Council - it's a waste of money funding a service at the exactly the same time as a commercial operation.