(07 Mar 2022, 5:55 pm)cbma06 wrote The x20 could divert via Doxford to do the peak runs on the 55 if the 55 set to be withdrawn

I would of extended the 35 from low moorsley to sherburn via low and high pittington

I would chop the 20 at Sunderland and have the x20 going to shields, and chop the x20 at Durham and extend the 204/204a ( change number) to Langley park


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I'd look at either diverting a 71 that way or sending one of the many Seaham - Sunderland buses on to the A19 between Doxford and Seaton myself.
Even if it was just peaks. 

Changing in the Ryhope area or going all the way to Park Lane and then back out, isn't very attractive for many passengers. 

Maybe looking at doing something different, rather than the same old.

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(07 Mar 2022, 4:49 pm)Drifter60 wrote Is the X1 trying to do too many things at once? The Sunday service whilst a good uplift from Newcastle to Washington, it means Washington to Easington Lane is left with two buses an hour still but now not equally split, with a 40 minute gap, arguably a lot worse than they have now.

Dalton Park link seems to have been cut a lot too, I almost wonder why they’ve bothered continue it? Looking at the timetable seems to be just operationally convenient. 

I still maintain that the X1 is confusing now “X1 to Easington Lane, Dalton Park, Peterlee, Washington Galleries” you sort of need to know the exact route of each variation, just to know will this one get you home!

The 55s days seems to be numbered. The X1 offering two buses an hour means it’s not as needed on that Houghton to Peterlee corridor as much. Plus it’s been took out of Doxford International outside peak times, so is just doing exactly the same as the 20/X20 do on daytime runs. So it’s now just duplicating other routes across all sections. I wonder if once the 20 goes back to normal timetable, it’ll be a case of “the 55 is no longer needed as we’ve increased our popular X1 and 20 services across all sections of the 55 route”. Peterlee to Sunderland passengers have the X6 as the quicker option in any case.

Sorry, missed this.

I've really wondered why they haven't pushed this route more.

On one hand they're saying the leisure market is the one they're aiming for (commuters aren't coming back apparently) and at the same time, they're not offering a route to and from this 'leisure' destination (which offers food, cinema and shopping) for the majority of the potential visitors living in the area.

There's cinemas, pubs, shops and restaurants crying out for customers and you've got a bus operator who could feed them with customers. Taking them away again at the end of the night.
Yet there's nothing.
No promotions. No partnerships. Nowt.