Been on them quite a bit in Scotland too.
With not being a regular visitor to North Sunderland, I don't know the bus network around Castletown, Marley Potts etc too well or how it works currently, but as an outsider looking at the map, the proposed GNE changes seem to skirt around the estates and duplicate the other GNE services mentioned in the consultation as well as others like the 56 and 73.
I appreciate people will be happy about the reinstatement of the 10 year old missing link, but it seems very little imagination has been used in the route design or planning.
Adam - Didnt see the previous suggestion for the x56, but I would keep it away from Washington if only to save time and to avoid too much duplication with existing services - maybe sending it the old X4 way until it reaches the A19 and then direct to Heworth or giving it a 'free reign' so to speak and letting it have a flexible route in case of traffic problems, so it could go via Washington Road like the 56 does and then onto Heworth.
(12 Mar 2013, 12:35 am)olliesunderland wrote The amount they change services in North Sunderland, its not wonder no one ever uses them. People do they say they lack a decent evening service but I think its just down to stability. I'd imagine it wont be long before the only services in North Sunderland are the likes of the 35/A, 56 and 9. They just cant seem to get anything else working right for them. With these changes in mind I give it until May next year before you see the 99, 26 and X36 gone altogether. Like previous people have said, they should stick to what works, in this case the 56 and add a X56 come onto the A19, straight down the Felling bypass into Heworth, Gateshead and Newcastle and put it into the fab fifty six brand
On the old GNE facebook forum I said that the X3 wouldnt work either locally or for passengers going the full journey. There have been far too many services going the same way, to only fail and get withdrawn after a short while. Why GNE thought it would be different this time, goodness knows.
If you're on Newcastle Road heading into Sunderland (or vice versa), you are going to get the 1st bus which comes (probably a 35 or 9). Stragglers will get the following bus (probably another 35 or 9...).
I made the point earlier about passengers in Sunderland City Centre choosing the metro over a bus, mainly based on journey times. Brandon mentioned the journey times and also the loadings/over crowding during peak - that says it all for me...