(15 Jul 2023, 8:11 pm)mb134 wrote I think it could be wise to reintroduce the X16, or at least look to retime the current Morpeth express services.
The X18 tended to be very busy anyway, but as it stands currently there is a 30 minute gap before it. So while the X14/15 have another service taking the pressure off it to Morpeth/Newcastle 15 minutes beforehand, the popular X18 has nothing to take any pressure off it and so gets consistently slammed.
Given the 2 now serves Kirkhill again, it would be possible to extend the X16 to either Stobhill or up to Lancaster Park and the new housing developments around Northgate in the spare 20 mins or so between trips. Given the £2/£2.50 singles are in place for a while yet, it seems like an ideal time to test the waters and grow the market - especially considering passenger numbers on the 3 remaining services seem as strong as/stronger than they were pre-Covid (particularly the X14!).
Or what they could do in Morpeth is:
X16 returns as its original route from Newcastle-Kirkhill
2 withdrawn via Kirkhill and retimed to operate every 20 minutes Between Morpeth & Blyth and could also have it interworking with the 35
Could also put the 1 every 20 minutes on the blyth-wansbeck hospital section too (obviously with the 1 trip an hour to Widdrington) so that the 1/2 are on their pre covid timetable