(15 Aug 2023, 6:57 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote The problem is that even at its pre-covid frequency, it still isn't enough. the x1 needs to be 8bph at least from Newcastle - Washington possible as far as houghton. 
I was going to suggest making the 82 extend from Birtley to Newcastle but neither the 21 or 25 routes work with the existing times.

I’ve always thought that was one of the stranger outcomes of streamlined services, Washington to Newcastle was a lot busier than Washington to Easington Lane. Saturday daytimes in particular you’d struggle to get standing room from when I used the route circa 2017/2018. Have loadings decreased that significantly. 

I’d say that the current timetable works on the southern side of the route, but perhaps short runs on the Newcastle to Washington side running alongside the current timetable. I sort of hope they don’t tinker with the timetable too much, to create uneven headway on journeys to South Hetton & Peterlee.

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(15 Aug 2023, 8:19 pm)Iamtheone8483748 wrote Seen a few buses on the X6 recently and the loadings seem to be very healthy even with the doubled frequency!

Yeah I’ve observed the exact same. Nearly posted this the other day - a perfect time to increase a service in time for summer and school six week holiday. 

It was one of my gripes when they cut services last summer, in June or July iirc before the ‘summer season’ took off, as surely that’s when leisure travellers would be more likely to return to buses in greater numbers after the pandemic.