(02 Nov 2023, 2:29 pm)Storx wrote The X7, X8 and X63 certainly cannot cover the 354 at all. None of them 3 are going via Gosforth. Arriva have already attempted this and it was one of the most unpopular changes ever and quickly reversed as it was a complete farce.

They're express services, focused on the outer areas, not going around the house routes. When there's a new railway line opening, the last thing they need to do is make them slower than they already are.

There's just simply no demand for the 354 between Newcastle and Four Lane Ends and it can be done by changing onto a Metro and changing onto another bus anyway. The corridor has been slowing dying ever since Northumberland Park Metro station opened pretty much as it's just much quicker and easier via Metro.

X7/X8 - only possible change would be to serve all stops on Matthew Bank to make up for the lack of 355.

As for the X63, does it get that busy outside of the peaks to justify a full fast service? Would still be quicker than the 62/63 even if it did the Killingworth loop then as per the 54/56/356 to Newcastle Haymarket. Could even run an hourly evening & Sunday service too.