(21 Jan 2024, 2:28 pm)Storx wrote That 309 would carry around fresh air, it's literally resurrecting the X9 from around 2012, which failed miserably as it's way too long from Marden estate and serves nothing else in the process. Only someone mad would use it over the X38 as it's not competitive from Whitley Bay.

Each route would have a different purpose though, hence reducing the whole 'overlap'. If someone was travelling from Whitley Bay, Foxhunters (including parts Marden if able to walk) or Preston Grange to Newcastle, they'd likely use the X38/308.

306 purpose:
- Metro replacement if Metro is off
- Tynemouth, North Shields, Collingwood, Chirton, Silverlink
- All stops along the Coast Road (with some feed from the X38)
- Coast Road / Station Road to Newcastle

307 purpose:
- North Shields, Meadowell, Chirton, New York Hadrian Park, Battle Hill, High Farm
- Battle Hill > High Farm > Coast Road / Station Road to Newcastle

X38 purpose (evening 308 still serving all stops):
- Willington Square, Silverlink, Chirton, Preston Grange, Foxhunters, Hillheads, Whitley Bay, The Coast, Blyth
- Blyth to Cobalt (with change onto 309 at Whitley Bay or NT Hospital)
- Seaton Sluice, Whitley Bay, Hillheads, Foxhunters, Preston Grange, Chirton, Silverlink, Willington Square fast to High Heaton, Jesmond, Newcastle

309 purpose:
- Blyth to Cobalt link (in conjunction with X38)
- Marden to Newcastle (still faster than 306)
- Marden to NT Hospital direct link re-instated.
- Offers some locations or nearby locations previously covered by 308 and no longer observed by X38.
- Cobalt then Battle Hill > High Farm > Coast Road / Station Road to Newcastle

Also looking at current common corridors:
- Coast Road / Station Road to Newcastle - excluding the X38 from Corner House, reduced from 12bph to 9bph. Likely that 306, 307 and 309 will carry more passengers as a result along this stretch
- Battle Hill to Newcastle - reduced from 9bph to 6bph, 307 and 309 will carry more passengers
- Billy Mill to Newcastle - some will tend towards X38 although coincidentally still 'some' headway with 306. But the 306 would mainly be focussed on any passengers needing all stops along the Coast Road as opposed to more into High Heaton, Jesmond or Newcastle.
- Preston Grange, Foxhunters, Hillheads, Whitley Bay, The Coast, Blyth - Reduced from 6bph to 3bph. Therefore, X38 would likely carry more on this stretch.

Speaking of the Ridley Park or Broadway issue in Blyth, if GNE decided to do a u-turn for the umpteenth time on extending the Coaster to wherever in Gateshead and instead curtail at Gateshead Interchange or Newcastle.......could be an opportunity to open up a new full coastal link to Blyth and solve the Ridley Park issue out. Although, would need re-numbered 301 in-case some poor soul intending going to Bedlington Station or Ashington ended up in Wallsend or Walkergate haha!