(08 May 2024, 9:40 am)Ambassador wrote I think people are getting a tad over excited on what will happen here.

What we'll get
Some buses painted in a new livery running the existing routes, a few renumbering, some random routes reintroduced, new ticketing options and the same issues around the road network.

Integration with Metro won't work, it's a product of bygone era and no amount of pointing to how they do it on the continent will make a difference. People want convenience and they certainly don't want to spend time in Heworth, Gateshead, Pelaw, Four Lane Ends etc etc

See I disagree that integration is bad, I like the idea of a London type system with a Bus ticket for a zone or a Bus + Metro ticket. It's how I've always used it in southern South Shields, I'd get the X34 to Newcastle, or if I've just missed an X34, I'll get the bus to the Interchange and get a metro from there. I've done that all my life, ever since I was a kid, and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one doing that. I think you'd be surprised how the system is actually used already.