(29 May 2025, 7:54 am)Storx wrote To be fair that would be only 1 vehicle and would offer a turn up and go between the Metro and Cobalt. Be a massive coup if advertised well as it's pretty much unusable currently as it's too infrequent.
imo the 18 should stay but extended to Wallsend. It's the Q3 which should be curtailed at St Peter's instead as it's overkill subsidising 5 BPH along Walker Road which is happening right now and the 18 has unique destinations unlike the Q3(12).
Btw talking of loops, I'd love to see something like the below:
It would open loads of new little connections and at the same time withdraw the 49, 354 and X46 as the main links are covered within it. Arguably all the pink spots are locations where people might want to go and all the sections with the red line through (looks pink) are currently unserved by any buses, at all, or only infrequent subsidised services so at the same time is opening access to public transport.
Another idea i had in regards to the 18 was this
Northern section, reintroduced to Forest Hall and operate an anti-clockwise loop via Glebe Road, Great Lime Road, Feetham Avenue, Meadway, Forest Hall Road (Ritz), Station Road North
Southern section, reintroduced to Wallsend and extended to Willington Quay and Howdon and operate as follows Maurice Road, Buddle Street, Wallsend Interchange, High Street East, Tynemouth Road, Howdon Lane (Howdon Metro), Bewick Road (return trip to Forest Hall starts here), Hadrian Road, Wallsend Interchange, High Street West, Stotts Road
Gives the 18 more of a purpose then
I still stand by the rest of the comments in my previous post, back in the days of PTE, the were the inner circle and outer circle (no idea what the service numbers were, I think the 41 was one of them), the older guys will know for certain