(02 Jun 2025, 9:36 pm)L469 YVK wrote Sorry for my long-winded rant, but here's what I mean 

Current:
X30/X31/X32/X70/X71/X73 - 12x
6 - 6x
47/X45 - 12x (from July 2025)
TOTAL = 30x

Potential (based on historical routes):
45/46/47 - 14x - 47 to Blackhall Mill only
V9 - 1x
43/44 (or similar) - 10x - to Stanley only!
X30/X31/X70/X71 - 10x* - all hourly (15/30 on common sections) and via Gateshead
X97 - Newcastle > Whickham Loop - 2x
TOTAL = 37x

** Note this would involve the X30/X31 restored to Lanchester, which could be justified using BSIP. So effectively, GNE would only be increasing PVR by 5x fully commercially.

For the sake of no more than 7x vehicles, GNE could offer a way better service. In fact, maybe only one of the 43/44 would only need to go to Newcastle, again saving another bus or 2x. Poss some way of withdrawing the 643 too and integrating that as part of the 43/44 (MetroCentre) and X97 (Whickham loop).

In fairness if you're gaining 7 buses I'm not sure that's the best use of them.

You might aswell do:
X30 | Extended to Lanchester instead of 6 (Every Hour)
X31 | No Changes (Every Hour)
X70 | Frequency Increase (Every 30 Minutes)
X71 | Replaced by X70/46 (Withdrawn)
X72 | Replaced by X70/7 (Withdrawn)
X73 | Renumbered 7 (Withdrawn)
6 | No Changes (Every 30 Minutes)
7 | Renumbered X73 and terminate short at Annfield Plain (Every 30 Minutes)
45 | Renumbered X45 (Every 30 Minutes)
46 | 45 from Newcastle to Hamsterly Mill, X71 from there to Consett (Every 30 Minutes)
47 | No Changes (Every 30 Minutes)

Hourly bus services are horrid and unusable for most people, the best thing you could ever do is get rid of all of them imo. 

Evenings:
X30 | Hourly
X31 | No Service
X70 | No Service
6 | Hourly
7 | Hourly
45 | Hourly 
46 | Hourly 
47 | Hourly

It means everywhere would have an evening service too which Leadgate and Meadomsley don't currently and other than the X71 change it's much of the same as it is now in County Durham.