(18 Aug 2025, 11:20 pm)DH9 wrote Loading on X45 does suggest going to a 20 minute frequency.

I'd go for a revised X46 to fill the gap, but going up Ebchester bank past Derwent Walk Inn (restoring links) before dropping towards Shotley Bridge and rejoining the X45 route before Benfieldside.

Option to swing via the hospital?

Probably not the right place but maybe another option would be to withdraw the V5 and X71 and move them into the Derwentside corridor with the X45 and 47? Something like this maybe which would open up a few new links in areas which currently have next to no service or a very poor one at that:


It's the sort of place I'd love to see BSIP money used personally. Whether you up the X70 to every 30 minutes at the same time, I'll let someone else decide but it's killed off two hourly services and a town service and I'm sure everyone knows what I think about those. 

You would need something for the other half of the V5 though, don't know what. Maybe just these extended through? One to Crookhall and the other to Templetown again giving more direct Newcastle links.