The 85A is always packed full of the Oxclose schoolkids whenever I see it in passing on a morning. I'd imagine any speculative journeys made by adult commuters would sharp drop off once they realise what they're in for.

A blind man could see that it's just an ill-thought-out attempt to reduce the existing dead mileage from Riverside to Springwell than actually create a meaningful difference for any morning commuters travelling southbound from Gateshead to Washington. From my own observations, I'm also not convinced there is any real need for additional buses on that corridor heading southbound.