Appreciate this may come under service suggestion and It will obviously depend on where there is a critical mass of people, but I'd like to see Lothian Buses style peak X express services mirroring the main routes as part of the solution. Although they'd probably be oversubscribed!

Something like a 56X from the estates of Washington (not the Galleries) and fast to Newcastle, a 10X from Crawcrook, avoiding Blaydon and fast via Scotswood Road or 27X from Lukes Lane, Monkton Lane and Pelaw then fast to Newcastle. Places unconnected with the Metro where the standard bus route takes way too long to be attractive.