(29 Oct 2025, 8:12 pm)Jimmi wrote Views are very mixed on the proposed changes, some want the Aycliffe & Darlo link back, but understandably there's opposition to the removal of the current X22 to North Tees Hospital and Stockton, more for North Tees as is often the way when hospital links are removed.
Biggest issues with the routes are the fact it's essentially dead south of Sedgefield, not helped by the gaps of anywhere to pick up/drop off passengers for about 15 minutes, current X22 not being helped by the fact it largely dupes the X12 for the remainder of the route for Stockton aside from Thorpe Thewles which risks losing its bus service as a result and North Tees which is typically not a daily link for most aside from people who work there and the X12 stops close by. At very least the X21 provides a link which is now a nightmare to undertake, especially from Newton Aycliffe.
Comments are still being made wishing for the X12 to additionally serve Fishburn which Arriva suggested about doing in a survey a few year back but was left as it was.
If it was going to be running to/from Darlington again, not sure how it would work resource wise given the extra time it takes to run to Darlo via Aycliffe vs the current X22 to Stockton which requires 4 buses, unless it somehow got worked in with the 22/23/24 cycle.
Sorry I missed this, yeah I could imagine that would be the case to be honest but I guess it depends how many people are really using it or if it's people moaning for the sake of moaning.
Wonder if there might be additional changes coming to Darlington as part of this, mainly involving the 8/17 as it could easily work with one of them, if say the 8 was changed in some way.
Not sure sending the X12 through Fishburn would be good though as it'd extend it badly.
imo if Durham wanted to make changes, the best thing would be to split the 59 in half, the extreme double back via Trimdon pretty much makes it two bus routes anyway, with one side of it being extended South to Stockton and the other just terminating short somewhere. They might actually have some passengers then as they're rather quiet right now whenever I've seen them.