(30 Oct 2025, 10:38 pm)L469 YVK wrote It might well do, but Arriva do have strong catchment areas especially around Cramlington so although something like the X9 might take a hit on the Northernly part of the route, Cramlington & Beacon Hill will prop it up especially with the new houses.
Only things I can see happen longer term is something done with the Blyth > Cramlington section of the X8, and maybe the X21/X22 going half-hourly. But can't see any wholesale changes other than some refinements / tweaks as Northumbria is a pretty strong network.
Also, this could pose a problem with single deckers although the 1&2 are single deck so maybe not. But if GNE ever spit their dumny out and go to the begging bowl over the 35x services - Arriva could make a good go of the 353 half-hourly extended to Morpeth instead of the 43, and running via High Pit & NSECH as opposed to Dudley Lane.
Yep, they should of saw the potential in the 35x services, its been clear to me from day 1 that the only service they really wanted is the 355, likely why the rest are all hourly, they've already pretty much killed off the 352, the 353 is hourly when really it should be half hourly, the 354 to North Shields is not needed, if it is so much of a problem then swap it back over again pre 2013, ie
353 to Whitley Bay, 354 to North Shields, the 355 should also be swapped back to its route in the days of the 55 and the 354, you guessed it reverted to route in the days of the 356 (but half hourly this time)