I have re-designed each area that GNE covers, but I thought I would start with Consett, West Gateshead & Durham links. Pictures are attached, and route colours match their writing below. Bear in mind, I am not interested in Branding and just used the terminology to properly separate the different corridors. Also please ignore all of the grey lines on the maps these are other routes I have drawn but coloured them in grey so its not confusing as they're not related
Coast to Country (Combined PVR=14)
7 Sunderland to Stanley (via Houghton-le-Spring, Chester-le-St & South Stanley)
8 Sunderland to Consett (via Washington, Chester-le-St, Beamish & Stanley)
New Connections: Beamish with Consett & Houghton to Chester-le-St
Corridor upgrades: include Faster links between Chester-le-St & Houghton/Washington/Sunderland (via Chester Rd) and better coordination of services, meaning 15 mins combined frequency
Any negatives?: Bournmoor lost has its direct link to Sunderland
Tyne-Valley (Combined PVR=17)
10 Newcastle to Hexham (via Metrocentre, Blaydon, Prudhoe & Corbridge)
10A Newcastle to Prudhoe (via Team, Metrocentre, Crawcrook & Tyne View Retail Park)
10B Newcastle to Blackhall Mill (via Teams, Metrocentre, Crawcrook & Rockwood Hill)
New Connections: 10A improves local journeys in Prudhoe by "going round the streets"
Corridor upgrades: numbering makes more sense, each route every 30 mins combined into 10 min frequency from Crawcrook to Newcastle
Any negatives?: 10B upped to 2 bph to keep Chopwell links/frequency, however longer journey to Metrocentre (compared to current 47). Highfield loses direct link to Metrocentre
West Durham (Combined PVR=16) - X15 interworks with X70
14 - Castleside to Durham (via Consett, Lanchester, Langley Park & Arnison Centre)
X15 - Consett to Durham (via Leadgate, Lanchester & Witton Gilbert)
16 - Shotley Bridge H to Durham (via Consett, Dipton, Stanley & Sacriston)
17 - Metrocentre to Durham (via Sunniside, Dipton, Stanley & Sacriston)
New Connections: Castleside/Consett/Lanchester bolted onto 14 route means improved local connections to Arnsion Centre & 17 gives better connections to the Metrocentre.
Corridor upgrades: Services simplified and each route being every 30 mins means Lanchester has more bph, also more people should use the X15 as the 14/16 are not meant for end-to-end journeys. 14 can be more profitable and not be empty by Langley Park
Any negatives?: V5 southern section withdrawn, unsure what to do with northern section
Beamish & Stanley (Combined PVR = 11)
28 - Newcastle to Durham (via Gateshead, Stanley, Beamish & Chester-le-St)
29 - Newcastle to Lanchester (via Gateshead, Sunniside, Stanley & Burnhope)
30 - Newcastle to Quaking Houses (via Gateshead, Sunniside, Tantobie & Stanley)
New Connections: Newcastle to Beamish to Durham
Corridor upgrades: Bus every 15 mins from Stanley to Gateshead & Newcastle (28-29-28-30), faster journey from Newcastle to Beamish
Any negatives?: Slightly longer journey than current X30/X31, but this has better connections & higher frequency, & Catchgate loses its direct service to Newcastle.
Derwentside (Combined PVR = 15) - X70 interworks with X15
45 Newcastle - Consett Delves (via Metrocentre, Rowlands Gill, Medomsley & Leadgate)
46 Newcastle - Consett (via Metrocentre, Rowlands Gill, Burnopfield & Shotley Bridge)
47 Newcastle - Consett (Blaydon, Rowlands Gill, Chopwell & Shotley Bridge)
X70 Newcastle - Consett (via Gateshead, Whickham
New Connections: Newcastle to Delves, Blaydon & Consett, Newcastle Business Park to Dertwentside & Consett, Leadgate to Metrocentre, Whickham to Consett
Corridor upgrades: 46 reinstated, to keep the 4 bph to Metrocentre
Any negatives?: X45 will lose the "X" express feel but will still be roughly the same as before, just pushes people to X70 for express journey. You would have to build a small bit of road between Oviington Court & Redmire Drive for the 45 route in Templetown.
X15/X70 combined PVR = 7