(20 Nov 2025, 4:11 pm)Storx wrote The problem is though everything you've described there is literally the purpose of the 57, which is a commercial bus service, the other links across Seaton Delaval / Seghill being covered by the X7, another commercial service.

Beyond that is does absolutely nothing of note and is using tax payers money to fund it aswell when people are openly asking for a link to Killingworth, Rake Lane, New Hartley to Cramlington and so on, yet we get this and the rubbish 58 aswell while we're at it twice a day. Both not what people want.

I know you're saying it's not about end to end, but there is literally nothing between North Shields and Northumberland Park where people will get on because it avoids everywhere, and the North Shields to each bit is covered mostly by the Metro/301/306/317/310/353/354 depending which bit it is anyway.

Using fare data is useless aswell, because it'll look good on paper - but it's just people using it because they're pissed off that the 57A is 20 minutes late - again not what subsidised services are about.

I think the main USP of the 19 is the direct link to Cobalt from parts of Cramlington and Seaton Deleval / Seghill, which is not covered by the X7 or 57 services. I think that is a useful direct link, but I absolutely do agree there is some other links which could probably be more useful for more people, like as you say to Killingworth and Seaton Sluice / New Hartley to Cramlington. If they tried a link from Deleval / Seghill to Killingworth and timed it well, that could work as a connection for those Cobalt users, maybe keeping the direct service in morning and afternoon peak, but something else other times. I would be open to see these new changes and new suggestions that you say.

I also agree a lot of the current non Cobalt users would be on the 57A otherwise, just whichever turns up first and as you say, that is not really the purpose of a subsidised route. Agreed also on the North shields end.

So overall I think the Cobalt direct link is the main advantage of this route, without having to change buses in Whitley bay to the 309, but I am sure there could be things done in better ways for more people and I would be open to that being consulted on.