(07 Dec 2025, 8:35 pm)Storx wrote Not going to lie, I think having some expresses around there wouldn't be the worst thing omitting the Metrocentre and serving the back end of Ryton.
Something like:
12: Every 30 Minutes - No Changes
12A: Hourly - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.95321...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
12B: Hourly - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.96132...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
10: Every 30 Minutes (Not 36/24 like now)
10A: Every Hour omitting The Folly (Not 36/24 like now)
10B: Every Hour
R2: Withdrawn
10/10A/10B: Every 15 Minutes, Crawcrook to Newcastle via Metrocentre
12/12A/12B: Every 15 Minutes, Blaydon to Newcastle via Scotswood Road
10/10B/12B: 4 BPH from Prudhoe
10A/12A: 2 BPH from Greenside (they're uneven anyway).
12A/12B: Every 30 Minutes from Woodside Lane to Newcastle Express
Those two routes would be game changers imo, the 12B partially being the old 604 anyway. It also means you've got a nice 4 BPH express from Blaydon if you fancied some hoppers. It's crazy the new massive housing estates around there have no bus service bar the useless R2 regardless.
You're bound to get somebody say "thats confusing", for familiarity and to extinguish the whole A/B "confusion" (not me, i get what you're saying), i'd do it like this
10(601)/10A(602)/10B(603)
12(604)/12A(605)/12B(606)
Bit like what they've done on North Tyneside where old route numbers have been reverted to, nothing stopping GNE doing the same in other areas
49(648)/49A(649)
67(638)/69(639)
But hey, thats just me