Ultimately I think we can all agree that the Cold Weather for the time of year is having an impact and also the lack of Ultra-Fast Charging (Pantograph/Opportunity Charging) infrastructure would solve these issues as these systems use high-power chargers (up to 450–600 kW) at end-of-route stations. In 7 minutes, they can add approximately 20% to 35% to the battery. I based this example off of the 7 minutes the 36 Leeds-Harrogate/Ripon which uses this system when on stand in Harrogate Bus Station, doing the route on the opposite direction they get 10 minutes which means for each round trip they do the Bus is on charge for 17 minutes which pretty much maintains the Bus is at full charge all day.

As for Layover times with the 21 the current running boards are another issue as I have just looked over a few and they're between 2-7 minutes in Newcastle with latter not being sufficient at all, even at other points of the route i.e. Gateshead, Chester-Le-Street, Durham and Brandon drivers get 2-4 minutes so depending on what board you're on you get between 4-11 minutes layover in total which in turn given the milage of a Newcastle-Brandon run isn't much at all.

I think the 58 would operate fine if there was infrastructure installed at Heworth Metro as they get around 9 minutes layover from 10am onwards from viewing timetables.

Things need to change for this to work