(Yesterday, 2:55 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Exactly this - same true for those living along Chester Road/The Broadway - why would they want to travel in the wrong direction to get a Metro? This is exactly the kind of gap bus services should fill. The idea they shouldn't exist on the basis there is a Metro at either end of the route is nonsense, taking into account everyone who lives or works on the route not served by the Metro. As is apparent when you consider the success Stagecoach have had with the X34 in particular, introducing it commercially as a totally new midibus route in (I think) 1996 - still going strong at the same frequency with deckers. X24 is obviously newer but still sees decent loadings in line with expected passenger flows.
Must admit I never really understand why the X24, serves Sunderland. There's tonnes of the South of the city which has no bus services towards Newcastle, they should keep it away like the X34 stays away from South Shields; there's more than enough services along Chester Road for Sunderland itself.
Something like:
Just throwing a random route from nowhere, there's arguably a few local links on it aswell, especially to the hospital which is also as awkward to get to since stuff like the 35 were pulled from the areas.