(05 Mar 2026, 8:11 am)S830OFT wrote X55 did not last long enough to be able to determine it's full potential.
Also the fact it was a Saturday only route and just went to Greatham via Hartlepool, opposed to continuing to Stockton for all journeys may have had made it a little more successful, although would have then been competing with the X9/X10 & X12...
Hartlepool does desperately need more links. They had 5 buses p/h to Sunderland in 2019 (23/55/X6) - now nothing without changing buses at Peterlee, there is certainly an opportunity to put something in that gap. Same with a bus to Newcastle or indeed a faster bus to Durham that doesn't take 85 minutes alike the 24/58/59...
I recall when the Arriva 57A existed as a commercial route, it was seen as 'the fast bus' between Durham and Hartlepool taking just under 1 hour. I don't know how the 59 which directly replaced this route has got the extra 25 minutes from...
There's 2 TPH from Hartlepool to Sunderland / Newcastle and 1 TPH from Seaton Carew to Sunderland / Newcastle plus Grand Central on top of that.
The connections should be to the train station with connecting tickets, not direct buses. Anyone sane is going to use the train as the bus is always going to take ages.
I know it's not Stagecoach, but there seriously needs to be a look at the 20/20A/X20/32/61/204/204A/208 though.
Something like this:
Would be a hell of a lot better imo:
There's absolutely no need for 6 BPH from Durham to Sunderland doing the same corridor. The only losers are the Raintons who lose half there buses but they're small villages. Hopefully, see changes in the future because there's lots of corridors the same. The X6/23/61 being another one.