(07 Mar 2026, 6:15 pm)Coastliner700 wrote The one thing I don’t get is this obsession with North Shields why? Surely Whitley Bay is more popular. One of 353/354 should go to Whitley Bay it’s not needed for both to go to North Shields. Half hourly 353 to North Shields then 354/356 gives both towns 2 buses an hour. Have to disagree with 352 though as there is 37 now.

Tbf he was just doing how it was for years, but it's quite popular from Lynn Road to North Shields as it's the only bus service.

Personally if I was doing it now, I'd look at:

57: Forest Hall to Wardley (Every 30 Minutes)
57X: Quorum to Wardley (Few Peak Time services go to Quorum instead of Forest Hall running express, running empty to/from Forest Hall)
353: North Shields to Cramlington (Hourly)
354: North Shields to Killingworth (Hourly)
356: Whitley Bay to Newcastle (356 from Killingworth to Whitley Bay, 354 from Killingworth to Newcastle)

The 57 sits around doing nothing for 20 minute every run right now, so might aswell use it to give some Cross Tyne links and solves the issue with needing a Percy Main service to interwork with.

Everything else is much the same really, and keeps the Solo's from the busy 355/356 and onto the quiet 354/356 which is a better allocation imo. You could extend the 354 to Cramlington aswell, but unless it sits around for 10 minutes at Killingworth it won't be even. 

You could make the case for sending 8339-41/49-54 through from Sunderland aswell for the 340/341/342/353/354. It's probably a better allocation for them all.