(31 May 2026, 2:47 pm)Jimmi wrote Problem with services to the Metrocentre like the previous X22/X24 or even the Weardale X21/X6 was the demand was largely travelling in one direction, to Metrocentre in the morning then back in the evening, you'd see the first X22's arrive with some not too bad loadings but would then depart to head back to Durham often with nobody boarding or very small numbers and then it would just be taking passengers who otherwise would get on the 21/X21/X12 the rest of the way.

Metrocentre isn't what it once was either.

I don't think this is too dissimilar to other services though. Buses going into Newcastle tend to be a lot busier in the morning peak than buses going out, and vice versa with the afternoon peak. You could say the same about Durham when I lived and worked there.

Ideally you want loadings either way, but if one direction is top-heavy, I could see it being useful for bringing a service back on time. The X88 certainly used to suffer with this, with it's 20 minutes between Washington and the Metrocentre.