(02 Jun 2026, 11:18 am)Storx wrote Not sure I agree there because even known there might be less people being picked up, on the vast majority of the interurban stuff there's a major destination at the other end which start picking people up, ie. Consett, Stanley, Blyth, Ashington, Houghton Le Spring, Peterlee or whatever.

The Durham Metrocentre services don't do that they just start duplicating the X12/21/X21 and there's no need for the extra capacity. A bus from the Metrocentre direct to CLS then to Durham potentially has the literal demand of 0 new passengers. There's just absolutely no use for it and dropping the capacity on the X21/21 between the 2 places isn't the answer either.

I wasn't suggesting that there's no one going the other way, but if you look at something like the X1 in Washington, it's heavily Newcastle bound on a morning and vice-versa at peak. Those travelling, say from Wrekenton to the Galleries, will tend to be after 9.30.

An express shouldn't duplicate, it should take loadings to/from key points. At the time the X22 ran from Durham, it would make sense to do that, on what's already a busy Saturday corridor.

(02 Jun 2026, 8:00 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote The X88 was dead because it was easier to change in Gateshead or Newcastle due to higher frequencies. Also not having a weekday service didn't help. Team Valley is another area where I think better all day connections are needed.

The X88 wasn't dead. Similarly to the X22, it was axed because the operator felt people could just change at Gateshead for the X66, despite this almost trebling the journey time in the case of the X88.

I disagree with Team Valley. Retail world is very much designed as a car-friendly out of town retail space. I think those who don't drive would end up going to Newcastle or the Metrocentre instead. 

The rest is pretty much industrial, and therefore likely to work standard business hours.