(02 Jul 2026, 4:49 pm)Storx wrote Nah I get what you're saying about the W2, but I just think prioritising the 351 would be better, you have to remember it was commercial until quite recently so who knows if you make one route attractive you might end up with a situation where the other route can be subsidised aswell.

Like just picking out Benton ASDA, it's borderline unusable on the 351 from somewhere like Shiremoor as you either have 26 or 86 minutes to do your shopping which is either too short/too long. 56 minutes on the other hand would be about on the nail. Hourly services are just really unattractive, unless you have time to burn as if you just miss a bus for whatever reason then it's turned into an ultra long commute. 

They really should be serving Northumberland Park aswell, for connections to the Metro/Train. It doesn't give you much hope when Kim McGuiness bangs about integration yet their buses drive straight past the interchanges.

(Btw for reference I know someone at East Benton Rise and have been meaning to go round to his at times, but always put it off because it's challenging to connect to the 351 because of the above)

This 

THIS EXACTLY THIS

How can we have buses back under public control if bus companies cant be bothered to send there bus services into metro or train stations 

The Northumberland Line is the biggest flaw for this by far. A train line which gives connections to areas and Newsham, Bebside & Ashington have a bus service nowhere close to the station. 

Bebside & Newsham even have a bus stop inside the station car park yet its not used by anything. Yet stated by posters at Newsham the X8 is meant to serve it. 

There was an article posted a few months ago about Arriva & Northern having pops at each other with Northern saying they dont want bus services to compete with the rail & Arriva saying why should they put buses into the stations 

You cant really call Northumberland Park an interchange cause it just isn't. An interchange is to change to multiple buses. And what do u have serving it. The 19. ONE BUS SERVICE for a station that has the metro which states "for Cobalt business park Silverlink retail AND local bus services "

One bus service to Cobalt & Silverlink from Northumberland Park its pathetic. 353/354/356 stop right round the corner. Re route them into the interchange. Send the 350 in there. Hell rumours were the 22 was gonna go there. Still aint seen it happen


We cant have a function buses back under public control if companies cant stop arguing over building blocks like there 5 years old

Even more shocking. Look at the hospital. I mentioned this the other day. The RVI. Newcastle main big hospital has 2 bus routes while the Wansbeck/QE/Freeman/Rake Lane get a better bus service 

Its all for profit these days screw the customer. Customer wants the bus route extended here. Tough dont care

It took them 3 years to re introduced the 342 round via the Airport & Dinnington again. That shows how bad a bus network is. But I can assure Big Kimmy is still busy playing grim reaper till the final old metro is scrapped and off the tracks

Oh and also I dont want to hear this "but people can walk to the bus stops which are 400meters" or some sh!t like that. This is the reason a lot of services are seeing drops in passenger numbers. Cause people want a direct bus service to these places. They dont want to walk miles for a bus