(4 hours ago)Storx wrote I don't know how feasible it is timetabling wise but I'd be looking at flipping the 354/356 around personally, the 354 is a dust collector in the Gosforth area and needs Solo's similar to the 356 in the Whitley Bay area.
The 354 at the North Shields side and 356 at the Newcastle side has decent loads though and ideally don't need the Solo's.
It would deal with it all. The 355 might be difficult to work though without it laying over somewhere though since it's a 50 minute round trip without flipping the issue the other way round unless you extended it somewhere, Cramlington interworking with the 353 maybe?
Simple idea to that although involves another operator, make X63 peak only and rest of time, have Killingworth - Newcastle section mirroring the old NMS/Arriva 356
Route from Simonside would be East Bailey Park > Bus Station > West Bailey
If anything........
- 353 - Whitley Bay to Cramlington half-hourly - 1bph via Murton Village
- 355 - Forest Hall to Newcastle half-hourly
- 356 - North Shields to Newcastle via Killingworth and Gosforth half-hourly
- X63 - peak only