(25 Mar 2014, 10:39 pm)Tom wrote I agree the Washington link would provide benefits for Network Rail and Nissan, in addition to the metro. However, the only problem I have with these proposed plans, is how it would effect the bus. I'm guessing journey times would be shorter than the X1 owing to the 6 minute frequency at Pelaw, and this would effect the X1 considerably, as the amount of passengers boarding/alighting at Washington is usually high. I'd hate to see such a popular service go downhill because of these extensions to the Metro.
X1 is a commercial operation, and the metro extension would be public money invested in a public service. I wouldnt lose sleep over a commercial organisations balance sheets not looking as healthy as they once were.
Washington to Newcastle journey times would be almost halved at an estimate from the current X1 times.