I don't know what they could do to solve the reliability issues of the 21. What they could do is something like this in the near future depending upon the fleet:

- Services 21 and 22 would be renumbered services X21 and X22. Service X21 would operate half hourly serving the current route between Bishop Auckland Newcastle. Current service X22 rould be renumbered service X26 and the new X22 would operate the same route as the current X21 between Durham and Newcastle. Buses would operate a 15 minute combined frequency between Durham and Newcastle operating with double deck vehicles. The total number of buses operating the two routes would be 11.

However, during evenings and Sundays, the two services above would serve all stops between Chester Le Street and Newcastle rather than operate directly into Gateshead and Newcastle. They would both operate as services 21 and 22.

The section between Chester Le Street and Newcastle would be served by new service 24 operating every 10
minutes between Chester Le Street and Newcastle serving the same route as current service 21. Buses during the evenings and on Sundays would operate half hourly. The service would initially receive 7 single deck vehicles however, if capacity proved to be an issue, then buses could be cascaded after 12 months and replaced with double decks. All evening and Sunday journeys would be operated by 3 of the 10 double decks of the X21 and X22 to help cope with capacity with only 4 buses per hour between Chester Le Street and Newcastle.

In total, the frequencies would be as follows=
- Bishop Auckland to Newcastle operating limited stop every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, observing all stops every 60 minutes evenings and Sundays.
- Durham to Newcastle operating limited stop every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, observing all stops every 30 minutes evenings and Sundays.
- Chester Le Street to Newcastle operating limited stop every 15 mimutes Monday to Saturday daytime.
- Chester Le Street to Newcastle observing all stops every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, evenings and Sundays every 15 minutes.