(18 May 2014, 4:03 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote It's Stupid and Completely Illogical, what is the point in having a Ticket which you can use as far as Carlisle, Berwick and Scarborough on the Bus, which takes a Minimum of just under 3 Hours Tops/6 Hours Round Trip, But you can't use it on the Train which will get you there in Half the Time, and is in within the Specified Zones of which said ticket can be Used.

Surely if an Explorer was Valid on the Train this would then see an Increase of Passenger Usage, I would certainly use it, as it would be great Value for Money, Particularly those who use the Service Daily to get to Work etc.

It's been said previously This Week, who really wants to spend 2 and a Half Hours on a Scania Omnicity or Enviro 300 on the 685 to Carlisle and Back, which in turn is 5 Hours of the Day Wasted by sitting on a Bus, which is also why I am now Debating whether I actually want to go or not.

Perhaps Introducing more Bus Services to/from these Areas on a Limited Stopping Basis could be the Answer, or Alternatively Introduce more Local Services along those Routes, to then Assist the Current Service i.e. 685 to Decrease those Horribly Long Journey Times, I sure am most people along the Route at Hayden Bridge etc Rely on this Service as it is the only Service they have, As maybe the case with some Areas on the Route of the X15(I think it is) Between Newcastle and Berwick, and the X93 from Middlesbrough to Scarbrough.

You pay a premium to travel by train though. Same goes for East Coast vs GNE's Angel from Durham to Newcastle. It'd take just over 10 mins on the train, but I'd pay twice as much for the privilege.

Pretty sure the Sunderland - Newcastle by rail stems from the old PTE days, when the Pacers were painted in PTE livery.