But still, I'd rather like to see cross-Tyne links improved, particularly to & from Wallsend where the Town Centre is undergoing significant re-development with further phases planned for The Forum. Travelling between Wallsend and Sunderland by bus takes an awful lot longer than I feel it should do.
Should GNE lose the scholar contracts that the short 9's interwork with, I'd like to see these journeys extend through the Tyne Tunnel to Percy Main (connecting with R19 to Cobalt), Wallsend, Coast Road & Newcastle Haymarket. I would much prefer the four buses per hour retained between Sunderland and Jarrow, rather than every 20 minutes throughout to North Shields as once proposed prior to the X3 being retained at that time instead.
Admittedly, the cross-Tyne service wouldn't be used end-to-end (X36/56 offering quicker journeys), but it does open up a number of valuable new links.
- New link from Jarrow, Howdon & Wallsend to the Haymarket area of Newcastle for improved access to the Universities.
- Faster journey times from Sunderland and South Tyneside to Cobalt via connection at Percy Main.
- Direct service from Hedworth, York Avenue and Bede Burn Road to Newcastle without changing buses at Jarrow on to the longer Crusader 27, (not seen since the 87).
- Restored service from Wallsend, Howdon and Percy Main to Jarrow, South Tyneside and Sunderland.
From the information I have at hand, the only other previous incarnation to Newcastle from Station Road in Wallsend between The Forum and the Coast Road was the old 307; but maybe this wasn't an attractive option for passengers who had to endure the loop around Hadrian Lodge first.
To partially offset the PVR increase, the 40/41 would reduce from every 10 minutes to the Saturday daytime frequency instead. However, there would continue to be six buses per hour along Station Road between the Coast Road and The Forum.
The times of the existing 9 to North Shields would need to be adjusted to make the best use of the R19 connection at Percy Main. Like I said though, can't ever see a commercial service through the Tunnel any time soon, just something I'd love to see anyway!
