Have bus journeys increased per person or per ticket?
In that, I mean due to the axing of direct services. In the past, a return trip to Newcastle on say the X94 or 21a, would have seen me count as a passenger twice. Because I now need to get a connecting bus to reach the X1, I will be counted as a passenger 4 times (potentially 5 times, due to the axing of a connecting bus on a night time).

Saying that, very surprised at the Metro dropping. Wonder if the rain/weather had any impact on that? Ie a passenger using a bus which goes to say Newcastle, deciding to stay on board as it passed a Metro station, rather than getting off for a Metro and getting wet...