(03 Apr 2015, 7:55 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote Nexus would be better off scrapping the 515, same route as 27X from Heworth to Hebburn, (linked with 558, now operated by Gateshead Taxis) which carries next to no-one, whereas 27X has moderate loads and at least has more point to it as it continues to Newcastle. I'd also extend 558 to Newcastle to provide a direct link from Whitburn, Cleadon and East Boldon.
quite awhile ago GNE took on the 558 daytime service commercially and ran it as a (X97 or X98?) all the way to Gateshead and Newcastle but in the end it was not profitable and fell in the hands of Nexus again. passengers can easily get to Gateshead or Newcastle via the frequent Metro service when it runs from Heworth.