One thing i hope franchising sorts out,express routes being exactly that,EXPRESSES, not being an express for a very limited portion of a route (looking at you there X7/X8), oh and route numbering

(02 Aug 2026, 9:36 pm)V514DFT wrote One thing i hope franchising sorts out,express routes being exactly that,EXPRESSES, not being an express for a very limited portion of a route (looking at you there X7/X8), oh and route numbering

I would like to see the numbers of the express services being different to the regular route by at least one letter so people arent getting confused and getting on the wrong route. I would also like for the displays to show something along the lines of EXPRESS or NOT STOPPING on the front when passing stops that would have a regular service. Final thing would be for the timetables at the stops to have something along the lines of "Non stopping services pass this stop."

I think it would really help the amount of confusion I see especially on the express buses to Consett.

I'd like the X7/X8 to be sent along the spine road omitting Burradon, it's saturated with buses

Does anyone have the PVR numbers for the 307 and 309

(18 Aug 2026, 7:37 pm)V514DFT wrote I'd like the X7/X8 to be sent along the spine road omitting Burradon, it's saturated with buses

See I'd slow the X7/X8 down.

There's no need for an express bus from Seaton Delaval or South Beach now, the train does that. 

Send the X7 via Killingworth and the X8 via Fern Drive imo and open up new links. Both combing from Killingworth Way to Newcastle every 15 minutes.

(The X7 doing something like this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01954...FQAw%3D%3D to do the above)

Buses and trains shouldn't be duplicating each other imo it's a waste of money, similar discussion with buses ie. 6/X21, 22/301, 23/60/61, X12/X21 just to pick some corridors where they don't work together.

(20 Aug 2026, 6:24 pm)Storx wrote See I'd slow the X7/X8 down.

There's no need for an express bus from Seaton Delaval or South Beach now, the train does that. 

Send the X7 via Killingworth and the X8 via Fern Drive imo and open up new links. Both combing from Killingworth Way to Newcastle every 15 minutes.

(The X7 doing something like this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01954...FQAw%3D%3D to do the above)

Buses and trains shouldn't be duplicating each other imo it's a waste of money, similar discussion with buses ie. 6/X21, 22/301, 23/60/61, X12/X21 just to pick some corridors where they don't work together.

I'd also just drop the X number aswell, bit of clever routing and you'd probably be able to bin off the X9 also

(20 Aug 2026, 6:24 pm)Storx wrote See I'd slow the X7/X8 down.

There's no need for an express bus from Seaton Delaval or South Beach now, the train does that. 

Send the X7 via Killingworth and the X8 via Fern Drive imo and open up new links. Both combing from Killingworth Way to Newcastle every 15 minutes.

(The X7 doing something like this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01954...FQAw%3D%3D to do the above)

Buses and trains shouldn't be duplicating each other imo it's a waste of money, similar discussion with buses ie. 6/X21, 22/301, 23/60/61, X12/X21 just to pick some corridors where they don't work together.

Trouble is, most of those examples (particularly 22/301 and X12/X21) serve different markets that want the quickest route to the destination.
I'd agree with 6/X21 and 49/A/21

(20 Aug 2026, 6:24 pm)Storx wrote See I'd slow the X7/X8 down.

There's no need for an express bus from Seaton Delaval or South Beach now, the train does that. 

Send the X7 via Killingworth and the X8 via Fern Drive imo and open up new links. Both combing from Killingworth Way to Newcastle every 15 minutes.

(The X7 doing something like this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01954...FQAw%3D%3D to do the above)

Buses and trains shouldn't be duplicating each other imo it's a waste of money, similar discussion with buses ie. 6/X21, 22/301, 23/60/61, X12/X21 just to pick some corridors where they don't work together.

No thanks, for the X7 people in Seghill would not appreciate it getting any longer.

(20 Aug 2026, 8:24 pm)F114TML wrote Trouble is, most of those examples (particularly 22/301 and X12/X21) serve different markets that want the quickest route to the destination.
I'd agree with 6/X21 and 49/A/21

Aye no arguments, tbf was more thinking about consolidation rather than outright removing like having 23/60/61 every 7.5 minutes combined and the the X12/X21 every 15 minute combined (or close to) etc. Pointless them just bouncing all over like now especially the first corridor as the 23/61 just exist pretty much while the 60 is slammed.

(20 Aug 2026, 8:55 pm)solsburian wrote No thanks, for the X7 people in Seghill would not appreciate it getting any longer.

Tbf I think on of the X30 boards should go via Seghill and bring back the old X36 type route instead. Give you's a proper express then make the X7 actually useful for everyone else. It's a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none atm. Semi fast but the semi fast misses everything useful type thing.

(Yesterday, 8:35 pm)Storx wrote Aye no arguments, tbf was more thinking about consolidation rather than outright removing like having 23/60/61 every 7.5 minutes combined and the the X12/X21 every 15 minute combined (or close to) etc. Pointless them just bouncing all over like now especially the first corridor as the 23/61 just exist pretty much while the 60 is slammed.


Tbf I think on of the X30 boards should go via Seghill and bring back the old X36 type route instead. Give you's a proper express then make the X7 actually useful for everyone else. It's a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none atm. Semi fast but the semi fast misses everything useful type thing.

X36?

(Yesterday, 10:40 pm)V514DFT wrote X36?

It used to be a one a day bus, ran basically the X7 route as far as Seghill then ran completely non stop to Newcastle. There was a second variant later on which skipped the whole of Delaval and came from the Newsham direction. Believe that was the X7 when the X7 was the X4.

Used to be a few of us if it was running behind through Seghill would get off and change buses as ironically if i think Solsburian is who I think it is used to always catch it so we knew it stopped there. Small world.

I only ever heard of the X26

(5 hours ago)V514DFT wrote I only ever heard of the X26

Aye was around, in the late 00's. Went in 2010 looking at the blurb from this article - https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-su...9691065802. Sure it was when the X4 came aswell, be around that time anyway.

I wasn't calling you a liar, i had just never heard of it thats all