Bus service will go back to stopping at rail station

As reported by the Gazette in September, the Arriva X20 service has been extended from Amble to Alnwick, replacing the X18 at Alnmouth railway station in order to reduce waiting times between buses and trains.

However, the X18 goes to Alnmouth village, but not the railway station, while the X20 goes to the station, but not the village. As well as the inconvenience for locals, there are concerns that it will cause problems for visitors and tourists travelling to the area by public transport.

In November, we reported that the X18 will go back to serving the station in the evenings and all day Sunday from last month, but the change will now come into effect in May, when the timetables change.

Nick Knox, area managing director for Arriva North East, said: “We can confirm from Sunday, May 22, the X18 will serve Alnmouth Station Monday to Saturday evenings and all day on Sundays (and public holidays).

“In the meantime, we are continuing to liaise with Northumberland County Council regarding the potential for a new stop on Lesbury Road closer to the train station, which will ensure we are offering the most convenient service possible to all of our customers.”