Overview
- Arriva has opened a consultation on the X22, inviting feedback on whether to keep the current route or redirect it to serve Newton Aycliffe and Darlington.
- The operator says it is revisiting changes after passenger concerns about losing direct links from Peterlee, Sedgefield and nearby villages to Darlington and Newton Aycliffe.
- Critics, including Sedgefield councillor Chris Lines, argue the two‑option survey forces communities to sacrifice Stockton and North Tees Hospital access if Darlington links are restored.
- Arriva states the consultation is a genuine effort to gauge local priorities and that responses will be reviewed before any decision is made.
- The X22 replaced the X21 in July 2023 after reduced concessionary support and low demand, and Durham County Council says it followed government guidance on reimbursements.