(03 Apr 2020, 12:35 pm)6049 wrote If they had such deep pockets don't you think staff would have been pushing for a higher wage rise last year?
Not to mention that the figures have been estimated earlier in this thread of how much the weekly cost is for 100 drivers per depot. With a company that has nearly 3000 staff across GNE and EY, the figure to "pay their way" will be astronomical.
It's far easier for the London operators to collect their fares and have higher footfall simply because it's all operated under the TfL banner. With the Oyster card you can get on any service no matter which company is operating it. Up here, you have competition - the Coast Road is an obvious example. GNE competing with Arriva on a busy route - someone buying an Arriva weekly ticket can't use it on GNE. You have to have a Network One ticket up here for multi operator.
What on earth does a payrise have to do with deep pockets? Do you think staff take into consideration how much GNE make before pushing for a payrise?!
London operators do not collect fares by the way. Its all automated and sent to Tfl. London operators get paid for the miles operated and because there is no competition it means fewer resources are used in over bussing and actually creating routes that benefit the public. For me to get across the city from where I live, I find that if I do take the bus (which I never do) I have to go into the city centre and come back out again. It's annoying and makes the journey slower.