(11 Sep 2021, 6:48 am)tcts24 wrote Stagecoach have trialed route 1 on a night. It was subsidised back in the Hartlepool Transport days. Stagecoach briefly took it on commercially about 20 years ago before the council had to chip in with it again. Clearly, it didn't work out for them. I guess it didn't help that the good people of Seaton Carew decided to smash up half the buses that ran through it either.Really?
Then of course there's route 6, evening journeys withdrawn by Stagecoach a few years ago. They experimentally reinstated the northern section (southern section largely covered by the 36) and that's still going. Plus route 7, evening journeys also withdrawn. They were they ran by Arriva under subsidy. Stagecoach took it back on commercially again following the council's complete withdrawl of it's entire network - including it's own service 980 works bus! Stagecoach still run this today! Meaning they took another experimental risk and it must be working for them.
Yes, it really is that simple! If you or I fancied running the 15 again, all we pretty much need to do is find a base to run from, get an operator licence, two buses (one for the route and a spare) and we're near enough away! Arguably, Paul's Travel is currently best place to plug any gaps and unless I have my wires crossed, she's a Seaton Carew councillor? And if she can't she the merit of running evening buses through her own patch, then it really is down to HBC / TVCA.
Don't SNE have a responsibility towards their stakeholders? A duty of care perhaps?
A duty of care which could quite possibly increase overall usage and in turn profit.
I'm not sure its a local authorities job to prop up a business which isn't set up or structured for anything other than the benefit of its shareholderss.