(12 May 2023, 2:48 pm)DeltaMan wrote Maybe the new GNE team are actually being more collaborative than the old regime hence the neutral answer compared to the response from MG.

I actually feel a bit sorry for Stagecoach in all this. They operate a relatively good service and are getting dragged down because GNE and ARRIVA lack commercial acumen.

What happens with the alleged ARRIVA withdrawals and how Stagecoach, GNE or whoever react will be very revealing of where current operators stand and how it will compare to their sister operating companies that have reacted pro-activley to similar operator abandonment elsewhere in the UK.

If they effectively chuck the problem back at NEXUS, I can only see thoughts hardening on franchising. North Tyneside would be an interesting test bed. via the back door.

Mind you, given the colossal mess NEXUS made of QCS and the subsequent fallout, I very much doubt they'd be any better

I wouldn't exactly give Stagecoach much credit either tbh, the rumours in Sunderland sound as grim as anything the other 2 operators have done. Not to mention they've cut as many services in Tyneside than Arriva and GNE (18/32/32A/35/72).

I'm sure Arriva or GoAhead would be able to do exactly what they had if they had the routes Stagecoach have, literally anyone could run them. Especially the 1/12/22/38/39/40/62/63. They're better than any route GoNorthEast and Arriva have combined other than the 21 in Tyne and Wear.

The sad thing is I can't see Nexus doing anything better. The Metro is nothing short of an absolute farce lately and has been for over a decade now. It's just going from one problem to another. Suppose they could bring back absolutely fantasy ideas like Project Orpheus, ironically they run a subsidised service on the only bit built (19).