(16 May 2023, 8:02 am)col87 wrote So what’s the solution then. If Stagecoach are not investing in many new buses for North East yet Hartlepool and Sunderland are desperate for new buses and Newcastle from what I read on here also need some more then how do you solve the issue without resorting to service cuts making the networks even worse ?
Now I don’t know if it would work but I think one suggestion could be this.
The Manviro 200s continue to be taking out of service and when available any of the better E200s and darts get cascaded to the region to be shared between Shields Hartlepool and Sunderland as short term solutions. This could continue to see the 397s withdrawn and the worse of the Hartlepool fleet been withdrawn. Longer term I think the majority of shields and Hartlepool since most are only short distance town routes could be done by electric buses if and when full size come on to the market. If Newcastle as expected are getting new buses then some of the current Enviro 400 could be cascaded to Sunderland. I would also look at getting any Cascaded Enviro 400 to Stockton and possibly a few for Hartlepool for peak time / School holiday service 1 and the 6/7 but if Stockton could get 8 - 10 then in the short term again that could release some of the Man 18.220 or Enviro 300 to Hartlepool. I think potentially this might happen in the next few weeks anyway if and when the traffic commissioner grants approval for the Saltburn 1/2 services to start with either 3-4 darts or 3-4 enviros going to Stockton for it with most likely the enviros or mans coming to Hartlepool in return. Am thinking it’s a PVR of 3 so 3 for the services and one spare would be about right. It’s not perfect but I think the current that’s really the only way forward but Stagecoach for the 2024 orders really have to do something as Hartlepool can’t really continue as it is for much longer and Sunderland needs replacements and Shields at the looks still has a load of Manviros to replace so something is going to have to be done.
Answers on a postcard to all operators.
Cos they only seem to think the same and have the same logic.
Time they took some responsibility for actually improving and growing the network as opposed to slashing like a mad axeman in the hope that saving money somehow makes money.