(16 Jun 2023, 6:23 pm)Jimmi wrote Nah, we didn't win anything.

Bishop Auckland has been in decline for certain, Tindle Crescent is probs one of the main killers but the dire bus service certainly didn't help matters, Arriva acquired some absolutely dire motors when GNE pulled out then the closure of Arriva's depot in Bishop Auckland only caused much more of a downturn with services being messed about with, reliability wasn't great on some routes and it just wasn't cost effective for Arriva's worth while.

You can't help but wonder where things have gone so wrong, even just over 4 years ago Coundon had 4 buses an hour to Bishop Auckland on the 18 & 56, from next month they're down to just 1 an hour on the 56 (plus the hourly 99 to Shildon & Spennymoor on weekdays only).

Yeah totally agreed tbh and when someone pulls out it doesn't exactly give a gleaming hope for the place as no-one pulls out of a profitable area.

I feel sorry for people around there who don't live on the 6 or 7 routes between Durham, Aycliffe and Bishop Auckland as they basically don't have an evening or Sunday service now which imo is unacceptable, especially Cornforth and Coundon. These are large villages that are pretty much cut off. I know others will mention the 12 in Darlington but least the main town who's name has gone has a train service.

Also unless I'm missing something there's no Arriva service at all in Spennymoor beyond 7pm on a Sunday either.

I understand the issues with Trimdon and not having a bus direct to Durham but surely these should be higher priority.

Also I assume the X75 has been saved aswell as Arriva have just removed it from the changes as if it was never there?