(29 Oct 2023, 8:43 pm)mb134 wrote I'll reply in one since I think my response will be similar.
I absolutely agree with both of you that the business needs to grow, not just for this pay increase but to ensure the long term sustainability of the business. Cutting services can only go on for so long before there's nothing left to cut and the network isn't really a network anymore.
As the business stands currently, however, I just don't see any potential for the growth required. There doesn't look to be the support there from GAG that would be required, in particular the lack of investment in new vehicles is approaching Arriva levels of sod all. Then there are the current routes, maybe there was the potential for growing those with frequency increases, but will that still be the case after the industrial action?
Aye it's good point that mind. Must say I feel it's very different to Arriva aswell. It always seem Arriva management actually want to sort the problems out, but they're held back by lack of funds from the ultimate holding group (DB) so everything is done on a shoestring across the company as they have literally no choice. It's a very different scenario where GoAhead really don't seem to give a toss about GoNorthEast only and are being let to suffer on a limb.
I know Feetham is hiding in a corner right now but I wouldn't want to be in his position in a way, it's very different to the position under Arriva where he was getting massive investment at the time. Right now he's been expected to do miracles really. I know GoNorthWest are doing alright, but it'll be interesting to see if he jumps ship with Ben if they had the right offer. The mess of GoNorthEast on your CV will never look good. Gilbert jumped shift and I always thought it was because of his uselessness but I'm starting to think it's not that and he was escaping as he knew what was coming. Very similar to Hornby at Transdev Blazefield which is spiralling out of control aswell.
I see a bleak future for GoNorthEast personally, but I hope I'm proven wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if it's ditched before long, moving East Yorkshire out of it and dumping it with Manchester miles away was the first alarm bell. Diverting half the Streetdeck order to Oxford and sending the coaches was another alarm bell which went missed and so is 'loaning' half the new fleet to Manchester another serious alarm bell.