(07 Nov 2023, 8:50 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Impressive an independent has fought their way through the bureaucracy to register this.  A shame the likes of SNE and ANE haven't done anything.  Yes I know there will be driver challenges though with their downsized ops in Sunderland and Shields you'd think they'd have some headroom by now.  Also, presume there'd be nothing stopping them looking to agency drivers to operate new routes along core GNE corridors.  I get that it would be expensive, but if they took a risk and embedded themselves on e.g. 20, 21 27, 56 routes, potentially there could be a permanent shift of patronage.  Hopefully we will see a lot more of this as the GNE fiasco carries on and maybe the "management" will be in for a shock when they find their network and customers gone for good once they grow up or let the adults do the negotiating.

I'm really surprised at Stagecoach in particular. It'd only take a finite amount of resource to say put the 100 back on between Newcastle and Metrocentre, even on a much-reduced half hour frequency, but they and Arriva just don't seem bothered. Despite train currently being the only sensible option between the two. It's another example of why the deregulated market doesn't work.