(11 Jul 2014, 4:24 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote It must be cheaper and I know I am stating the obvious, but the problems we face under the deregulated market - mean that the bus companies have no moral or legal obligation to serve areas which they don't feel will bring them that quick buck.
Because of the failure of deregulation, taxpayers are left to foot the bill - in these cases, via taxi buses or smaller service buses, like the Bluebirds.
It isn't ideal, but unless Nexus can force an operators hand and play with their conscience, we are stuck with the alternative. Which although better than nothing, isn't ideal.
Appreciate we are going off topic, but in the case of the 493, GNE allegedly wouldn't run the service, unless Nexus subsidised it.
Nexus obviously said no, the 493 was axed and Nexus stepped in to fund the 79 between Penshaw and Hall Lane (the historic part of the route).
Bizarrely (seeing as they couldn't afford to run the 493), GNE decided to fill the majority of the remaining section with a combination of umpteen buses and hour between Penshaw and Washington. No idea why or how they can make money with those, when they couldn't just a short while earlier.
This was replicated with the decision to run nowt commercially for the last 3 hours of the night in Fencehouses - so Nexus had to step in and fill the breach again with the 79a.
No idea whether the drivers have undergone additional training to drive the vehicles in question - but there are accredited courses out there.
The name escapes me at the moment.
The 493 argument was again reenforced when the M1 was cut on an evening, plus at the same time being rerouted via Fencehouses. A link to Shiney Row and Herrington from Washington was cut, and Nexus still said no.