(15 Feb 2015, 2:06 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Someone needs to go back to the drawing board, and reshuffle services again, but this time for the better. Starting with Sapphire, fixing the seat problems and installing more comfortable seats.

Ashington and Blyth need to get their act together when it comes to allocations, if a bus isn't allocated to the correct route, maybe a fine should be issued to the depot.

And lose capacity - no chance! The seats you mentioned that are found in the Welsh Sapphire E400s are a Welsh-only feature - and also can only be fitted as 2+1 configuration. So, if you want E400s that can only seat 66 (or even less if you want them on both decks) over E400s that can seat 76-80 (depending on which batch it is - 7518 can seat 80, the newer batch are 76 seaters and 7501-9 are 78 seaters) go ahead. It's funny - I don't have a problem with the seats in the Sapphire or MAX stock - I find them soft and comfortable.

What is needed is finding who allocates to the wrong route and tell them not to - one of Stockton's inspectors used to be well know for being the one who used to allocate buses out on anything. However, since 'Sapphire' arrived, it's very rare for anything to end up off route (especially the Streetlites). 1512 has been on other work but only on Saturdays when it is genuinely 'spare' (weekdays, when not required on 5/5A, it is either allocated to the 27 board that works the 1710 X5 from Middlesbrough or the 9/27a board that works the 0705 X5 from Easington).