(30 Oct 2013, 11:44 pm)CatsFast101 wrote Well it's a good idea in principal but I'm not sure if it works in practice. How many times has a branded vehicle appeared off route while that service uses anything spare. I think it's good but it just seems a bit daft buying a new bus (or 2) as a spare when other services go without any new investiments and make do with rattling MPD's/SPD's or frequent examples of Olympians.

I think having a branded spare is good and is certainly helps in something which I think is a key- Brand Recognition, But in this case why not use existing vehicles as branded spares? I mean a quick example, would be like 8306-8309, allocating one as Drifter spare, two as CityLink spare and one as Saltwell Park spare.

(30 Oct 2013, 11:50 pm)Kuyoyo wrote BIB, you are suggesting using 39 seater Versas as back-up for 44-seater examples on a route that does fill the Citaro Artic used on it now. Given there's 14 Citaros, makes sense to order 14 Versas for like-for-like replacement. By having 2 in Northern, it doesn't limit their use unlike if they were branded for the 58.

(30 Oct 2013, 11:58 pm)CatsFast101 wrote Well I just really don't see the logic in brand new northern spares?

(31 Oct 2013, 10:50 am)Michael wrote I didn't know where to put it but the latest bus and coach

1.4m have being giving to the local authority

Sunderland and Durham got 19 buses between them

This is on top of the 5m awarded before for 11 local authority's


Sorry if its old info.. first time iv'e heard it


Maybe a couple of these will end up on Sunderland connect?

(31 Oct 2013, 11:01 am)Kuyoyo wrote The money is the sane as the money Nexus were awarding for Gateshead - Cleaner Bus Funding to make older vehicles more emission friendly.

(31 Oct 2013, 10:50 am)Michael wrote I didn't know where to put it but the latest bus and coach

1.4m have being giving to the local authority

Sunderland and Durham got 19 buses between them

This is on top of the 5m awarded before for 11 local authority's


Sorry if its old info.. first time iv'e heard it


Maybe a couple of these will end up on Sunderland connect?

(31 Oct 2013, 11:07 am)Andreos1 wrote According to the Government press release the other day, it is to retrofit exhaust filters.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/14-million-to-cut-bus-pollution

(31 Oct 2013, 6:14 am)citaro5284 wrote What do you not get. I would have thought buying a couple of extra vehicles on top of an order and paying for them over a number of years is logic. This will also help get rid of some older 'spare' vehicles within the fleet.