(10 May 2015, 1:35 am)GMitchelhill wrote IIRC I believe it was something to do with Arriva running the trains too. They made the bus service less attractive to those who lived up in the Tyne Valley in places like Hexham, Corbridge, Riding Mill and Stockfield, and made them use the trains. This combined with what Davey said about Arriva needed to upgrade the 308 to Low Floor deckers for the Superoute idea, which was a farce. High Floor deckers still made regular appearences on Arriva workings (not that I'm complaining, rather have a Scania N113DRB than a Dennis Trident)
It had nothing to do with the trains Gary; The Tridents were simply not up to the job for the 602. That combined with fewer passengers on the Ryton corridor due to the sheer amount of buses at that time, and the availability of the Volvo's from Scotland led to the decision to go single deck. There was a plan to re-introduce Double Deckers towards the end of 2008 early 2009 but this was strangely vetoed...we were to find out later that year though just why!