(13 Mar 2016, 8:21 pm)Michael wrote Just re-thinking over the contract, why can't Stagecoach keep it and run it as the 5 and just use the 77A on a evening and Sunday?
It sounds better and keeps its current route without the need to change buses in the City Centre.
If the contract is changing i would expect Stagecoach to change the services just to the 5, not need for the 5A, as the routes are the same until the City Centre, when they split off different ways to the docks.
Stagecoach mightn't see the commercial opportunity in running the service (based on their knowledge of passenger numbers and trends), however other operators might.
Depending on running times of the current commercially-operated 5 service, it may mean that they have to have a bus sitting around in the City Centre for 25 minutes, now that it won't head shoot off down to The Docks.
This would then impact on how much profit Stagecoach makes, as they have a bus and driver being unproductive for a long period of time.