(22 Mar 2016, 6:25 pm)Dan wrote Stagecoach presently operate services 5/5A between The Docks and Doxford Park. The section between Doxford Park and City Centre is operated by Stagecoach on a commercial basis, on Monday - Saturday daytimes. There is currently a through service from City Centre to The Docks, despite this section of the route being operated under contract to Nexus. On evenings and Sundays, the whole route between The Docks and Gilley Law is operated under contract to Nexus, by Stagecoach.
The new tender from May was originally the same, albeit numbered 77/77A. However, an amendment was made to the contract a few weeks into the tender process, with Nexus cancelling the daytime service between The Docks and City Centre. When this has happened in the past, it has been because another operator has stepped in to operate that service on a commercial basis. A fairly recent example would be Gateshead Central Taxis being awarded with the operation of the 96A service from Metrocentre to Lobley Hill. Go North East stepped in after the result was announced, to operate this service on a commercial basis. It's probably quite anti-competitive in a way, but on the flip side, can be quite a good thing, as it means that the operators are taking the rough with the smooth (whatever their intentions for this may be).
So, back to the 77/77A, this means that an operator has decided to operate the section of the new 77/77A services Monday - Saturday daytimes between The Docks and City Centre on a commercial basis. Stagecoach will not be able to continue with their current timetable on the 5/5A, if they are not the operator which has stepped in to operate the daytime Docks - City Centre section on a commercial basis. I think it's unlikely that Stagecoach will be the operator to do this, though.
Hopefully this is a bit clearer?
Ahhh right thanks Dan. Sorry you had to explain it better haha
With regards of the current numbering, it wouldn't surprise me if the 5A is dropped and Stagecoach will just run it as the 5, as the 5/5A do the exact same route until the City Centre, as for the new City Centre route, it will probables follow the 12 route.
Be good to finally have a different number service where i live also it'll be different to see another bus company run it too, if another company wins it on an evening and Sunday...