(19 Dec 2018, 6:59 pm)S830OFT wrote Well Arriva are always changing things around so pretty much anything is possible. The money will be recived from another part of Arriva that is doing well with all of it's products. The 56 | 57 services have been victims of under investment for quite a long time and I for one believe the residents of Country Durham who use these services frequently for employment and education or just a trip to the shop are entitled to good quality transport.
Additionally with service 57A providing the fastest service between Hartlepool and Durham passengers should expect a Gold Standard service provided with modern day features available on-board.
In addition to what has been suggested by others,
Withdrawing the 8A would leave service 8 with nothing to interwork with, potentially leaving a bus sat doing nothing in Spennymoor for about 50-55 minutes every hour.
Dropping the 56 to hourly between Ferryhill and Bishop would likely push some people onto competitors services to reach Bishop Auckland (113 in Ferryhill and 18 in Coundon)
Don't think too many passengers really do the 57A from Durham to Hartlepool, I could be wrong but I think the Trimdon Village - Hartlepool stretch is subsidized by the council?