(07 Jul 2020, 3:19 pm)Andreos1 wrote I don't know what you mean. 
If the likes of the 319 are busy and loadings are tight, then GCT could allocate a bigger vehicle or Nexus can insist on one next time the contract is up for renewal. 

You mentioned the independents missing sections of route out previously. As confirmed by others, it goes on with commercial services too. Either way it's unacceptable, but something that franchising can help remove or at least reduce by financial clawbacks. 

The fact is, these smaller buses are being used on routes abandoned by the bigger boys. 
Hartlepool have nowt. Do you want T&W to go down the same route or do you want people to have a lifeline service (all be it with a smaller vehicle)?

These smaller vehicles seem to be making a comeback (or they were prior to social distancing). Whether they're better than the bread-vans which came about after de-reg is another thing.
Whether it's dial a ride type services or contracted, they're allowing operators to cover areas that would otherwise have been left alone. In some cases, it has created enough demand to increase the vehicle size.

I'm all for re-regulation, but feel that contracted/franchised services is a better alternative to the some of the defragmented messes we see now. Particularly when it comes to benefiting the taxpayer.

The used bus market offers a chance to pick up similarly sized midi-buses, only a few years old, that may use more in terms of diesel but offer a better quality throughout the life of the contract than the Mellors. The Mellors offer a false economy and are completely knackered after their contract.  Whereas a properly maintained E200 could be used over the span of two or three contracts.  

 Not every route can use midibuses, such as the K2 due to its Sharon Close section, however better planning by Nexus could see the withdrawal and joining of some services together to ensure they are not paying for 2 contacts when they could pay for 1. Sending the 335 to Killingworth replacing the K2 in part is something I think could be beneficial and create a through-link from Quorum to Killingworth and without the need to change at Four Lane Ends.