(19 Jul 2020, 4:15 pm)Dan wrote I disagree with your opinion.

Investment is clearly being focused around the company's new "X-lines" network, which obviously spirals predominantly out of Newcastle City Centre (so is required for the proposed Clean Air Zone, anyway). The investment into these routes means the buses currently allocated (of varying ages) cascade to replace much older buses, and there'll be a noticeable change on these services as it'll mean things like free Wi-Fi, power sockets and audio-visual announcements are introduced to some routes for the very first time.

Members of this forum have indicated in the past that they do not believe vehicle allocation is enough to convince customers to use the bus, but bus operators up and down the country have reported examples of patronage growth as a result of investment into new vehicles. I'm sure everyone will have a different opinion on this one and it could be argued that the investment into new vehicles has given marketing departments an opportunity to promote the service(s) more often which is the true reason for the growth, but the point here is that operators have reported this to be the case and as enthusiasts we probably have to believe that. With that in mind, a mere 1% of growth on a flagship route like the 21 is vastly different to 1% of growth on a much lesser route like the 25.

Go North East has to submit a business case for the purchase of new vehicles to its parent company, Go-Ahead Group, with fuel savings and potential patronage growth being two figures which will be included within this plan. I suspect it will be the same for other companies in a group PLC too. With the above point in mind, at Group level it makes much more sense to invest into a flagship route like the 21 if growth can come as a result of the investment. This is your main reason for key services being upgraded with brand new buses more often than lesser routes.

I would imagine customers on "Crusader" services 26/27 would welcome a permanent allocation of double-decks with open arms, given the unreliability of the Tyne & Wear Metro system, which often results in single-decks on services 26/27 being overcrowded or even full, leaving 'normal' bus passengers behind at bus stops. I don't believe for one minute they will envy customers on the X1 service and wish they had the buses from that route instead (let's face it, 95%+ of them won't use the X1 so won't know any different!)

I also disagree with your point about a good refurbishment comparing to the investment into a brand new bus. Are you suggesting that Go North East should have refurbished the old B7/Geminis on the X9/X10 services every five years instead of buying new buses? I'm sure passengers appreciate a bus looking pretty inside, when parked up at the side of the road...

Can't argue with statistics tbh so not going to naive and argue a point to the ground and it kind of makes sense in the point really that even if you did want to get 25 new buses it wouldn't never happen anyway because of how companies work so won't argue about where new buses go.

I still think a good refurbishment in comparison to a new bus in the majority of cases is just as good though. I know a lot of people seem to want the 10 to get new buses but if you give them a as new refurbishment and a good marketing campaign then it'll be as good as buying new buses for them. Similar with the 56 and in a few years the time the 20, Coast and Country and Black Cat network. I just wish all 3 would spend a bit more on upgrading their older fleet as there is a few core routes around which are looking pretty tired imo 10, 56, 58, Quaylink to name a few for GNE and then create a more modern fleet throughout so when they do eventually move on they're not too far behind the new buses lets say the 21 has got.

The X9/X10 is a different route altogether though and it was more of buying the wrong bus for the route which you's have finally solved so no moaning there.