(05 Feb 2021, 5:20 pm)Dan wrote Nice analogy, and perhaps the best points you've made in this debate yet... but the point you're missing is that the beans (bus) are actually better than they used to be.

Through all the upgrades undertaken over the last 12 months the product has improved (albeit mainly just better comfort and quality):

• services X70/X71 upgraded from ex-London Volvo B9 with lacklustre quality seating to brand new, Euro 6 double-deck buses, with more comfortable seats, tables, next stop announcements, wireless/USB charging points (and previous free Wi-Fi offering still maintained)
  
• due to the above, services 93/94 upgraded from aged Scania L94s to double-deck Volvo B9, with free Wi-Fi and next stop announcements (a first for these routes).
  
• services X45/X46/X47 upgraded from Wright Streetlites to brand new, Euro 6 buses, crucially double-deck instead of the previous single-deck to offer passengers a more comfortable journey during busier periods, with all the same (and better) mod-cons than the previous buses.
  
  
• service X20 upgraded from Optare Solo SRs to Wright Streetlites, offering more space than the previous buses allocated.
  
• service 35 upgraded from Scania L94s to Mercedes Citaros, bringing Wi-Fi, USB charging points and next stop announcements to this route for the first time.
  
• service X1 upgraded from Volvo B9 to brand new Euro 6 double-decks, with all the same (and better) features than the previous buses, including tables and charging points.
  
• due to the above, services 26/27 upgraded from single-deck to refurbished double-deck Volvo B9, offering better capacity to passengers on this route during busier periods, and quality internally.
  
• services X9/X10 upgraded from buses to more purpose-built coaches
  
• buses on service 4 given a light refurbishment due to 'below-par' quality standards
  
• buses on service 56 given a light refurbishment due to 'below-par' quality standards
  

[*]All of this cannot just be dismissed, as it is being currently. These are very clear benefits and improvements to passengers, which, when paired with better/cheaper ticketing options (unlike other operators, Go North East hasn't increased the price of its tickets - Stagecoach and Arriva still undertook the same traditional fares increase, when Go North East decided to reduce fares and introduce new tickets) and better cleaning regimes (which we should all hope remain in place, post-COVID), do provide a better quality product than what was offered previously.

I really am not dismissing your point about network improvements, and I do agree that more can and should be done, but I go back to what I have alluded several times now... Is it best that operators take the 'do nothing' approach and make no network improvements (because they can't afford to) or do they try and improve the product through a cheaper method in order to drive growth and build the route back in order to allow them to make network improvements?