(06 Apr 2021, 12:43 pm)Adrian wrote I don't know why it's a case of Go North East not being bothered, when arguably Arriva and Stagecoach are the principle operators in that area and could quite easily take some commercial risk in creating/trying new links.

Yes they could but until last Go North East had always had a service of some sort in the Hartlepool area going back to the early days of it been known as Northern. If the 55 was not working they could have tried other services from Hartlepool instead like a new service to Newcastle or extending some of the East Durham services into the town plenty of options there.  They called Go North East but are not serving the whole of the North East are they if parts of Country Durham or Teesside just get some token services. I mean I know people up in Tyneside think the North East just revolves around them but it’s actually Berwick down to Middlesbrough so if they calling themselves Go North East they should try and serve the whole of the North East properly.  

As for Stagecoach and Arriva I agree they should try different services as well but they don’t really care and since both are controlled from Sunderland why would they care about providing better services in Hartlepool.  

They could have as easily done a Yorkshire coast from Peterlee and Hartlepool as well though which could have Served Billingham and Stockton as well.