(23 May 2021, 10:58 am)Andreos1 wrote Not defending GCT at all, but there's many a contract been won without the actual vehicles being in situ. Not just in the NE, but across the UK.
Smaller contracts or even those which are larger.
For most other contracts I'd suggest the same, but not this one.
I would be very surprised if Gateshead Central Taxis had any intention of procuring two buses (including a spare - as none of their other fleet would meet contract specification) to run this short-term contract, especially as they provided a cheaper price than a large number of other bidders (some of whom, you'd imagine, would definitely have vehicles of this specification readily available on a Sunday).