(18 May 2021, 6:40 pm)logidoodah wrote Sorry I didn't know where else to put this, so I thought this most convenient place.

Does anyone know what Stagecoach are going to do about the ever imminent CAZ in Newcastle as they still have MAN ALX300's in active service and they cannot just move them onto other single decker routes as there are only 2 routes that don't enter the city centre at all, which is 6,7,8 and 18. However I feel there would be too many of them so they would have to cascade some. Do you think some new E200 MMC's could be on the way?

Also what are they doing about it? Such as GNE lowering emission standards to Euro 6 on most routes, even there Hybrids as euro 6 is cleaner. Are the E400's euro 6? I know the 69 plates are but what about the 16 plates and older??

One option for Stagecoach is swapping the 64  65 plate E300 at  Stockton with the remaining man Alexander 300s which would help in the short term. I suppose they could take a few E200 MMC as well from Stockton.  Ideally though Stagecoach need to do something so if money is available I would do the following. 

Newcastle. 
Enviro 400 MMC 
Enviro 200 MMC  
Some of the older Enviro 400 could be cascaded to Stockton and Sunderland depots along with the Enviro 300s. This would also help to see the end of the worse of the the Enviro 200s out of the north east fleet.  

Hartlepool 
Enviro 200 MMC 
Optare Versa   ( only if Stockton does not get new buses instead ) 
Enviro 400 MMC 

Hartlepool has a major problem at the moment in that it desperately needs better buses as the mechanics are having a difficult  job keeping the current fleet on the road. At least more than half the fleet is poor and needs to go. Getting some newer optare versea and enviro 200 MMC could solve the problem for at least the next few years.  Splitting the 36 with Stockton could also help especially with the reliability of that service which is why I put some Enviro 400 MMC on the list. 
 
Stockton 

Enviro 400 MMC 
Enviro 200 MMC 

More Enviro 200 MMC would see some of the remaining Man Alexander 300 removed from service and put into the reserve fleet. Enviro 400 for the 36 service shared with Hartlepool could beneficial and make the service more reliable plus once covid measures are finally fully removed it’s likely the 36 will return to be full on most journeys so extra capacity could be needed.  This could also some of the 64 and 65 plate E300 moved to Hartlepool to replace some of the worse of the Enviro 200 fleet.    

Hartlepool and Stockton 

Mercedes Benz Dodge 
Optare Solo SR. 

This could be used and bought in part payment by Tees Valley combined authority as spares and to extend the Tees flex operation. Could also be used for experimental routes or duplicates at busy times.  

I know before anyone points out none of this or at least most of this is likely to happen but everything there does benefit most depots and helps get rid of the worst of the fleet.