(24 Jul 2022, 11:56 pm)Chris 1 wrote Exactly. So for all the shiny paintwork and bells and whistles, she isn’t going to use it. So what’s the point in it all? Branding ensures that passengers know which service they’ve used, or need, but despite what the likes of Stenning would have us believe the bus is the choice of last resort. If passengers have a viable alternative, they aint gonna use the 56 just because it’s got glowers on the side and sockets that may or may not work.

Exactly this.  As an enthusiast branding is a nice to have (well, some of them - some are dross).  Beyond that, it is completely pointless.  If branding was in the slightest bit effective, we wouldn't see continual decline across the network.  Yes Covid is a convenient excuse but branded and corporate services alike have been getting slashed for years prior to covid, across many operators - those who use branding and those who don't.  How many services have been branded then put back to corporate, or withdrawn fully...I can't even begin to guess but certainly X2, 5, 6, X6, X7, X8, 9, 11.....X84, X85.... to name probably less than 10% of failed brands/routes. Sure there will be some drivel that it increases ridership but the stats are confidential, and meanwhile services get cut due to low usage.  Branding obviously isn't the cause of the decline but completely agree and the evidence bears out that the bus is the option of last resort for most, whether red, blue, pink, orange or the whole rainbow.