(25 Aug 2022, 7:56 pm)RobinHood wrote Five of the fourteen are going to Ashington, yes. This was confirmed internally.
The remaining 9 are for (on paper - the 55(3) and the 46/51(5) +1 spare).
The 555 and 553 don't need CAZ compliant vehicles. I understand 2601-2603 are being kept for these.
If the 55 or 46 does go, then that will probably convert the 553/555 to E200, as they won't want to split the vehicle batch any more than already planned.
Thank you, wasn't made up bus rumours for once then. Believe it's the first the 57/57A/10/10A/11/12/810/811/442/19/318 or whatever other variation I've missed of them has had a brand new bus bought for them since deregulation.
(26 Aug 2022, 8:04 am)RMF1254 wrote Shame for the residents of Meadway, Forest Hall, Longbenton and the Matthew Bank area whose only direct bus to the City Centre is the 55. I don’t think can count the 63 as a direct bus from Forest Hall as it goes via Heaton and Byker.
Longbenton has the 52, Matthew Bank has the X7/X8. For the other half of the route, they could easily divert the 52 to go to Killingworth via the 55/53 route. It would arguably offer a better service anyway as it would reconnect the links up to Cramlington which they lost with the 42 cuts. No-one else really loses out, Cramlington/Burradon uses the X7/X8 to Newcastle / Quorum anyway so adding time to the Southern end of the route wouldn't be the end of the world as long as they diverted the 54 to loop FLE.