But on a serious note, given depot rationalisation with both GNE & Arriva, would they not have been better off agreeing this with TUPE nailed down?

GNE > Arriva:
- Percy Main depot
- Percy Main's staff
- Routes 19/41/41A

Arriva > GNE:
- Jesmond's staff* (moved to Riverside)
* Note some could get option to stay with Arriva and move to PM
- Route 685 (ran out of Hexham)

Effectively excluding any small route deals as above, Arriva would move their Jesmond routes to Percy Main and GNE would their Percy Main routes to Riverside. Would be a win win as Arriva would've still been able to sustain a feasible operation in North Tyneside without the pitfalls of Blyth / Ashington, and GNE would be able to rationalise their depot estates.

Plus Arriva eventually no doubt would've been able to draw up a deal with the developers building houses around Norham Road meaning potentially a replacement depot down the line.