(06 Nov 2022, 9:42 pm)busmanT wrote I doubt that the Stagecoach operation in Sunderland is particularly profitable!!!!!
Whilst Busways Travel Services Ltd accounts always showed a very healthy profit, I suspect that routes like the 39/40 in Newcastle generated much of the profit.

As far as I'm aware Sunderland is quite a strong depot, they've got some strong areas especially North Sunderland which GNE has pretty much pulled out of now bar the token 35 and 56 which misses most of it and also Hendon and most the council areas to the West of Sunderland like Pallion etc.

I believe it's the reason they pulled the E's across as they made money so they could make South Shields a low cost depot (the problem depot for Busways if there's any).

It's the same as Arriva Stockton and Stagecoach Stockton which are both strong for similar reasons, Arriva Durham County has always been the stronger of the two up here and it isn't coming from the likes of the 49/49A/56/57/58 at Durham.