(25 Feb 2023, 10:30 pm)Washingtonian wrote If Percy Main was to be the next depot to close then I sincerely hope they do have a replacement site lined up first rather than bunching all the vehicles up into other depots. Some of the depots are already massively overcrowded, such as Washington. There must be less space for vehicles even at the likes of Riverside too after the closure of the Chester depot. I don't think the drivers at Percy Main will be too chuffed either having to travel further to get to work and either having to pay tyne tunnel fees or getting stuck in traffic. Yes they could use their free travel ticket unless they are operating the first buses of the day but it would take a lot longer for them getting to work. We all know that was a big issue when Chester closed! It's often been highlighted that GNE have struggled with driver numbers and recruiting in recent times, so surely the last thing they should be doing right now is unsettling and upsetting the drivers they have now. If Percy Main is to lose the scholars contracts etc then how about they operate some of the services that currenty operate from Riverside instead? Or they could operate South Tyneside based services instead. That way buses are spread out, allowing more space at depots and drivers would be uneffected.
At this stage there's no indication Percy Main is to close - it's merely rumour due to contract losses.
It's an awkward one really - who's to say this time next year GNE might be in a position to put in lower bids and win a few of the contracted services back. Equally, if GNE were to lose the contracts for the scholar services then you really would be having to look at the feasibility of running a depot for essentially just the 1, 41/41A and 309/10/11. Of course the 309/10/11 will become the 307/9 with the Coast Road Agreement and a PVR reduction of 2 while the 41/41A extension to Howdon is going so will be reduced to a PVR of 3. Tbh if the Hospital Shuttle ever goes back to using the Sprinters, you could probably stick 5499 an 5500 on the Q3 and extend it from Wallsend to Hadrian Park and do away with the 41/41A.