(22 Apr 2023, 4:00 pm)Storx wrote That's debatable mind. I'd say the Stockton routes are stronger than the Newcastle counterparts which are gaining the 64/65 plates.ah don't get me wrong SNE as a whole deserves a massive amount more of investment,
Your comparing different routes here. The buses aren't being taken off Stockton aren't going on the 62. We're talking about the X47/X77/X78/X79/X82/X87/X88 which imo are all weak services in comparison to the Stockton services these buses are coming off and aren't more frequent.
The major routes in Newcastle other than the 12/22/38 have much newer buses (16/69 plate) and assuming one of those will be upgraded with the new buses.
imo the best way to sort out the mess with the buses would be this would be to buy new midi Enviro 200 MMC's to replace all the Enviro 200's at Sunderland and the 1 at Hartlepool then use the displaced Enviro 200's to South Shields and Hartlepool to get shot of the MAN's.
For big buses purchase new Enviro 200 MMC long buses for Stockton and displace the MAN's to reserve and the remaining 64/65 plates to Sujderland to get shot of the gas buses.
but we all know looking at recent orders even with the the financial nightmare of CAZ hanging over a decent percentage of the division, that UK bus isn't treating the north east as it deserves. the whole thing about making Scotland all electric is pure PR. as for places like torquay and chichester getting double the amount of brand new double decks that north east is receiving don't get me started.
the reason i mentioned the 62 is I feel it is a very strong route through Newcastle but it only covers a very specific corridor, as for all the X routes you've just mentioned yes they aren't as strong but they are covering areas which either don't have much public transport running through them especially on the outer fringes of Newcastle like Darras hall, Newbiggin hall etc. or in the case of the X47 which pretty much competes with the metro, which you can guarantee doubles the amount of passengers overnight when the metro over Kingston park goes down.
as i said to glen if it hadn't for CAZ those routes would still be running the ALXs, 08 and Cambrian 09 E300s, but because is here and there was a lack of investment in the newer buses that wouldn't require paying the charges they have had to move everything around,
on a positive though i will bet that the next batch of newer single decker's whatever they may be whether second hand E300s or brand new MMCs will again go to Teesside because of the older vehicles that now reside their