(24 Feb 2025, 1:27 pm)MurdnunoC wrote As bad as GNE are, some people must be sniffing some pretty strong glue to leap to the conclusion that they're not going to be around when franchising eventually arrives here in the North East.

They have services which are producing a profit and, despite the bad communications and the state of the vehicles, people are still heavily reliant upon them due to the lack of competition provided by other operators in most of the areas they serve.

As long as they keep trimming the fat and manage the decline (which they have done for the best part of 20 years), I can't see the executives at the Go Ahead Group dumping Go North East, especially with the golden goose of franchising looming, so long as they keep in the black financially.

Unless there is some evidence to the contrary which I'm missing, I think GNE going under is wishful thinking.

I think you misread my post there btw. I meant that any electrics for the 307/309 won't be done under GNE because franchising will have started by the time any bid goes in rather than them disappearing altogether.

If the franchising is done like Manchester then they won't have anything to do with the electric bus investment, even months before it even starts.

The B9TL's will be on the 307/309 until the end now imo.