(26 Feb 2025, 10:57 pm)No I Storx wrote To be fair can't disagree with him though, for once. I have a feeling some of these franchising plans will end up being costly for the tax payer, much more than a few subsidised services.

I have a feeling the NECA one could backfire massively as it's all easy to get growth in somewhere in Newcastle, but get the same growth in Bishop Auckland isn't happening and without any growth it's just an expense since Arriva and GoAhead make more money from a contract vs commercial so the money has to come from somewhere.

Municipals bus operators yes, as it removes the shareholders but not franchising as it effectively just protects shareholders from any losses and throws it all at the tax payer instead and there's a lot of weak routes in the North East.

I feel some like Kim are just jumping on a bandwagon ignoring that the NECA area is very different to London and Manchester and London bleeds money anyway.

It's not like the franchising of trains exactly went well which this model isn't exactly a million miles away from...

So we in Hartlepool have to put up with a commercially shite service. Christ, there’s not even any competition! I’d rather give Kim a chance than the moribund Houchen, who still had his head up Thatchers pussy .