(31 May 2025, 8:53 am)Storx wrote Not much use if you want to go to the spots inbetween though. If you want to grow buses then you need to create a decent alternative to cars and a conventional bus with a screaming turbo for over an hour struggling down the A19 isn't that.
Stagecoach in Scotland nails routes like these perfectly ie the X54/X54A/X59/X59A from Edinburgh to St Andrews / Dundee which aren't a million miles away in distance and yet run every 20 minutes combined and serve arguably serve less population aswell.
It's not like Riverside don't have a coach department either so there's no issues there ie. you don't want 4 random coaches for maintenance issues etc.
Literally the easiest thing to do (without changing the vehicle rotation around) is to just buy Plaxton Panther LEs. These work really well around Scotland, have no boarding issues, are basically a coach and service bus combined.
And bonus they fit in Eldon Square too, think back to when they trialled one back in 2019(?).
And bonus bonus they won't lose the route (and vehicles) with franchising as it is well outside of the area from south of Peterlee!
Alternatively offer to route swap with Stagecoach or Arriva as both of them would be interested as both have more stable networks in Tyneside & Teeside. Of which GNE definitely does not!