(3 hours ago)PH - BQA wrote Obviously I haven't taken it from one set of vehicle movements, it's been obvious to anyone keeping an eye on the business for a number of years. You mention 2027/8 and other years in the future (for maybe 2 depots), that is of no use to anyone using these services now or for the past few years.

The cuts to the Teesside network (which have been confirmed on here by those with connections inside Arriva) follow on from other large cuts to the Darlington and Durham networks over the last few years. There has been little to no innovation in the route network (in ADC, slightly different in Northumbria with the constant council tenders), and even when they do make a positive change the tone in their announcements implies surprise that people have started to use the route - see the 16. 

Bar the new vehicle investment situation, which seems to be slowly changing but still far too little to late in some instances, all of the problems with the company at present can be attributed to NE management. They have failed to innovate, they have failed to uphold standards, and they have consistently failed to ensure resources are there to fulfil service delivery. Lots of the issues in the NE could be fixed without huge investment, just some standards would do, but it is clear that those running the NE depots have no standards. Even back to when DB invested, new buses looked fresh for about a week before they were let to rot. 

You say these takes are laughable, but do you use the services? Do you see these vehicles every day? The 57/58-plate E400s are a disgrace when you see them in Newcastle compared to the vehicles operated by any other company. I saw a Northstar DOE this evening on my commute home which, while still red, looked smarter than anything I've seen operate out of Blyth for years. Services out of Newcastle in the peak are constantly either missing or significantly delayed. I see services in the peak leaving Newcastle with crush loads because they've been allocated a Pulsar rather than a decker (Coast Road and Ashington expresses in particular). I see long distance runs to Scotland using clapped out Pulsars with low-back dirty/unpadded moquette seats rather than any of the buses with more comfortable high back, re-trimmed, e-leather seating. I see double deckers allocated to the 434 because of unserviceable minibuses, leaving saloons to take match day loads on the X21. All of these are real life observations from someone who pays money to use these services. 

Let's say there are improvements next year, are they not more likely to be down to the changes at the very top more than the NE level? I'd love to see the business improve, and I think the introduction of new vehicles will help it get there, but the local management of this business for years now has been abysmal and unless that is also changing then any investment will likely be mismanaged anyway. This post, as with my previous one, is in my view an accurate picture of the business in its current state from the outside looking in. If there are things happening internally, then these need to be significant, need to happen quickly, and must be implemented properly.