(29 Jun 2026, 12:56 pm)Storx wrote Stuff like the X43 being one of those routes as it's actually a decent route imo.
Like personally if I had a pot of money and wanted to take a punt for a bus route, two of my top routes would be these:
With the black bits being express. The current service provision for them is utter crap and slow since GNE pushed streamlining too hard and they're not attractive imo. The 10 in particular is a complete chore and the route beyond Stanley on the second route is just pretty non-existent.
I think a return of something like the old 604 as you say would be a good shout too!
(29 Jun 2026, 4:07 pm)Busadvocate wrote I suspect Dan has more sense. Even if it is operationally feasible, starting a full-on head to head competitive service would be a very brave move. All experience in the nearly 40 years since deregulation is that even for the national firms it is very, very, hard to succeed in such attempts, and easy to burn a lot of money. Remember the X43 is almost certainly only viable for Northstar as an opportunistic Sat and school holidays service making use of buses that are needed for school-time services. So far there is no sign of them becoming more than that.
Maybe, but there have been instances in the past where other operators have been bounced out by better services like before Covid in the 2010's when GNE ran the X84 & X85.
Likewise, GNE have mismanaged the X21 shen it was clear as far back as 2014 that the route needed dealer stock B9TLs or E400MMC. And what did GNE do? Go out and buy a batch of gutless StreetDecks, then put gutless B5TLs on that got hammered on the A19. Then newer less **** StreetDecks that still aren't great and spend half their time providing cover on the X10 again getting a hammering.
I'm not saying it would be 100% guaranteed to work, but there'd be a loyal base of customers who'd use the service over GNE's X21. And Northstar having an operating base in County Durham would make things better in terms of vehicles (i.e swapouts / breakdowns) and driver reliefs in Chester Le Street.