(02 Apr 2014, 8:15 pm)aureolin wrote How do you know they didn't give it any thought? All those services combined would require 37 vehicles, based on the following requirements:
X10/X11 PVR 12, X18 PVR 6, X21 PVR 8, X22 PVR 6, X93 PVR 5.
I'd imagine the bus industry is the same as any other, and you can't just go around placing a massive order for new vehicles, without a cast iron business case and forecast to show the money is going to be earned back.
It's just not realistic.
X93 has a seasonal PVR difference - PVR 5 on the current (winter) timetable, increasing in the summer (previously PVR 7, rumour is this year will see a PVR of 8 instead).
X21/X22 for the same reason - hence why there's only 6 new E400s on order for the route as part of the 'Sapphire' upgrade with the remaining 8 being made up of refurbished examples (I would guess a further couple will also be treated to give spares).