(09 Jun 2014, 9:00 pm)aureolin wrote I won't get into the whole secured service provision debate, as it's been done to death in the QCS thread, and I reckon I've made my own views pretty clear.

On the investment debate that often crops up though. They'd have to replace the buses sooner or later anyway. If you don't replace depreciated assets (which tend to be financially accounted for in the books) then you'll eventually have no business to run. Sainsburys for example will do the same with refrigeration units, only they don't try and sell it as a perk to their customers.

Whether I agree or not that's the reality of it.

Operators can sell it as a perk, because it can be a perk.

Think of your light-weight Optare Versa. Does the job but it's quite cheap (in terms of price and the quality) - usually purchased simply because other assets need to be replaced.

Now think of your heavy-weight Wi-Fi enabled (nobody is allowed to use this as an opportunity to complain about Wi-Fi ) Mercedes Citaro. Has a good ride quality and the price is considerably higher for the company.

I rest my case.