Yeah, if you're right and he is putting himself through his CPC, maintaining continuous interest in this campaign until November will be a difficult challenge. Over a prolonged period, unless there are indications that some amount of progress is being achieved, campaigns such as this tend to fizzle out. He's managed to stir up local interest, great. But unless he can act immediately on his promises if given the opportunity (presuming that locals and stakeholders are prepared to back this endeavor 100%) then this will slowly begin to unravel I'm afraid. Locals may be prepared to back this and fill in questionnaires a few times over, but businesses and local authorities will be less inclined to do so. Despite his best intentions they will see this for what it is: a waste of time, a pipe-dream, or something that is not going to happen. If that's the case then why, as a business, would you want to associate yourself with this cause?

Another thing to add into the equation is timing (presuming the CPC thing is true). Do visitors come to Coquetdale in their droves during the winter months? - I don't know the answer but I'm guessing probably not. So, if this service is being marketed at tourists, it's not going to attract that many during the winter. In the past, I have read reports that local bus services have been unable to serve Rothbury due to adverse weather conditions. So, once again, I'm guessing that locals will be conditioned to use personal rather than public transport during the winter. The two types of user the service is hoping to attract (local and tourist) are unlikely to use the service if it was launched in November.

But, of course, this is all speculative. He might have a CPC, a operators licence, a transport manager, and a fleet of buses stashed wherever Raoul Moat was hiding. I hope this is all sorted and he's raring to go, but if not....well....

But, according to his twitter feed, he's got the uniforms sorted...

Our first batch of company shirts ordered via #SpottyDogDesigns in #Morpeth What do you think..? pic.twitter.com/n5GCq8Wuc6

Take from that what you will.