It was suggested by a Stagecoach driver that Arriva could well be looking at merging their depots here and losing Stockton. Didn't seem sensible or practical 2bh.

(23 Aug 2025, 11:56 am)Robisdave54 wrote It was suggested by a Stagecoach driver that Arriva could well be looking at merging their depots here and losing Stockton. Didn't seem sensible or practical 2bh.

Probably would work though.

(23 Aug 2025, 11:56 am)Robisdave54 wrote It was suggested by a Stagecoach driver that Arriva could well be looking at merging their depots here and losing Stockton. Didn't seem sensible or practical 2bh.

Not practical nor would either have the space to take on the other…

(23 Aug 2025, 10:35 am)Superman wrote Is this on a facebook group or something?

As said it will be public shortly once staff are aware… so for now no as it’s not publically available.

(23 Aug 2025, 11:56 am)Robisdave54 wrote It was suggested by a Stagecoach driver that Arriva could well be looking at merging their depots here and losing Stockton. Didn't seem sensible or practical 2bh.

Not practical nor would either have the space to take on the other…

(23 Aug 2025, 12:27 pm)tyresmoke wrote As said it will be public shortly once staff are aware… so for now no as it’s not publically available.

As I thought, no proof.

As I said, this was speculation. In reality it would be impossible. How for example could Dormanstown send vehicles and staff to cover the Darlington boards and vice versa. The dead mileage would surely out weigh the cost. Then there are the space implications to think about as well as covering for breakdowns. The list goes on.

The idea of giving some of the fleet a face-lift is a good one though. Depends though on what will be regarded as a face-lift?:I doubt, in the current climate that it will be internal even though a few vehicles would benefit from it.

(23 Aug 2025, 2:10 pm)Robisdave54 wrote As I said, this was speculation. In reality it would be impossible. How for example could Dormanstown send vehicles and staff to cover the Darlington boards and vice versa. The dead mileage would surely out weigh the cost. Then there are the space implications to think about as well as covering for breakdowns. The list goes on.

The idea of giving some of the fleet a face-lift is a good one though. Depends though on what will be regarded as a face-lift?:I doubt, in the current climate that it will be internal even though a few vehicles would benefit from it.

Just on a discussion point it depends where the depot is. There's plenty space in the Middlesbrough area where they could easily open a super depot and replace both. 

Both depots aren't really ideally located nowadays, especially if they use the Whitby outstation more, could you throw more X4 boards in there for example? Other than that everything runs pretty much near Middlesbrough now anyway.

2863 has transferred to arriva Midlands.
What is the situation sith tbe solks sr at redcar are they staying or going

(23 Aug 2025, 1:33 pm)Superman wrote As I thought, no proof.

Knowing Tyresmoke and his situation, I think I'd be quite inclined to accept his statement as correct.....

(Yesterday, 5:00 am)Ianthegoon wrote Knowing Tyresmoke and his situation, I think I'd be quite inclined to accept his statement as correct.....

He is - as I understand it, staff at the affected depots have now been informed and notices are up in their break rooms.

I can't see just how Arriva can rationalise (reduce) service levels here in East Cleveland. We are on the bare bones as it is even when all services operate correctly.

The 5/5a provides the principal connection, 3 times an hour. Once and hour Sundays. No 5a.
Given what I've seen, others wouldn't agree, its enough.

The 28 provides an additional service into Guisborough but it's a long journey from Middlesbrough.

The X2,3,4 provides the connection through Redcar and Saltburn to Loftus and beyond
Lingdale every hour with the 3 stepping in on a Sunday

Service 62 provides a Monday to Saturday service for New Marske and with the X3 and 81 provides a service through the various estates.

The 63 should be upgraded with better vehicles

The 81 is probably at maximum service level. Could use a Sunday provision but that's not going to happen.

That's my summary as I see it. So thoughts on how this can be made more effective, economic.

(Yesterday, 11:00 am)Robisdave54 wrote I can't see just how Arriva can rationalise (reduce) service levels here in East Cleveland. We are on the bare bones as it is even when all services operate correctly.

The 5/5a provides the principal connection, 3 times an hour. Once and hour Sundays. No 5a.
Given what I've seen, others wouldn't agree, its enough.

The 28 provides an additional service into Guisborough but it's a long journey from Middlesbrough.

The X2,3,4 provides the connection through Redcar and Saltburn to Loftus and beyond
Lingdale every hour with the 3 stepping in on a Sunday

Service 62 provides a Monday to Saturday service for New Marske and with the X3 and 81 provides a service through the various estates.

The 63 should be upgraded with better vehicles

The 81 is probably at maximum service level. Could use a Sunday provision but that's not going to happen.

That's my summary as I see it. So thoughts on how this can be made more effective, economic.

We dont get a 62 service anymore for new marske. We are reduced to an x2 1 bus per hour. The 62 was better when it was every half hour to new marske. Remember growing up we had the 64 for a lot of years and they use to be every 20 minutes. Then slowly got reduced. Before that we had the 22, 62, 88 and 89. Now residents of new marske are stuck to 1 bus an hour (when it shows) and Sunday and bank holidays absolutely nothing.  

I fully get the working conditions like most sectors our conditions are not great and could be a whole lot better. And im not pointing blame but surely, management teams, head office, the transport sectorary should actually come and see what going on.

(Yesterday, 8:47 am)Kuyoyo wrote He is - as I understand it, staff at the affected depots have now been informed and notices are up in their break rooms.

Thank you. Instead of smoke and mirrors, a simple explanation of how this information is available goes a long way.

Does anyone have a copy of the notice?

(Yesterday, 3:16 pm)Superman wrote Thank you. Instead of smoke and mirrors, a simple explanation of how this information is available goes a long way.

Does anyone have a copy of the notice?

No - because nobody here is staff. The information is known to a handful of us by word of mouth from people who we know within the company who are in-the-know and nobody is going to leak the information.

When you think about it and given the area/catchment of places like New Marske 1 bus an hour is quite shameful. Dependency for people to go to work and do essential business must be high.

We are slowly being pushed into a situation in some parts of East Clevelabd where Ben Houchens buses - Stagecoach 1 & 2 will prove to be the only lifeline they have.

(11 hours ago)Robisdave54 wrote When you think about it and given the area/catchment of places like New Marske 1 bus an hour is quite shameful. Dependency for people to go to work and do essential business must be high.

We are slowly being pushed into a situation in some parts of East Clevelabd where Ben Houchens buses - Stagecoach 1 & 2 will prove to be the only lifeline they have.

Didn't someone say that Stagecoach were giving up the 1 and 2 soon? If anyone is going to win them, then Arriva is the sensible winner for them.

I don't know the changes, but if Arriva end up running the 1 and 2 (the need more buses), maybe it might be the X3 getting scrapped beyond Marske.

The 1 and 2 duplicate it anyway and the 5/5A, X2 and X4 already do the direct Middlesbrough links for all the villages the X3 serves (the consolidation part). Why bother running something commercial, the council is funding anyway for no reason?

You could also easily terminate the X3 at Marske Estate and extend the 28 through to Redcar and scrap the 81 aswell if you wanted to save another bus with that moving to Redcar (buses moving depots). 

I don't know though, just speculation, but none of those would be deal breakers really, arguably better the 81 change.

Do Darlo and Durham have the space to accommodate the vehicles that would possibly be displaced by closing Stockton? It would make no sense for what’s left of the X22 to come from Redcar, for example.

(9 hours ago)BusLoverMum wrote Do Darlo and Durham have the space to accommodate the vehicles that would possibly be displaced by closing Stockton? It would make no sense for what’s left of the X22 to come from Redcar, for example.

To be fair, wouldn't be surprised if the X22 is one of the routes moved. Could easily work within the 22/23/24 since some terminate there.

Means they can shot of the thing when franchising comes in as well as I can't imagine it being the world's most profitable route.

Don't think Redcar is anywhere near big enough for all of it anyway even if they wanted to merge them? I'd assume any merge would be a new super depot somewhere, if it ever happened.

(11 hours ago)Robisdave54 wrote When you think about it and given the area/catchment of places like New Marske 1 bus an hour is quite shameful. Dependency for people to go to work and do essential business must be high.

We are slowly being pushed into a situation in some parts of East Clevelabd where Ben Houchens buses - Stagecoach 1 & 2 will prove to be the only lifeline they have.

Ironic isn't it?

When the local authority tender not only a whole bus service, but also a DRT service on top of a bus network, then people wonder why the commerciality of the existing network is challenged.

Whatever the shortcomings are/were, any money would be better spent enhancing the existing network rather than duplicating vast chunks of it..

(11 hours ago)Robisdave54 wrote When you think about it and given the area/catchment of places like New Marske 1 bus an hour is quite shameful. Dependency for people to go to work and do essential business must be high.

We are slowly being pushed into a situation in some parts of East Clevelabd where Ben Houchens buses - Stagecoach 1 & 2 will prove to be the only lifeline they have.

Or maybe everybody stops jumping to conclusions before the changes are publicly announced!

I can say, without putting too much out there, everyone thinking these are major reductions are way off the mark. Reductions in work at one depot yes, but that's it. No depots are closing, nowhere is losing a service.

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(9 hours ago)Storx wrote Didn't someone say that Stagecoach were giving up the 1 and 2 soon? If anyone is going to win them, then Arriva is the sensible winner for them.

Stagecoach aren't doing anything like that - the contract for operation of those routes is until next March.

(7 hours ago)Kuyoyo wrote Or maybe everybody stops jumping to conclusions before the changes are publicly announced!

I can say, without putting too much out there, everyone thinking these are major reductions are way off the mark. Reductions in work at one depot yes, but that's it. No depots are closing, nowhere is losing a service.

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Stagecoach aren't doing anything like that - the contract for operation of those routes is until next March.

As a darlo driver Kuyoyo and tyresmoke are correct there is changes happening but not till November no depots are closing so  stop jumping to conclusions.

(7 hours ago)Kuyoyo wrote Stagecoach aren't doing anything like that - the contract for operation of those routes is until next March.

Yeah that's fair, remember it being mentioned but guess it wasn't true.