Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[126th street]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(24/07/2014 16:07)Dentonian Wrote:  Coming to this late as I have no knowledge of the bus market over there, but if it leads to an unravelling of the QBP, the repercussions could extend way beyond Merseyside eg. Tyne & Wear.

It's a big 'if'.

The Tyne and Wear proposed 'partnership' (proposed by Nexus that is, not the operators) is something different entirely. If that comes to pass, and I doubt it will, then operators will have no latitude to register what they want.

They will run routes and charge fares set by Nexus and that will be the end of it, which is why Souter has threatened to pull out entirely and Nigel Feetham (Arriva head in the NE) is similarly irate about it. Go-Ahead have remained more on the fence, but David Brown (CEO) was very scathing at the depot opening they had up there a few months ago.

That said, Nexus seemed to change their tone rather substantially not too long ago from one which was very dictatorial to one which suddenly suggested that they were more open to working with operators, rather than against them. If it does happen it will set a worrying precedent for the rest of the country.