Just observing the fleet list & have noticed the last two weeks 35222 appears to be the only remaining Dart in service with SNE, albeit restricted to duty's on the 4/8s between 09:41 & 14:11 most days.

Could/is this finally the end of the Darts, given most are now parked at the back of Chichester Depot. Have to say that SNE have certainly had their use out of them, which can't be said for the 397s, which I do believe they were desperate to get rid of at the earliest possible opportunity.

The only buses I can see starting to be disposed from the fleet this year & next would be:
15x MAN E300s (24101 - 24115)
19x Scania E300s (28001 - 15/17-20)
15x Enviro 200s (36081 - 36094) + 36050.
Although I would imagine some of these could be displaced by cascades & PVR reductions should they lose any work etc.

(20 Aug 2025, 7:39 pm)Teessider2014 wrote 73176 was picked up today by Slatyford - apparently it is the first one for Slatyford.

According to the EM we are due another batch of 5 to replace the 4 ‘Scottish/midlands’ yutongs as well as 27175 which is the last Diesel in the fleet

Really 73176 is Slatyford’s? I thought we might have been borrowing it for driver training a bit like when Stockton used Sunderland’s 73074 for training.

(21 Aug 2025, 7:09 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Really 73176 is Slatyford’s? I thought we might have been borrowing it for driver training a bit like when Stockton used Sunderland’s 73074 for training.

All I know is ours where told ‘not to prep it, it’s not ours’

(21 Aug 2025, 7:16 pm)Teessider2014 wrote All I know is ours where told ‘not to prep it, it’s not ours’

Interesting, I wasn’t expecting any of ours to be 25 plate. The majority are going to be 75 plate by the sounds of things. Unsure how many are being delivered to Slatyford if anyone knows?

Sounds like Slatyford are getting the full 18 batch 73176-73195. Be interesting to see how this works with no proper chargers

(21 Aug 2025, 7:16 pm)Teessider2014 wrote All I know is ours where told ‘not to prep it, it’s not ours’

Doesn't explain why it had Cleveland Transit legal lettering when I photographed it on August 6th

[quote="stagecoachfan" pid='319996' dateline='1755825143']

Doesn't explain why it had Cleveland Transit legal lettering when I photographed it on August 6th
[/quote

The sign guys who fit the electrical speel on the side of the buses put the legal lettering on this batch of buses inadvertently putting the wrong ones on!

Is 73176 a stagecoach Stockton one or for slatyford depot?

(22 Aug 2025, 6:34 pm)Glen1974 wrote Is 73176 a stagecoach Stockton one or for slatyford depot?

slaty

Ok mate

When is stagecoach Stockton U11dd due is it September?

Changes to fares in Sunderland from Sunday 31 August 2025

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/service-up...:04:08:274

Considering there was a fare increase only four months ago when service reductions had taken place, I have no doubt this will result in falling patronage for shorter distance trips. Considering the fare cap is £2.50, I dread to think how much would be charged if the fare cap been scrapped, although equally one wonders how much NECA & the state are reimbursing operators per each ticket sold.

Similar with Scottish Borders where under 22s can go free, but when that card runs out it's full fare, with no fare cap so £7 singles for a one hour journey. If operators & local authorities wanted to make Public Transport appealing to everybody, there should be an incentive for everybody to use it, opposed to just tailoring to the needs of the young & elderly, whilst hiking up prices for everybody else to where it's unaffordable for what you are paying for.

There's no magic money tree as some people believe sometimes! What really disappoints me is certain operators promoting they care about connecting communities etc, whilst at the same time removing vital links, hoping to win them back with LA funding. Yes, there's a balance to be struck in the sense of making a business viable, but removing a vital bus opposed to dropping frequency from another can speak volumes, especially to people who know exactly what is being done with their service.

Also isn't it at all strange some routes that were withdrawn commercially in 2022, suddenly became viable once another operator was about to win or regain the contract...

(8 hours ago)S830OFT wrote Considering there was a fare increase only four months ago when service reductions had taken place, I have no doubt this will result in falling patronage for shorter distance trips. Considering the fare cap is £2.50, I dread to think how much would be charged if the fare cap been scrapped, although equally one wonders how much NECA & the state are reimbursing operators per each ticket sold.

Similar with Scottish Borders where under 22s can go free, but when that card runs out it's full fare, with no fare cap so £7 singles for a one hour journey. If operators & local authorities wanted to make Public Transport appealing to everybody, there should be an incentive for everybody to use it, opposed to just tailoring to the needs of the young & elderly, whilst hiking up prices for everybody else to where it's unaffordable for what you are paying for.

There's no magic money tree as some people believe sometimes! What really disappoints me is certain operators promoting they care about connecting communities etc, whilst at the same time removing vital links, hoping to win them back with LA funding. Yes, there's a balance to be struck in the sense of making a business viable, but removing a vital bus opposed to dropping frequency from another can speak volumes, especially to people who know exactly what is being done with their service.

Also isn't it at all strange some routes that were withdrawn commercially in 2022, suddenly became viable once another operator was about to win or regain the contract...

Thats always been the case..... GNE dikd this with my local service when GCT had won the LA contract.  They offered to do it commercially and did, and this type of behaviour was back up on here. Dont think it would be now though

The price of the Flexi ticket is absurd.