Northstar is shining brightly

Tuesday 15th October 2024

There’s been understandable concern raised recently about the future role for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the bus sector particularly following the franchise experience in Greater Manchester where they didn’t really get a look in and, aside from the University of Hertfordshire owned UNO, the recent withdrawal of the last SME as a contractor to TfL (ie Sullivans).

The age profile of owners of many of the existing SME bus companies also casts a shadow over just how long many of them will continue rather than selling out to bigger players in the market for expansion, notably the Go-Ahead Group on recent form.

It’s therefore always heartening to hear of budding bus executives setting up a new bus company, especially young, keen, enthusiastic entrepreneurs committed to providing a quality service.

I’ve commented before about the impressive expansion Peter Nathanial and his young team at Vectare are achieving and today am giving a shout out to 27 year old Dan Graham who quit his Commercial Development Manager job with Go North East at the beginning of the year to set up his own bus company called Northstar gaining his first temporary contract almost immediately, involving two schools hit by the RAAC (concrete) debacle needing short term transport to alternative facilities.

He was also successful in gaining rail replacement work from Nexus for the Metro with the company’s first journey back in March.

At the company’s launch Dan told the trade press “my aim for Northstar is to combine the best bits of professional standards from large plc operations, with the attention to detail, passion and entrepreneurial flair of the very best independent operators, to deliver to Local Authorities and bus users a high-quality service with care and efficiency.”

That sounded like an excellent objective to me so I was pleased to meet up with Dan last Friday afternoon in Newcastle station to chat about how things are going six months on as well as having a ride on Northstar’s six days a week, all-day route, now running between Sunderland, Jarrow and Hebburn.

Introduced in July, route 599 is a new route added to the North East’s bus network funded by the Combined Authority’s Bus Service Improvement Plan on an eighteen month contract which Dan successfully bid for.

Despite having only six weeks between being awarded the contract and its start date in July, Dan acquired two ex London United Enviro200s for the route, got them painted in the company’s very smart blue livery ready for day one as well as recruiting drivers, buying ticket machines and all the other set up arrangements that go with a new operation for a new company.

Dan also acquired a third Enviro300 (ex Adventure Travel and NatEx West Midlands) as back up which since September is being used on a peak hour commercially operated school contract.

Northstar also operates a second school contract and three tendered services won from Nexus in July. Route 643 runs in the off peak between Sunniside and Metrocentre ASDA and peak hour routes 937 and 939 to Team Valley from Chester-le-Street and Sunderland respectively. These are run with ex Stagecoach East Scotland Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Tridents.

It’s not easy running a bus company single handed but Dan is obviously relishing and thoroughly enjoying the challenge. And the result on the road is impressive.

Dan told me he had no problem recruiting the nine drivers he needed for the July expansion with a queue of former colleagues from Go North East excited about joining Northstar and he was in the happy position of being able to hand pick those he knew would share his approach to providing a quality service.

I can testify to that being a successful strategy as the two drivers I met when taking a ride on route 599 on Friday afternoon – Arron relieved Callum when the bus arrived at the bus station – exuded quality, keenness and professionalism.

Despite the timings on the route being tight Arron provided a vey smooth and comfortable ride and on arriving back into Sunderland bus station – two hours after the journey to Jarrow and Hebburn and back – he went immediately back out again on his next trip to claw back some of the late running.

Dan explained he was in discussion with Nexus about them approving a revised timetable for introduction next month with more running time even though peak hour journeys already have additional times built in.

Dan has produced a colourful timetable leaflet and map for the service which, as you’d expect from a quality bus company is available on board the two route branded buses.

It’s too early to tell whether route 599 will become a commercial success, once the initial 18 month BSIP funding ends, but it’s obvious Dan and the team will give it their best shot. Indeed I was impressed we carried nine passengers on the 14:30 outward journey from Sunderland including two who’d been shopping and went the whole way home to Hebburn (over an hour’s journey) and then carried 14 on the return journey.

The route passes the huge Nissan factory as well as IMAP (International Advanced Manufacturing Park) where we only picked up one passenger in each direction but at shift change times I should think there’s potential for many more. The 599 also serves the Sunderland Royal Hospital, Enterprise Park and North Hylton Retail Park.

I asked Dan if he had any concerns about Northstar’s future bearing in mind the North East Combined Authority’s Mayor Kim McGuinness and Nexus are certain to introduce bus franchising in the next couple of years and he pointed out there’s likely to be a different approach taken than in Greater Manchester with SMEs not sidelined in the way they have been there.

I very much hope he’s right as there’s no doubt the SME sector plays a vital role in the British bus industry and it’s great to see Dan picking up the baton at such a young age to take that success further forward.

All the very best to you Dan and many congratulations on a fantastic start to your venture.

Roger French

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