With the 349 being relinquished by Abus, I'm assuming that this will now be taken on by First in their own right. Perhaps in due course, we might see a renumbering (38?) etc.
Driving around South Bristol today, and swinging past Hengrove and seeing 32292 parked there, it did get me thinking.
Doug Claringbold is new in post, and it's far too soon to draw any conclusions, and we're still in a pandemic (if not quite the middle of it). The winning of the 82A in Radstock plus other tenders could indicate a new approach though it reminds me of First winning the Corsham town service, and that hardly heralded an enhanced presence in Wiltshire. I wonder what plans he has got for his patch?
Some of that will be shaped by "Build Back Better" and whatever partnerships are then formed with local authorities, and then other factors such as the clean air zone in Bristol.
Without entering into the realms of fanciful speculation, I'd like to see some focus on the 376 with new rolling stock on there. Also, you'd anticipate that there's already a plan in relation to the Excel fleet, with the older machines now coming up to 15 years of age. Then you have metrobus (will it ever extend from Long Ashton to Highridge?) and the future plans for metrobus from Parkway to Filton and Cribbs.
Perhaps I need to write down my predictions for 2023 and place in a sealed envelope? It can be buried in a Blue Peter style time capsule in my Italian sunken garden (I haven't got one) and then reclaim it and see how close I get....