09 Jul 2017, 3:55 pm
#953
(09 Jul 2017, 2:11 pm)Andreos1 It's an oldie, but a goodie.
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-e...et-4419286
But to answer your question, not particularly.
There are a few corridors that have competing services, such as the Coast Road (ANE and GNE) and in Sunderland (City Centre to the estates - SNE and GNE). Those routes have attractive ticketing options too.
There is also competition between road and rail between South Shields and Newcastle.
To put it bluntly, competition is very few and far between.
I suppose the subtle difference between GM and the North East is that until 2014 there was virtually no competition between the "big 5". The exception being Bolton/Wigan, but apart from the 575 between Horwich and Bolton, this is largely due to the pre-dereg services inherited anyway. When First bought Finglands in 2013/4, the idea of First and Stagecoach going head to head was totally new. As such, its turned into a local version of World War 3, with "collateral" way beyond (nay, solely beyond) the battlefield.
There has always been competition between subsidised rail and commercial bus on a limited number of markets, but Rail will always be the winner there, but the change in overall circumstances triggered by the First/Stagecoach bus war, has created problems and oppurtunities for the rail industry. It is significant that the recent round of off-peak fare increases excluded journeys that competed with buses, so as to maintain a clear financial advantage for customers able to drive to the Station (or park on a neighbouring residential street). For instance a full fare payer from where I live to the far side of Manchester city centre will pay £3.60 on the train/Metrolink, but £5.80 on the bus/Metrolink. These are Return fares. The gap is narrower at peak times of course, but that hasn't stopped a massive increase in use of my evening peak train, for instance, such that it is ringing alarm bells in TFGM's Rail department. But as their influence is solely strategic, there is nothing they can do about carriage allocation, individual fares and stopping policy of existing lines in the short term
