(07 Aug 2014, 9:12 pm)Dan wrote If Arriva had sat back, GNE's network in Bishop could have grown further and further.
The success of the OK1 could have led to more and more services being brought in, and that is why they had to act.
I doubt they would have grown that far, baring in mind Arriva already have most of the main routes in that area and GNE would be left with the small town services which would pick up nothing except pensioners with their passes making them a bit of money off the odd fare paying passenger. Arrivas input in this whole situation to me was unneeded and was just an act of greed. When arriva moved into Darlington Stagecoach didnt do a single thing apart from letting arriva dominate them so much they had to leave Darlington with this only been part of the reason. GNE had been wiped out of Bishop Auckland just because of (presumably) the income from services in that area, in their opinion, wasnt good enough for them to keep operating there. Therefore, although Arriva are coping now because of services elsewhere (which will be presumably be keeping most of the services running), Go North East wont be prepared to start up operations there again after what happened all those years ago...