(13 Nov 2015, 9:54 am)BusLoverMum wrote A lot of the fare difference would be accounted for by the difference between the high volume urban part of the journey and the round the houses rural/village part. The Ramside-Houton part of the journey may not be much longer, as the crow flies, but the bus doesn't travel as the crow flies. Serving the villages on that part of the route is a lot more expensive in terms of fuel and time than the short, direct and quick run from the bus station to Ramside with lots of houses and businesses along the entire route.
You should check out the fare to Sunderland or as far as South Shields from Durham too
.They use even more fuel heading all that way.
However, seeing as the X20 doesn't go into The Raintons and won't burn the fuel the 20's do, surely it should be cheaper?
The Raintons are interesting in the fact East is in Tyne & Wear and West, Co Durham.
I don't know the West Rainton - Durham fare, but I am guessing it isn't as much as the £4.10 paid by those who live on the other side of the A690.
Obviously those in East Rainton pay a premium to go to Durham, but benefit from the lower T&W fares when travelling to the likes of Houghton or Sunderland.
Mind, for the amount of time those Purple Solars can be stuck in traffic in Durham or when trying to cross the A690 - there will be a canny amount of fuel burned when idling.
There is also competition in Durham on those local runs.