(24 Nov 2015, 10:05 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Somehow, Eldon Square seems to tick over OK, most of the time, even though it's a similar capacity with a similar volume of traffic.
I think the big problem with Durham bus station is that it's built for a city the size it is, forgetting that it's a major hub. Peterlee is the same size as Durham, but is both less of a destination (understatement) and less of a hub so it's only slightly lower capacity bus station is rarely overcrowded (though it tends to be so full of people who have conversations at the top of their voice that we tend to join the people shivering in front of the doors, there!)
Although the design has changed, the footprint (as far as I am aware), hasn't changed much, if anything since the days of United owning the site and building it way back when.
Obviously Eldon Square is a new bus station, moved from its previous location - supposedly designed to suit modern requirements.
I'm not a fan of either, but taking into account the limitations Durham bus station has, I think it copes as well as it can.
The road network around Eldon Square, the car park and Haymarket just aren't suited to additional bus station.