(19 Apr 2016, 12:43 pm)Dan wrote It does swing both ways and my previous post was not disputing the fact that Go North East's drivers may cause some issues. It clearly states which operator I believe causes the biggest issue. I don't know how Go North East can cause the same amount of issues in Durham Bus Station as Arriva, when they do not have as many services running from or through the bus station each hour?

According to Google Maps:

A - ANE X12 to Newcastle (2 buses/hr), GNE X22 to Metrocentre (1 bus/hr)
B - GNE 21 to Newcastle (4 buses/hr), GNE 50 to South Shields (2 buses/hr), GNE X21 to Newcastle (2 buses/hr), 
C - GNE 15 to Consett (2 buses/hr), GNE 16 to Stanley/Castleside (4 buses/hr), GNE 128 to Beamish (1 bus/hr).
D - ANE 6 to West Auckland/Cockfield (5 buses/hr).
E - ANE 46 to Crook/Tow Law (3 buses/hr), ANE 48 to New Brancepeth (3 buses/hr)
F - ANE 49/49A to Brandon (6 buses/hr)
G - GNE 204 to Littletown (1 bus/hr), GNE 208 to Peterlee (1 bus/hr), GNE 265 to Seaham (1 bus/hr)
H - ANE 56 to Bishop Auckland (2 buses/hr), ANE 57/57A to Kelloe/Hartlepool (2 buses/hr), ANE X12 to Middlesbrough (2 buses/hr) 
J - ANE 22 to Sunderland (2 buses/hr), ANE 24 to Hartlepool (2 buses/hr), ANE 43 to Esh Winning (4 buses/hr), 
K - ANE 7 to Darlington (4 buses/hr), GNE X21 to Bishop Auckland (2 buses/hr)
L - GNE 20/20A to South Shields (6 buses/hr)

This means that Arriva has 37 services per hour running from/through Durham Bus Station, while Go North East has ten fewer at 27 services per hour. Arriva drivers (some - not all) are renowned for dumping their buses on a stand when a changeover is due to take place, until the next driver arrives to take over that bus. Go North East can't be guilty of the same thing, as, unlike Arriva, they undertake no driver changeovers at Durham.

Have you got any evidence of Go North East drivers 'refusing' to use the allocated layover stands? I by no means visit Durham Bus Station regularly, but I've certainly seen drivers on services 20/20A using the allocated layover stands when a bus is already pulled onto Stand L.

It is six and two threes, really, or rather  5 and two threes, simply because Arriva do have more services using the station.

I regularly see angels, indigoes or whatever has come over from Deptford for the 265 or occasionally something from Stanley with time to spare using the back wall, so I agree that it's not true that GNE drivers refuse to park there.

GNE driver changeovers tend to happen at CLS or Stanley, while DBS is closer to arriva's depot, so it's understandable that more arriva buses will be waiting for driver changeovers.

Even with nothing unusual putting the pressure on, the worst culprit is the 43, which, even with only 4 buses an hour, is hogging stand J, or one of the ones next to it, with no driver in sight, for more than 50% of the time, as it has a long layover, usually with a driver change.

The 22 and 24 tend to be just as bad, while they are interworking, but they're usually parked up at the back wall unless they arrive with only minutes to spare before going out again. The biggest problems there come when a driver is caught up elsewhere, or, as I suspect, unable to go out until they've taken their statutory break after returning late, earlier.

Every one uses stand L and 3/4, even if it's just to drop off. That's become more of a problem since the X21 started using stand K, as there's often 5 buses in at once, wanting 4 stands, even when they're all on time.

I agree that Deptford must have a couple of scarily gobby drivers because when drivers other than those on the 20 dare to use stand L, even when there's no other space, they can't get out of the way fast enough when they see a 20 or 20a come in!