(06 Feb 2017, 12:23 pm)eezypeazy wrote That competition exists on some routes probably has more to do with the fact that lots more people travel on those routes, so that the price per person per mile ought to be able to be lower anyway. Routes without competition most likely means that there's simply not enough passengers around for operators to wish to compete.
You'd think so, wouldn't you. Can't speak for the North East, but the big failing of De-reg in Gtr. Manchester is that the areas with high numbers of bus users (ie. non-motorists) have either had the poorest quality of competition (no real fare reductions; competing buses running together - and early! etc) or just no competition at all. Its too late now because these areas are usually in the districts rather than the "regional centre", and the constant cuts eventually manifest themselves in smaller bus stations - so nowhere for new competing services to terminate/park.
I had a ride out to Leigh through Salford last Saturday morning, and there were convoys of First 36/37s and Stagecoach 38s - all charging lower adult fares than the majority of other GM services - flooding in from Walkden, Swinton and through Pendleton Shopping Precinct, and I don't think one bus had more than 12 passengers on.