This has been something I've been thinking about lately, there's generally an obsession with GoNorthEast on here going into Stagecoach and Arriva areas but does competition actually create a better or worse bus service.

Based on the North East I kinda want to say no. There's only really 3 areas with real competition against each other; North Tyneside, South Shields and Sunderland and arguably they're the worst 3 areas in the North East especially in terms of subsidies or depots pretty much being closed (South Shields) whereas the areas which are monopolies generally have a better service ie. West End of Newcastle, Consett / Stanley, Gateshead, SE Northumberland etc.

This is both terms of the fleet age, the frequency of routes and the areas where most subsidies are.

I'm guessing it's down to the fact they can't make as much money as everything is shared so it's not as important to invest there as there's other places they could make more money so it just leads to constant downgrades.

Thoughts?