I think the only way to change stuff like this would be actual legislation on bus running times, I have a feeling most of these are due to operational convenience, the buses just happen to be in a similar place at the same time. It's not very fair on the users but the companies don't want the buses sitting round at a terminus to make running times a bit more spaced out, and I'm sure Stagecoach aren't bothered about running a few minutes ahead of a GNE service.

As a service bus driver I see it all the time, driving down a road late at night, and see another bus along the same corridor, from a rival or the same operator, pulling out from a street in front of me so we're pretty much running together.