(14 Dec 2022, 8:51 pm)Storx wrote Don't see why not, there's technically already competition with the Metro really and the Stagecoach 1/22/38/62/63 for parts of the Coast Road depending where you are. The Hexham/Ashington swap was much worse in terms of competition and gave Arriva a monopoly in Ashington and also the Stagecoach Darlington sale to Arriva which again has no competition at all.

To be fair, if Stagecoach either split the 22 to either serve Hadrian Park or takeover the Howdon > Whitley Bay section of the 1, that should be enough to satisfy the CMA