(04 May 2023, 10:02 am)Adrian wrote I get the point you're making, but the boundaries are always going to need to be drawn somewhere and someone will always complain that it adversely impacts them. The local authority political boundaries make sense, because that's how funding is allocated, budgeted and spent.
If there was something done between Bishop Auckland and Darlington to include it within this new County Durham zone, for the reasons you mention, then who is going to pay for it; Transport North East or Darlington Council?
Just because it's not covered in these tickets, it doesn't stop Arriva or Northern doing something commercially with their bus or train fares between the two places.
Aye agreed about the funding element but imo they should just have another zone for Tees Valley and work together with the Tees Valley CA on pricing.
https://connectteesvalley.com/smartzoneteesrider/ - There's already a ticket doing it anyway, that easily could be the 4th zone. It's not as if anyone is going to lose out as it's the same 3 operators down there as up here anyway and offer's better value for everyone.
I can't imagine there's many people travelling from the likes of Middlesbrough to Alnwick every day, or even Newcastle really.