Franchising Legal Framework and Compliance:

Registration Split: Services operating wholly within a franchised area are managed by the LTA. However, a service that crosses from a franchised area into a non-franchised area ("partial franchising") often requires complex, coordinated registration with the Traffic Commissioner, or a specific service permit to allow it to operate.

Service Permits: If the joint operators need to enter the franchised area from their commercial area, they may need a "service permit" to ensure their service complements, rather than competes with, the franchised network.

Joint Authority: If the two areas are managed by different local transport authorities, they can act jointly to manage the, in effect, mixed-model, setting up a unified framework that covers both areas.

I think with the 685 it's a complex one as it ticks boxes for all of the above with probably the easiest solution being "Joint Authority" which in theory Stagecoach already has under it's current operation of the service between North East & Cumbria Divisions.

But you know our LTA are thick as pig shit and will split the contract to how it used to be between Arriva/Stagecoach and put it through as a "Registration Split" more than likely at Hexham.