(17 May 2014, 5:38 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote You're joking? What about when GNE introduced the Tynedale Express. Have they introduced anything running infront of them?
What would be the point in Arriva running anything to compete with the Tynedale Expresses? Sure, Go North East may have nabbed a few Arriva passengers travelling from Hexham, but its not like Arriva had any network to protect in the Hexham area. Besides, they still pick up some revenue from passengers travelling on the Carlisle to Hexham section of the route - albeit shared in part with Stagecoach Cumbria.
South East Northumberland, however, is widely considered as Arriva's territory with a network of services in the area. If Go North East renewed competition around Ashington/Bedlington/Newbiggin then I'd fully expect Arriva to protect their territory. Whether they win or not is a different matter, but it is a little naive to assume that Arriva wouldn't fight back based upon Go North East's introduction of the Tynedale Express. The two scenarios are completely different.