RE: Pricing
Fares will usually be cheaper where there is competition from another company, but traditionally singles have not been much less than a return. (It's always been the case on the railways; when I used to come up here house-hunting five years ago it was about £75 off peak return, £74 single Norwich to Bishop Auckland). Concession passes are usually reimbursed by the council according to the average single fare, so it's in the company's interest to keep singles high, but as the majority of passengers travel both ways you make the return fare more reasonable.