Buses: Current Issues
Since there isn't a thread that groups together non-Metrolink public transport here is a new one, bit late for the M60 widenning (finishes in a couple of weeks), however, BBC NW news this morning reporting that Virgin are set to increase the frequency and the speed of the Manchester to London trains.
Given they take 2hrs at the moment and run every 30mins they sure are going to be very very good competition for the planes.
All good stuff in my opinion, no doubt Virgin will put a press release out later that will be reported in the MEN.
Given they take 2hrs at the moment and run every 30mins they sure are going to be very very good competition for the planes.
All good stuff in my opinion, no doubt Virgin will put a press release out later that will be reported in the MEN.
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Not sure if it's been mentioned before but Little Gem's bus service registrations are now appearing under the name Mayne of Manchester Ltd. This follows on from Go Goodwins' purchase of Mayne Coaches earlier this year.
Here's a registration change that's appeared today:
Here's a registration change that's appeared today:
- PC0005236/192 Registered
MAYNE OF MANCHESTER LTD
Route: Ashton under Lyne Interchange to Hazelhurst & Dunkinfield Circulars via Smallshaw, Ridge Hill
Service number: 336 (337, 389)
Service type: Hail & Ride, Normal Stopping
Effective date: 30 Oct 2022
I know that it's unreasonable, but somehow that makes me feel rather sad...
When travelling along Anson Road (A34) into town on a 50 I noticed that the bus stops now show the number 41 & 53 as well as 50. Is this a change of routes or something to do with re-routing when Wilmslow Road is snarled up?
Go North West have officially registered the Friday/Saturday night diversion as a route. The timetables valid from tomorrow show it as a dashed line.
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it's a bit maddening that at peak weekend hours, buses cannot serve the most densely populated areas of the route. it is counter to how a public transport system should function.
it's backwards and stupid.
it's backwards and stupid.
I think you'd have to ban cars from that route through the curry mile on Friday and Staurtday evenings for buses to be able to serve the most densely populated areas of the route
Happened in Leeds but so funny it needs a mention, the registration plate has always been a bus.
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The House of Lords Built Environment Committee
Public transport in towns and cities
House of Lords - Public transport in towns and cities - Built Environment Committee (parliament.uk)
This report has been published today. Can I commend perusal of Chapter Five. As with many other HOL reports it is well thought out and detailed. It is,however, destined to sink without trace in the face of the current government's attitude to public transport together with the inherent bias to London and the South East (with tiny dollops of jam elsewhere) and the current economic turbulence,
Chapter Five is worth reading for its assessment of where things stand.
P.S. Apologies for the large type face. I am not shouting, I am having difficulties with computer this morning, It must have overheard my plans to replace it at Christmas.
Public transport in towns and cities
House of Lords - Public transport in towns and cities - Built Environment Committee (parliament.uk)
This report has been published today. Can I commend perusal of Chapter Five. As with many other HOL reports it is well thought out and detailed. It is,however, destined to sink without trace in the face of the current government's attitude to public transport together with the inherent bias to London and the South East (with tiny dollops of jam elsewhere) and the current economic turbulence,
Chapter Five is worth reading for its assessment of where things stand.
P.S. Apologies for the large type face. I am not shouting, I am having difficulties with computer this morning, It must have overheard my plans to replace it at Christmas.
Some proposed changes for 29 January 2023. Diamond Bus had planned to reduce frequencies and/or withdraw some journeys on some of their routes but the majority will be retained by TfGM.
- 8 (Diamond): Re-routed to terminate at St Mary's Gate and run a one-way loop around Manchester city centre via John Dalton Street, Cross Street, St Mary's Gate and Deansgate.
- 17 (GNW): Some peak-time journeys extended from Rochdale to Norden via the R8 route (via Bamford), partly replacing service 162.
- 36 (Diamond): Saturday daytime service reduced from every 12 minutes to every 15 minutes.
- 37 (Diamond): Saturday daytime service reduced from every 12 minutes to every 15 minutes.
- 132 (Diamond): 0735 weekday journey from Tyldesley to Wigan withdrawn (0710 journey from Trafford Centre timed at 0736 from Tyldesley remains).
- 162 (Diamond): Withdrawn and partly replaced by services 17 and 163.
- 163 (Diamond): Sunday evening short journeys between Middleton and Manchester are withdrawn
- 347 (Stagecoach): Monday-Saturday daytime service reduced from every 10 minutes to every 12 minutes.
- 524 (Diamond): Some weekday early evening journeys withdrawn.
- 575 (Diamond): Some early morning and early evening journeys withdrawn.
Back in the not too distant past the 167 (162 in its current form) when it ran semi express via Cheetham Hill and Rhodes was extremely popular in the peaks and all day really. I think when it was diverted via the 163 route its days were always numbered.
Little sad that Norden finally loses its Manchester Connection. That side of Rochdale under First was decimated.
Little sad that Norden finally loses its Manchester Connection. That side of Rochdale under First was decimated.
Did that 167 service serve both Bowlee and Birch?
The 8 terminating at St Mary’s Gate makes no sense to me. It’s a major trunk route between Manchester and Bolton, and its terminus will be at the end of Deansgate where there isn’t even a shelter.
Diamond have been trying to do this for a few months.
It seems that traffic congestion means buses are heavily delayed getting to Shudehill and back, especially when they can’t get via Hunts Bank and Printworks, and divert around Trinity Way, across the top of Victoria Stn then round Angel Meadow to come into Shudehill from Rochdale Rd
Thus reducing delays on the rest of route
Operational convenience rather than customer focus??
It seems that traffic congestion means buses are heavily delayed getting to Shudehill and back, especially when they can’t get via Hunts Bank and Printworks, and divert around Trinity Way, across the top of Victoria Stn then round Angel Meadow to come into Shudehill from Rochdale Rd
Thus reducing delays on the rest of route
Operational convenience rather than customer focus??
I’d argue that focusing on making the service reliable is customer focused. I’d hazard a guess that many passengers would prefer to get on/off at Deansgate than be stuck on the bus whilst it crawls through city centre streets.
I've been using the buses of late and I am really impressed with the £5 System One Day Saver and £2 max single fare. These will help modal shift towards buses as car running costs are increasing.
Bring on more phases of the franchising!
Bring on more phases of the franchising!
The crawl out of town on the number 8 is infuriating and thats before you even start the 1h journey. I would think the good folks of Farnworth and folks on Bolton Rd will be very happy with not having to wait an hour for a ten minute service. Also with the time saved you can imagine the bus will be sat at St Marys Gate hopefully letting folks on!
Agree with Ashtonian the £2 fares are really good!
Agree with Ashtonian the £2 fares are really good!
Agreed on £2 fares. I've definitely been using the bus more since the introduction, because I don't feel like I'm being ripped off for the odd random journey here and there. Anecdotally, two of my friends were raving about the new lower fares too. It will be even better once you can use the same £2 fare for two (or more) legs of the same journey on different buses regardless of operator.
So Little Hulton comes back into the news for trouble on the buses. If it carries on they'll lose the 36 and the 20. 'I love my job, but I really wish the people doing this would stop' - Manchester Evening News
MoTGM (@Museum of Transport Greater Manchester) Tweeted:
Are you thinking of coming to our 'Christmas Cracker' event?
Do you collect timetables? We'll have a HUGE selection of timetables on sale, from Greater Manchester after the 1986 deregulation. Prices will start from just 5p but EVERYTHING must go by the end of Sunday!
Are you thinking of coming to our 'Christmas Cracker' event?
Do you collect timetables? We'll have a HUGE selection of timetables on sale, from Greater Manchester after the 1986 deregulation. Prices will start from just 5p but EVERYTHING must go by the end of Sunday!
Oh dear. I am going to that event and I collect transport timetables, so it might be prudent for me to take plenty of bags (or maybe a wheelbarrow)
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