(29/01/2019 15:55)Brickmill Wrote: [ -> ]Further, apart from All Night markets being a different clientele, you have picked two corridors that there is evidence to suggest are overbussed. Although historically highly profitable, I've heard that Bus Reform studies of peak loadings on Rochdale Road corridor revealed surprisingly low numbers. As for the 36/37/38, that proves that Stagecoach DO cross the county to compete with First, and anecdotal evidence suggests that it is probably THE most overbussed corridor in the county, despite the 38 having the lowest (on bus) fares in the county.
I don't think they can be that 'overbussed'. IF that were the case, all of these services wouldn't be running so often. I think that is one thing that can be said given all the cuts to buses, there must be money on these corridors or they wouldn't have regular services.
I know the night buses are mainly used by younger people. Uni students to be somewhat precise. There is market for other people to use the night buses. The 36/37/38 passes Salford Uni which would help a lot.
When I mentioned Stagecoach not going into First areas, I was referring mainly to routes like the 8 which aren't covered at all by Stagecoach.
(29/01/2019 18:58)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think they can be that 'overbussed'. IF that were the case, all of these services wouldn't be running so often. I think that is one thing that can be said given all the cuts to buses, there must be money on these corridors or they wouldn't have regular services.
I know the night buses are mainly used by younger people. Uni students to be somewhat precise. There is market for other people to use the night buses. The 36/37/38 passes Salford Uni which would help a lot.
When I mentioned Stagecoach not going into First areas, I was referring mainly to routes like the 8 which aren't covered at all by Stagecoach.
If there was a demand for the 36/37/38 they would be Operating but the Demand is not there, Funding was cut so unless there is a sudden change at Westminster there is no hope of these Services getting a night Bus
(29/01/2019 18:58)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think they can be that 'overbussed'. IF that were the case, all of these services wouldn't be running so often. I think that is one thing that can be said given all the cuts to buses, there must be money on these corridors or they wouldn't have regular services.
I know the night buses are mainly used by younger people. Uni students to be somewhat precise. There is market for other people to use the night buses. The 36/37/38 passes Salford Uni which would help a lot.
When I mentioned Stagecoach not going into First areas, I was referring mainly to routes like the 8 which aren't covered at all by Stagecoach.
I confess I don't have in depth knowledge of the corridor, but from my off-peak observations, 38s don't seem to ever carry more than a dozen or so and - I think, on another forum - a First Bolton driver said that they weren't the least bit worried about the 38 because the loadings were so poor. Don't forget that fares on the 38 are ridiculously low - £1.50 from Swinton to Piccadilly (about 6 miles) and that when it first started it required 17 peak buses, mostly resourced by cutting services where £1.50 won't buy you 600 metres!
Thanks for fixing the thread!
A 24 hr metrolink seems the more logical answer. Electric is much cheaper and the only extra cost would be driver’s wages. They run key routes throughout Greater Manchester anyway so in theory it’d work.
Bus operators get fuel at a fixed price for a length of time do they not, providing there’s no substantial change in either company. There’s wages, fuel and more frequent maintenance cost.
Trains again I presume they get a fixed price for diesel for no substantial change. But you’ve got driver’s wages, Network Rail and BTP keeping everybody safe.
Buses could also run where metrolink doesn’t, likes of Leigh/Atherton, Stockport, Hyde and Middleton to name a few places.
(30/01/2019 07:29)RedPanda Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for fixing the thread!
A 24 hr metrolink seems the more logical answer. Electric is much cheaper and the only extra cost would be driver’s wages. They run key routes throughout Greater Manchester anyway so in theory it’d work.
Bus operators get fuel at a fixed price for a length of time do they not, providing there’s no substantial change in either company. There’s wages, fuel and more frequent maintenance cost.
Trains again I presume they get a fixed price for diesel for no substantial change. But you’ve got driver’s wages, Network Rail and BTP keeping everybody safe.
Buses could also run where metrolink doesn’t, likes of Leigh/Atherton, Stockport, Hyde and Middleton to name a few places.
Electric is also cheaper at night than during the day.
(30/01/2019 07:29)RedPanda Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for fixing the thread!
A 24 hr metrolink seems the more logical answer. Electric is much cheaper and the only extra cost would be driver’s wages. They run key routes throughout Greater Manchester anyway so in theory it’d work.
Bus operators get fuel at a fixed price for a length of time do they not, providing there’s no substantial change in either company. There’s wages, fuel and more frequent maintenance cost.
Trains again I presume they get a fixed price for diesel for no substantial change. But you’ve got driver’s wages, Network Rail and BTP keeping everybody safe.
Buses could also run where metrolink doesn’t, likes of Leigh/Atherton, Stockport, Hyde and Middleton to name a few places.
Metrolink will be much easier to impliment in my opinion with there only being about 4 hours where most lines are unoperational and about 2 hours where the airport line is nonoperational. The issue is safety. People walk around with no sense of their surroundings. This is bad for the buses but they can swerve to avoid people. Trams can't swerve and they may end up running to places with no demand due to where the tracks run. Buses can find and take advantage of demand easier.