TFGM do not like dual door buses being used. They allowed Stagecoach to use dual door tridents on the magic services a few years ago because the middle door wasn’t an issue in bus stations.
But imagine pulling into Middleton bus station on a 41 and being unable to load or offload a wheel chair passenger because the ramp is at the middle door. Rotala famously brought in a batch of dual door deckers when they took over south lancs many years ago. They set about refurbing and painting them for the Trafford centre services only for TFGM to refuse them to be used in the Trafford centre due to the centre door and ramp location so they were quickly moved on to Preston bus.
(06/12/2022 11:22)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]TFGM do not like dual door buses being used. They allowed Stagecoach to use dual door tridents on the magic services a few years ago because the middle door wasn’t an issue in bus stations.
But imagine pulling into Middleton bus station on a 41 and being unable to load or offload a wheel chair passenger because the ramp is at the middle door. Rotala famously brought in a batch of dual door deckers when they took over south lancs many years ago. They set about refurbing and painting them for the Trafford centre services only for TFGM to refuse them to be used in the Trafford centre due to the centre door and ramp location so they were quickly moved on to Preston bus.
Trafford Centre bus station is run by Arriva ( or was it never been TFGM as it Peel holding who owed it)
(06/12/2022 14:07)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]Trafford Centre bus station is run by Arriva ( or was it never been TFGM as it Peel holding who owed it)
It's tfgm now....used to be arriva
(06/12/2022 14:07)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]Trafford Centre bus station is run by Arriva ( or was it never been TFGM as it Peel holding who owed it)
It’s irrelevant. They were told they couldn’t be used so were dispatched to Preston bus.
(06/12/2022 11:22)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]TFGM do not like dual door buses being used. They allowed Stagecoach to use dual door tridents on the magic services a few years ago because the middle door wasn’t an issue in bus stations.
But imagine pulling into Middleton bus station on a 41 and being unable to load or offload a wheel chair passenger because the ramp is at the middle door.
That's a good point, I'll be honest, I forgot about that side of it. It's that one single stop which causes the issue isn't it really.
If the 41 got reworked so that Sale - NGMH services were standalone, that would sort the Middleton issue but I think would cost too much in additional resources to sort.
(09/12/2022 21:33)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]That's a good point, I'll be honest, I forgot about that side of it. It's that one single stop which causes the issue isn't it really.
If the 41 got reworked so that Sale - NGMH services were standalone, that would sort the Middleton issue but I think would cost too much in additional resources to sort.
I think there would still be a fair amount of opposition to it even if it ran sale-nmgh only, as a fair number of stops on the sale-Manchester section have inward facing bus shelters with short sections of raised kerb. Someone would have to re-jig the layouts first.
(10/12/2022 01:56)djb Wrote: [ -> ]I think there would still be a fair amount of opposition to it even if it ran sale-nmgh only, as a fair number of stops on the sale-Manchester section have inward facing bus shelters with short sections of raised kerb. Someone would have to re-jig the layouts first.
I can think of many stops where it would be a problem. The stop at NMGH can be tricky itself to get onto fully.
(10/12/2022 01:56)djb Wrote: [ -> ]I think there would still be a fair amount of opposition to it even if it ran sale-nmgh only, as a fair number of stops on the sale-Manchester section have inward facing bus shelters with short sections of raised kerb. Someone would have to re-jig the layouts first.
Much easier to sort than rebuilding a bus station though. Not cheap though of course. You'd need a lot of commitment from both GNW and TFGM to sort it and you'd need to see some journey time benefit to justify the costs.
Purely hypothetical of course since it wouldn't happen with how the 41 works and the costs.
What is needed is a Standard for bus stops as there no standard in the UK.
The issue is some stops you could not use an auto wheelchair ramp or use a wheelchair lift on a coach used on a bus route. and then there bus stations that cant have Mellors or other buses that are minibus conversions using stands as they don't line up with short kerbs.
Reports on a Facebook enthusiast group suggesting 4 Volvo B7’s have been withdrawn from the GNE fleet and are being prepared for transfer to GNW in the coming days prompting rumours they are for some kind of replacement for the 163 service.