(14/07/2013 16:34)Valandil Wrote: [ -> ]GRS in Birmingham have Warrington's old Dart 1.
http://wmbusphotos.com/GRS/T201AFM.html
(Credit to the photographer for this).
Caught word of this myself earlier on, I belive it is going to be followed by a further 2 darts (possibly from Warrington).
Looks like a major reduction of journeys between Leigh and Warrington from early September, as being reported in the documents for TfGM's Bus Committee meeting.
The changes will take place on Saturdays plus off-peak weekday journeys and sees the 19 reduced to hourly, the 28 curtailed to run between Warrington and Culcheth and the 28A withdrawn.
http://www.transportforgreatermanchester...us_network
(18/07/2013 20:04)SF07 Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like a major reduction of journeys between Leigh and Warrington from early September, as being reported in the documents for TfGM's Bus Committee meeting.
The changes will take place on Saturdays plus off-peak weekday journeys and sees the 19 reduced to hourly, the 28 curtailed to run between Warrington and Culcheth and the 28A withdrawn.
http://www.transportforgreatermanchester...us_network
Thanks for passing this on!
The proposal is interesting, particularly as it sounds like there will be twice as many buses from Warrington to Leigh (and vice versa) in the evenings and on Sundays than there will be MS daytime!
However the 19 and 28 are timed, I am fairly confident that it will not work out symmetrically, being 'every half hour to Culcheth' or anything like that: the timings just don't work.
I imagine that residents of Culcheth would then see it as having one bus an hour, ignoring the 28.
These routes are interesting, particularly as they have been partially converted to being double-deck-operated relatively recently (over the last couple of years).
They always were far more in demand in the peaks, and wouldn't pick up many people during the day.
That said, I would not be surprised if we see other large reductions in service over the coming months.
(Hands up all those who would prefer to sacrifice the 17 if that would mean keeping routes the public rely on a bit more!)
I think this is a sign of Council cuts beginning to bite - it's a shame that useful links have to be sacrificed but of course these routes (as all routes) are only as good as what gets picked up in the fare box and if that isn't enough to sustain the route, then cuts have to be made. By the looks of things they are keeping resources in the Warrington area which is probably understandable if cuts have to be made.
Warrington has in the past had a habit of keeping roughly the same number of vehicles out in the peaks as during the rest of the day, but reducing frequency in the peaks to compensate.
It seems to me that this habit might now be about to be broken!
I can't see how the 17 is making any money. The buses are pretty much always empty...
(19/07/2013 08:15)RSTurbo50 Wrote: [ -> ]I can't see how the 17 is making any money. The buses are pretty much always empty...
Completely agree!
With being funded partially in the initial period of operation and the plan to become self-funded eventually, I unfortunately can't see the 17 being cut back though.
Just like Haltons 17 , always empty! Had the pleasure of riding one lf Warringtons darts very early today, overall a very good ride!
^^^^^
They are in good condition. However the later Darts are fitted with the poorer 4 cylinder cummins engine, not a patch on the earlier 6 cylinder version IMHO...
