Was talking to a D&G Driver recently and he told me that they've won the Knutsford area tenders from April, apparently they put in a lower bid than anyone else.
If that's true let's hope D&G found a low cost innovative solution opposed to just accepting the Cheshire East Council proposed timetable, which will be very unattractive for many who currently use the bus.
(29/01/2018 11:41)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]As I suspected (the 2 x ex-SLT ones which recently moved to Crewe from Adderley Green.) Do you know how well they were loaded?
Can only provide a snapshot with obs of loadings, but they didn't seem that great (just in single numbers), the last journey out of Macc was quite well loaded though.
What was surprising was the first PM journey past Macc College which carried only two. Previously when Arriva did it, it usually came through with a fair few on. I've no idea what ticketing arrangements might be in place for students, might this have previously been an Arriva pass ? (not that it needed to be anything else), so they now have to stay with what's left of the Arriva 130 ? for a least the time being.
As for D&G timekeeping, spot on, so hopefully they'll aggressively market that aspect, in an attempt to gain more passengers, and attract the ones back Arriva drove away with their poor reliability, which I am one. Always use the Howards 27 (and now the D&G 130) because I know its going to turn up reasonably on time.
Well Arriva sell termly tickets to students:
https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/north-west/b...orth-west/ and some regular 130 passengers will likely have 4 weekly Arriva tickets. It's also possible some people were aware Arriva were cutting the service back but weren't aware D&G were running replacements for the withdrawn journeys.
(30/01/2018 10:01)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Well Arriva sell termly tickets to students: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/north-west/b...orth-west/ and some regular 130 passengers will likely have 4 weekly Arriva tickets. It's also possible some people were aware Arriva were cutting the service back but weren't aware D&G were running replacements for the withdrawn journeys.
D&G did do a leaflet door drop, not sure how widely, but I got one. It includes a voucher for a Network Day ticket (valid until 28 Feb). These are also carried on the buses (at least the one I travelled on had them).
1,2,51 on the 10 today. Not seen any of the other recent arrivals, but the Centro was on the 43.
Current D&G 130 service cancelled with effective from 31st March. New D&G service registered to run from Macclesfield to Manchester Airport station with effect from 1st April.
(31/01/2018 10:01)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Current D&G 130 service cancelled with effective from 31st March. New D&G service registered to run from Macclesfield to Manchester Airport station with effect from 1st April.
Hope they renumber it as otherwise it will cause quite a bit of confusion between this and the Arriva service given that they will going to different destinations.
(31/01/2018 11:11)St Helens Rider Wrote: [ -> ]Hope they renumber it as otherwise it will cause quite a bit of confusion between this and the Arriva service given that they will going to different destinations.
It will still be using the 130 number. However, surely it's more confusing that journeys via Macclesfield College or Astra Zeneca don't have a different number of a letter after the number, than a red bus showing "Manchester Airport 130" running half an hour before or after a bus showing "Manchester Piccadilly 130". They could probably even put Airport 130 on the destination display to avoid someone looking quickly and thinking it says Manchester not Manchester Airport, as I doubt people in Macclesfield, Alderley Edge or Wilmslow will wonder which Airport the bus is going to.
(31/01/2018 10:01)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Current D&G 130 service cancelled with effective from 31st March. New D&G service registered to run from Macclesfield to Manchester Airport station with effect from 1st April.
some positive news within the April changes! D&g will have a nice little network if they have indeed got the 88/289/27 replacements. Hopefully a period of stability will follow.