When I've travelled on the 288 in the evening no-one has got on or off in Hale Barns, while Wilmslow to Altrincham is the quiet part of the 88, except at St Ambrose starting and finishing times and some of the passengers travel all the way from Knutsford due to being bus pass holders and being able to make the journey for free if they use the 88 instead of the train.
(21/03/2019 06:50)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]When I've travelled on the 288 in the evening no-one has got on or off in Hale Barns, while Wilmslow to Altrincham is the quiet part of the 88, except at St Ambrose starting and finishing times and some of the passengers travel all the way from Knutsford due to being bus pass holders and being able to make the journey for free if they use the 88 instead of the train.
Hale Barns has the circulars as well in the evening. Albeit not very often but they are still there. Surely there is another route which could be done where passengers will be more likely to use it.
I am surprised that TFGM haven't gone down the same road as Warrington with Logistics North and Airport City, putting in special works buses. Fund them for a very short time and they eventually become commercial and help to increase public transport passenger numbers by a heck of a low for such minimal work and effort.
D&G have won the new 316/319 contract, the timetables remain the same.
Where do 316 & 319 run to/from?
(21/03/2019 13:38)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]Hale Barns has the circulars as well in the evening. Albeit not very often but they are still there. Surely there is another route which could be done where passengers will be more likely to use it.
I am surprised that TFGM haven't gone down the same road as Warrington with Logistics North and Airport City, putting in special works buses. Fund them for a very short time and they eventually become commercial and help to increase public transport passenger numbers by a heck of a low for such minimal work and effort.
I'm not sure if Airport City don't contribute towards some of these extensions beyond the Airport Interchange and there is a soon to be expanded Local Link for Logistics North but TBH why should Council Tax payers contribute towards serving multi billion pound companies (Amazon?) when the budget is stretched as it is. Besides aren't these Delivery companies one of the main reasons for the decline in commercial bus services?
(23/03/2019 06:42)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Where do 316 & 319 run to/from?
Sandbach and Holmes Chapel. Currently operated by Tomlinson Travel who gave given notice on their contract.
(23/03/2019 07:20)Brickmill Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not sure if Airport City don't contribute towards some of these extensions beyond the Airport Interchange and there is a soon to be expanded Local Link for Logistics North but TBH why should Council Tax payers contribute towards serving multi billion pound companies (Amazon?) when the budget is stretched as it is. Besides aren't these Delivery companies one of the main reasons for the decline in commercial bus services?
It's a short term cost for perhaps a long term gain. Warrington funded the B52 for about a year but now it is ran commercially and they are earning a small bit off the bus station fees.
The other benefits of course are that 50 odd cars aren't going to each warehouse at shift times (possibly more given how big Amazons car parks normally are), you are putting them on the sustainable mode of transport. LocalLink is a really bad way (in my opinion) of making this home-work link. On top of all of this, it is an easy way to say bus passenger usage is going up (which gives you good press).
If you can train people to use public transport for work, they are much more likely to use it for leisure activities. You have to look at the bigger picture to see the full extent of the benefits.
Looks like one of the Solo M990s is on the 88/89 today, other buses on the route appear to be both of the ex-Airport M880s and one of the ex-Go Goodwins ones.
Solo M990 139 has been at Wincham since Thursday.
(23/03/2019 12:01)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like one of the Solo M990s is on the 88/89 today, other buses on the route appear to be both of the ex-Airport M880s and one of the ex-Go Goodwins ones.
Got a poor impression of D&G today on my first trip on the 82 since they replaced Arriva. The 10:40 ex-Northwich failed to appear, leaving several passengers to wait over an hour for the 11:40 departure with Enviro 200 no. 32 (SL64JGU) .
They found an unidentified Solo for the 11:45 ex-Chester (normally the return working of the 10:40 off Northwich), which was running about 20 minutes late when we passed it.
32 (SL64JGO) worked the 12:40 Northwich - Chester & 13:45 return.