I believe as part of the new roster change at Winchem it has led to some drivers swapping routes, infact I know of at least one regular driver who used to be on 88/89s that from this week is now regularly on 288s instead and had to route learn them as he didnt know the Altrincham-East Didsbury section.
(26/02/2020 01:20)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]Almost all of D&Gs routes have been registered through the Traffic Commissioner with changes from April. I think it will be interesting to see what changes. Has anyone heard anything?
Changes in Cheshire East detailed here:-
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/public_t...anges.aspx
Nothing major from the looks of it. The 85 is cut back from Hanley to Newcastle (again!), but mostly revisions to 'improve reliability'.
(27/02/2020 15:15)K10K11 Wrote: [ -> ]Changes in Cheshire East detailed here:-
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/public_t...anges.aspx
Nothing major from the looks of it. The 85 is cut back from Hanley to Newcastle (again!), but mostly revisions to 'improve reliability'.
Whoever did this morning's 188 skipped the bus station anyway and went directly to the Academy. I suppose the afternoon service might get a few bus pass holders who live closer to a 188 stop than a 88 stop but given there's now more school pupils than seats, even when it's operated by a long Enviro, I imagine they might be put off using it.
Two Versa.s outside Crewe station o/o/s this morning just after ten, including a yellow one.
Why are D&G messing around with the 85 again. Just make up your mind what you are doing with it. It has changed so many times, I wouldn't be surprised if it now starts discouraging passengers.
I think they just flip a coin for the 85. Terminate at Hanley or Newcastle then extra short runs between Nantwich and Crewe Yes/No.
(07/03/2020 19:05)mikestone Wrote: [ -> ]http://www.dgbus.co.uk/assets/30_2020-04-04.pdf
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New Sunday service Shavington-Northwich - I thought this had been mentioned, but I can't find it.
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There is also a new 7 day a week Newcastle-Alton Towers.
It's surprising to see how popular the Alton Towers buses are. In a few months, there will be 3 operators running there from quite different places.
Also of note for D&G is that they intend on keeping the short Nantwich to Crewe services. These will now interwork with the main Keele trips looking at things. Not serving Davenport Avenue and Manor Road in Nantwich though.
A final interesting point is the changes to the 94. I don't quite get their intentions on the 94. It looks to me like they are removing the route through areas like Longport where they could get passing trade and have a chance to increase passenger numbers to put it down the A roads with no bus stops and providing no actual time benefit for it. Unless Tunstall Cemetery has quite a high demand, the changes don't make much sense.
(07/03/2020 19:05)mikestone Wrote: [ -> ]http://www.dgbus.co.uk/assets/30_2020-04-04.pdf
;
New Sunday service Shavington-Northwich - I thought this had been mentioned, but I can't find it.
;
There is also a new 7 day a week Newcastle-Alton Towers.
I mentioned the service was going to start somewhere - it might have been in one of the threads about council funding reviews. It's led to calls from councillors for some of the government funding for bus services to be used on Sunday services serving Macclesfield Hospital.
(08/03/2020 00:17)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]It's surprising to see how popular the Alton Towers buses are. In a few months, there will be 3 operators running there from quite different places.
Alton Towers trips has always been a nice money earner for coach hire companies. Maybe more bus services is a win-win both for Alton Towers and the bus companies - it means any group size can get there even if they don't have access to cars (hiring a coach would obviously be pricey for a smallish group) and buses also allow spontaneous visits, which coach hire does not.
Just noticed from April the first Handforth Dean free bus will run in service from Knutsford bus station to Wilmslow, rather than running out-of-service to Wilmslow and the last will do the reverse.