Government consultation into Manchester area services

[knutstransport]

Government consultation into Manchester area services
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultati...of-england

As expected proposals for reducing the number of services through Castlefield, also use of paths through Stockport being reviewed. Under all proposals Alderley Edge to Southport is dropped, as is Crewe to Liverpool via Manchester.

The surprise option is 2tph Leeds to Chester via Victoria, with the Piccadilly to North Wales service diverted via Northwich with calls at Stockport, Altrincham, Knutsford & Northwich only. That is also the only option which will include any improvements on the Mid-Cheshire line, with the others being that the Mid-Cheshire line remains exactly how it was in May 2018, with not even peak time extras continuing to Manchester. That option would also see more clockface half-hourly services on the Crewe lines but it would mean fewer cross-Castlefield services and off-peak Hazel Grove would only be served by a half-hourly Buxton service. Another option reduces Buxton back to hourly again but retains Hazel Grove retains the Blackpool service. The other option is Alderley Edge gets the Blackpool service.

[knutstransport]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services
Also noticed under options B and C the Cleethorpes service would transfer to Northern and run to Liverpool instead of Manchester Airport.

[wirralbus]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services

(16/01/2021 18:57)knutstransport Wrote:  Also noticed under options B and C the Cleethorpes service would transfer to Northern and run to Liverpool instead of Manchester Airport.

Now that would be an interesting service to have and would that replace the former East Midlands Nottingham - Liverpool leg from Sheffield .

[dounowhoiam]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services

(14/01/2021 17:48)knutstransport Wrote:  https://www.gov.uk/government/consultati...of-england

The surprise option is 2tph Leeds to Chester via Victoria, with the Piccadilly to North Wales service diverted via Northwich with calls at Stockport, Altrincham, Knutsford & Northwich only. That is also the only option which will include any improvements on the Mid-Cheshire line, with the others being that the Mid-Cheshire line remains exactly how it was in May 2018, with not even peak time extras continuing to Manchester.

My hope (as someone who used to regularly commute on train between Altrincham and Manchester) would be on if the Sundays could get improved frequency on Sundays to hourly?
Whilst I cannot speak for the other stops outside of the GM area, I know that Navigation Road (that is also one track) and Hale don't get the passenger numbers to warrant a half-hourly train outside of peak.

[knutstransport]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services

(16/01/2021 21:42)dounowhoiam Wrote:  My hope (as someone who used to regularly commute on train between Altrincham and Manchester) would be on if the Sundays could get improved frequency on Sundays to hourly?
Whilst I cannot speak for the other stops outside of the GM area, I know that Navigation Road (that is also one track) and Hale don't get the passenger numbers to warrant a half-hourly train outside of peak.

Yes the plan isn't for the additional train to call at either Hale or Navigation Road but an additional service should mean more space on the existing service for the Hale and Navigation Rd passengers.

I agree it's important for Sunday to go to hourly, that might also help with Saturday overcrowding as I guess there's some people who want to travel at the weekend and it doesn't really matter which day but the poor Sunday service means they opt for Saturday.

[knutstransport]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services

(16/01/2021 19:18)wirralbus Wrote:  Now that would be an interesting service to have and would that replace the former East Midlands Nottingham - Liverpool leg from Sheffield .

No it would replace the Liverpool to Manchester Airport service and apparently it should be still TPE but someone put it in the wrong colour on the map. It also refers to both Liverpool to Sheffield services calling at Birchwood. Under option B Liverpool to Manchester Airport would still exist via Chat Moss. Also proposed is the splitting up of Liverpool to Manchester Oxford Road to improve reliability and to allow all stations to get at least one train per hour.

[mikestone]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services
Isn't this all pointless until it is known how COVID affects long-term travel patterns?
;
Warrington Central-Manchester locals should have been the tram-train pilot to eliminate Oxford Road turnbacks.

[iMarkeh]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services

(17/01/2021 20:53)mikestone Wrote:  Isn't this all pointless until it is known how COVID affects long-term travel patterns?
;
Warrington Central-Manchester locals should have been the tram-train pilot to eliminate Oxford Road turnbacks.

The popular suggestion on another forum is to rebuild Deansgate/Castlefields to use the currently empty viaduct so that basically the stopper trains terminate at a new platform next to the metrolink.

Tram trains have a lot of convincing in Manchester. They keep being thrown about as a good idea but TFGM can't stand network rail hence why where there is potential conflicts, they prefer to make a huge capacity constraint rather than work with Network Rail to make tram trains. Look at Newton Heath & Moston coming down to 1 track causing a capacity constraint on the whole Rochdale line just so the daily binliner train can use the terminal (bearing in mind the train only has 2 paths and would share the track for all of about 4 minutes).
Metrolink would take over the network rail lines but would do all they can not to share the tracks.

[knutstransport]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services

(17/01/2021 20:53)mikestone Wrote:  Isn't this all pointless until it is known how COVID affects long-term travel patterns?
;
Warrington Central-Manchester locals should have been the tram-train pilot to eliminate Oxford Road turnbacks.

The proposals are for possible May 2022 implementation and are considered 'short term' as they are what can be done with existing infrastructure.

[knutstransport]

RE: Government consultation into Manchester area services
GMCA have proposed a revised option C with Newcastle services terminating at Victoria, to allow all day Southport to Oxford Road, Wigan to Hazel Grove services and a Liverpool to Manchester Airport service to continue to run. They have also proposed on the Crewe line one Alderley Edge service goes via the airport with one Crewe service continuing to go via Stockport. They are in favour of a half-hourly Chester to Leeds services, with North Wales services going via Northwich and are against any reduction in service at Flixton.

https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.g...rmance.pdf