Stagecoach Manchester

[Southernsofty]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(07/03/2019 23:29)gilesbus1 Wrote:  Thanks Brickmill for that I had forgotten Motorways are exempt which no doubt some hauliers and long distance coaches will therefore be able to drive straight through Greater Manchester yet not contribute, lets not forget the M6, M58, M60, M62 (both West Yorkshire - M60 and Liverpool - M602), M61, M66, M602 and M67 all flow through Greater Manchester.

Interestingly no doubt it means a coach operator based within Greater Manchester will be at a disadvantage over one based elsewhere in that they are then in a position to undercut on Private Hire work outside the county, presume this would prove a problem for operators like Grayway, Memory Lane Coaches and Olympia who no doubt compete with operators in Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside for some Private Hire and Excursion work, and could we also have the situation were some tour operators decide that there pick up point for tours is a Motorway Service Area to avoid paying any pollution charge. Also on a similar note might some freight operators open internet parcel pick up points at Motorway service areas to avoid charges rather than at local supermarkets were it is a possibility.

Might work the other way round, If (and I know it's not certain or how the grants would be doled out) Coach operators inside Greater Manchester are given money by TfGM to upgrade some or all of their coaches to Euro 6, then coach companies outside Greater Manchester will be at a disadvantage and may just say 'It's not worth our while bidding for work inside Manchester'.
I know that down in the South East, some coach companies have already decided to turn down work in London (Partly to be fair because of parking issues), or explained to potential customers that there will be an extra charge to cover the cost of the daily fine.
I note the comment about Motorways being exempt, presumably Manchester Airport won't be exempt?
With Internet parcel deliveries, the firms who own the vans themselves usually have modern fleets that are Euro 6 already or very soon, the ones that use self employed owner drivers don't care anyway -'Not their problem'!
Big Delivery companies have modern vehicles and can afford to buy/lease new every year or switch trucks around from other regions.