Jim Stones Coaches

[gilesbus1]

RE: Jim Stones Coaches
Realistically all Diamond might want or be happy with is work to the North of Leigh. The work to the South of Leigh is quite some distance from Bolton so to operate it from there surely wouldn't be practical, I think your looking really beteen two operators for everything in Lowton and the 596 Landside Route, Stagecoach and/or Network Warrington, the closest dept to it is Stagecoach's Bryn base, and no doubt stock could be obtained if needed from within the group and brought in quickly. Stagecoach also looked over Jim Stones a few years back in a view to purchasing it outright but the bid was rejected by Jim Stones at that time, so no doubt they also might be interested in at least some of the commercial work as well.

As for Diamond they would be best place for one route only, the Leigh - Hag Fold service. Those in Westleigh are again much easier for Stagecoach to operate from Bryn.

Another operator who might be interested in the tendered side of the business is Tyrer's although again some of this would involve plenty of dead mileage if they want to operate in Lowton, although over Diamond they are close to the A580 East Lancs Road which would be an advantage.

The main commercial worry would be service 584 to Crankwood which is a Council Estate some mileage outside Leigh which has no other bus services, so preserving links there would surely be a priority for TfGM as would Atherton - Hag Fold, similarly a large council area which stretches a distance from the North of Atherton, and 595 Leigh - Abbey Lane again a large Council estate some distance from Leigh, everything else could probably be serviced off diversions to other services or is possibly not necessary. Although the new Conservative MP for Leigh who is Lowton base might be interested in ensuring the Lowton and Landside services are saved. Also any cuts might mean parts of Hindley Green and North Atherton are left unlinked to Leigh but the Diamond 132 also serves sections of it so to up the frequency of the 132 between Atherton and Wigan might be a better option over the longer term.