D&G Bus

[Rick Hunter]

RE: D&G Bus
The timings between Macc and Knutsford most of the day are pretty much right, 43 mins towards Macc and 42 back to Knutsford. The 2 guys that used to do the 27 Knutsford - Macc when run by Howards had 36 mins each way and was only doable by breaking the speed limits all the time. The early morning and late afternoon journeys miss out Ollerton and also have extra time added. The excess time on the Knutsford - Altrincham is between Wilmslow and Altrincham. 10 mins Wilmslow to Morley green when 5 is enough To knock 10 mins of may make it a bit tight as many times it takes 2 or 3 mins to get out of Wilmslow bank square due to traffic. The journey which does have far too much time is 16.50 from Altrincham. As someone suggested it would be better to leave Altrincham at 17.05. 15 mins could be sat at Station house empty rather than at Bank Square with passengers on board

(26/05/2021 10:48)iMarkeh Wrote:  Goes to show how much padding is in timetables really. Macc to Knutsford done in 30 minutes. Scheduled for just over 50. Knutsford to Altrincham being done in 45 minutes vs 70 scheduled. When things go wrong, this padding is very good but for the 99% of times when things go right, it's no wonder passengers see buses as slow when a journey is timed to take so much longer than needed.

[Rick Hunter]

RE: D&G Bus
141 does have a GPS issue with the ticket machine which has been reported many times. As well as going off for periods along the route it has a habit of recording timing points passed early when the bus is still sitting there. Several buses do the latter now, 34 and 122 being others

(26/05/2021 12:05)knutstransport Wrote:  Just noticed the tracking shows times of 09:33 and 09:46 on Mill Street in Macclesfield and then no tracking for a big section, so it may have left Macc at 09:33 and the tracking doesn't confirm it did serve the hospital but it definitely served Longridge, Chapel Lane, Wilmslow station and Morley Green.

[knutstransport]

RE: D&G Bus

(26/05/2021 19:37)Rick Hunter Wrote:  The timings between Macc and Knutsford most of the day are pretty much right, 43 mins towards Macc and 42 back to Knutsford.

On the 08:20 Macclesfield to Knutsford there is a lot of recovery time in Knutsford. It's given 50 minutes to get from Chelford station to Longridge, compared to the 22 minutes later journeys get. That service can get to Longridge 5 minutes early even after doing it's official 12 minute wait at Knutsford bus station. It's almost like someone decided it has to run the Longridge to Altrincham section at the standard pattern times, despite the fact it departs Macc 25 minutes earlier than the standard pattern. Possibly someone decided they don't want the pass holders boarding that service before Longridge to leave ample space on that service for the pass holders boarding in the Chapel Lane/Gravel Lane area where they can be a lot, in which case the solution is a larger vehicle not making a mess of the timings.

The same excessive padding also applies on the 15:55 Altrincham to Macc between Longridge and Chelford again.

Knutsford to Falcon Bearer outside the peaks should really be 7 minutes not 10 and there's no point having Knutsford bound journeys departing Wilmslow station 6 minutes after they are due to arrive at Bank Square, especially when they pretty much always arrive at Bank Square before their scheduled arrival time anyway. Same with the Altrincham bound journeys they should be timed to depart Bank Square earlier.

[M60lad]

RE: D&G Bus
Considering some of the ticket machines have GPS issues is there nothing D&G are doing about this as surely the drivers on these particular vehicles will be being penalized for running early when in fact they are not as its just a ticket machine problem?

I was talking to a D&G driver a couple of weeks ago and he had had the same vehicle a couple of times with the same GPS fault so the question is why isn't it being sorted if the problem still exists at the moment?

[Rick Hunter]

RE: D&G Bus
The assistant manager claims to check the tracker each time a vehicle is logged early so can tell when it actually moves. A few drivers are noting in their diaries the occasions it happens in case of future disciplinary actions. Why the issue isn't being rectified is anyones guess. Maybe shortage of spare machines?

(27/05/2021 05:54)M60lad Wrote:  Considering some of the ticket machines have GPS issues is there nothing D&G are doing about this as surely the drivers on these particular vehicles will be being penalized for running early when in fact they are not as its just a ticket machine problem?

I was talking to a D&G driver a couple of weeks ago and he had had the same vehicle a couple of times with the same GPS fault so the question is why isn't it being sorted if the problem still exists at the moment?

[Rick Hunter]

RE: D&G Bus
Im sure the 08.20 from Macc leaves at that time to get the Radbroke hall staff in for 9. The 15.55 from Altrincham is often very late, many times instead of passing the next bus near Wilmslow it is only at Airport city. Going into Altrincham it gets the St Ambrose kids and lots of traffic then hits traffic coming out of Altrincham. It's the next bus from Altrincham, the 16.50 which has way too much time and sits in Wilmslow for around 20 mins. Knutsford to Falcon bearer is fine at 10 mins most of the day.

To have Altrincham bound journeys depart Bank Square earlier would have even more time to get to Morley Green

(26/05/2021 20:11)knutstransport Wrote:  On the 08:20 Macclesfield to Knutsford there is a lot of recovery time in Knutsford. It's given 50 minutes to get from Chelford station to Longridge, compared to the 22 minutes later journeys get. That service can get to Longridge 5 minutes early even after doing it's official 12 minute wait at Knutsford bus station. It's almost like someone decided it has to run the Longridge to Altrincham section at the standard pattern times, despite the fact it departs Macc 25 minutes earlier than the standard pattern. Possibly someone decided they don't want the pass holders boarding that service before Longridge to leave ample space on that service for the pass holders boarding in the Chapel Lane/Gravel Lane area where they can be a lot, in which case the solution is a larger vehicle not making a mess of the timings.

The same excessive padding also applies on the 15:55 Altrincham to Macc between Longridge and Chelford again.

Knutsford to Falcon Bearer outside the peaks should really be 7 minutes not 10 and there's no point having Knutsford bound journeys departing Wilmslow station 6 minutes after they are due to arrive at Bank Square, especially when they pretty much always arrive at Bank Square before their scheduled arrival time anyway. Same with the Altrincham bound journeys they should be timed to depart Bank Square earlier.

[M60lad]

RE: D&G Bus
Yes I know it takes time to do I know the process for doing it but couldn't the timetable for 88 be changed so that particular journey doesn't end up sitting in Wilmslow for about 20 minutes just seems a bit excessive, why can't that 20mins be took elsewhere along the route or maybe at Macclesfield where it only gets 5 minute turn round before heading back out again?

Also according to the timetable 16:50 only gets a minute a Wilmslow so I'm guessing timing is generous at that journey and with it missing out Morley Green gets to Wilmslow early.

[Rick Hunter]

RE: D&G Bus
The time between Hale Barns and Wilmslow is over generous. To arrive in Wilmslow on time would mean travelling at around 15-20mph all the way, much of which is a 50mph road so would be a danger. Travelling at 30mph the bus arrives with 20 mins to wait. As was suggested earlier maybe have the bus leave Altrincham at 17.05 or even 17.10 That may benefit any workers that finish work in Altrincham at 17.00

(28/05/2021 05:43)M60lad Wrote:  Yes I know it takes time to do I know the process for doing it but couldn't the timetable for 88 be changed so that particular journey doesn't end up sitting in Wilmslow for about 20 minutes just seems a bit excessive, why can't that 20mins be took elsewhere along the route or maybe at Macclesfield where it only gets 5 minute turn round before heading back out again?

Also according to the timetable 16:50 only gets a minute a Wilmslow so I'm guessing timing is generous at that journey and with it missing out Morley Green gets to Wilmslow early.

[knutstransport]

RE: D&G Bus

(27/05/2021 21:47)Rick Hunter Wrote:  Im sure the 08.20 from Macc leaves at that time to get the Radbroke hall staff in for 9.

It doesn't have to be a through service to Altrincham though. By the bus sitting at Knutsford Bus Station until 09:25 and then a further wait at Longridge until 09:40 it's not very attractive as a through service, it only takes around 20 minutes to walk from the bus station to the Falcon Bearer and it must mean the average speed of the bus is around 5mph for those 15 minutes. It would also be quicker for someone from Macc/Chelford to get off at Knutsford bus station and walk to Parkgate Industrial Estate than it would be to remain on the bus and alight at the stop closest to the Industrial Estate (Manor Park North/Lowe Drive.) There could instead be a Macclesfield to Knutsford bus station run arriving at approx 09:05 and a separate Knutsford to Altrincham departing at 09:30.

It could also be possible to add a official 45 minute driver breaks in by retiming that service slightly and getting the driver who does the John Deanes am service to then do Knutsford-Altrincham and the driver who does Macclesfield-Knutsford to take the Handforth Dean bus, which could leave a few minutes later.

I'm not in favour of the longer gaps between services at peak times in general, it means those who would use the bus daily and would buy weekly tickets find the bus times unsuitable and makes the bus service less viable as most of the passengers are pass holders.

[knutstransport]

RE: D&G Bus

(28/05/2021 07:21)Rick Hunter Wrote:  The time between Hale Barns and Wilmslow is over generous. To arrive in Wilmslow on time would mean travelling at around 15-20mph all the way, much of which is a 50mph road so would be a danger.

Also defeats the point of the bus stops on Water Lane as the bus could arrive 10 or more minutes before the 'estimated arrival time' and if you find the bus has gone you might still be able to walk to Bank Square or the Coach and Four and catch the bus you missed.