Howards/Springfield

[knutstransport]

RE: Howards/Springfield

(21/07/2016 14:53)The H man Wrote:  We are pleased to announce that we will be running the 27 service on Saturdays and the 289 contract has been secured for five years.

Good to hear there will be a 27 Saturday service, what frequency will it be? The 27 Saturday service has been hourly (using 2 buses), every 90 minutes and every 2 hours (using 1 bus) over the past few years.

[The H man]

RE: Howards/Springfield
It's still 2 hourly, pvr of one

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Howards/Springfield
Is there plans to get any smaller Buses in for the 289 as it looks a little tight for full sized Buses like the Solar

[knutstransport]

RE: Howards/Springfield

(21/07/2016 15:19)The H man Wrote:  It's still 2 hourly, pvr of one

It was actually hourly the last Saturday GHA ran the service but I don't think Cheshire East thought more than a 2 hourly service was required.

[knutstransport]

RE: Howards/Springfield

(21/07/2016 15:25)T42 PVM Wrote:  Is there plans to get any smaller Buses in for the 289 as it looks a little tight for full sized Buses like the Solar

More to the point what size does the contract require? The ITT released for a new contract (before GHA went in to administration) seemed to indicate an increase in capacity from 28 seats to 35 would be required for the new contract.

[The H man]

RE: Howards/Springfield
No specific detail, but we will be running our enviro 300. It will be retendered properly in the coming weeks

[knutstransport]

RE: Howards/Springfield
It doesn't look like any 27 timetable for Saturdays has been made available anywhere yet, despite the service apparently starting tomorrow. With it not sounding like it'll run to the old GHA Saturday timetable (a 2 hourly service with no services via Beggarman's Lane has been mentioned) it's a bit difficult for anyone to plan to use it tomorrow.

[knutstransport]

RE: Howards/Springfield

(22/07/2016 10:38)knutstransport Wrote:  It doesn't look like any 27 timetable for Saturdays has been made available anywhere yet, despite the service apparently starting tomorrow. With it not sounding like it'll run to the old GHA Saturday timetable (a 2 hourly service with no services via Beggarman's Lane has been mentioned) it's a bit difficult for anyone to plan to use it tomorrow.

One has now appeared on the Cheshire East website: http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/pdf/publi...urdays.pdf

I'm surprised the the first journey is to Knutsford and the last journey is from Knutsford, given I would have thought the bus would have to go through/near Knutsford to get between its base in Warrington and Macclesfield.

[knutstransport]

RE: Howards/Springfield
On the Howard's Travel Twitter feed that the 06:55 Northwich to Altrincham 289 service has been withdrawn from today (posted Saturday.) Yet no information on the Cheshire East website and the old timetable is still on the Howard's/Springfield site. Hopefully drivers told any regular passengers last week otherwise they'd have a long wait for a bus!

[quahogbuscompany]

RE: Howards/Springfield

(01/08/2016 10:31)knutstransport Wrote:  On the Howard's Travel Twitter feed that the 06:55 Northwich to Altrincham 289 service has been withdrawn from today (posted Saturday.) Yet no information on the Cheshire East website and the old timetable is still on the Howard's/Springfield site. Hopefully drivers told any regular passengers last week otherwise they'd have a long wait for a bus!

Looks like these guys have been thrown in at the deep end. It's always difficult when a new operator takes over from another, especially after what happened with GHA. I'm sure once everyone (council and operator) finds their feet everything will return to normal. I know their 48 service from Northwich to Frodsham runs like clockwork now after GHA's hit and miss operation on that one. Unfortunately there is always one casualty in these cases - the travelling public.