Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(06/08/2016 14:43)chester285 Wrote:  Makes sense to be honest, does anyone know how likely stagecoach are going to register the SP1/2 1,2 X1 as their own routes rather than in the emergency contract

SP1/2 will depend if the Versas were GHA owned or Flintshire. If Flintshire owned them then I guess Stagecoach will have the buses then to run the SP1/2 but until then, I doubt it. 1,2,X1 will be a difficult one as it is a long route which goes out the way.

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(06/08/2016 17:35)iMarkeh Wrote:  SP1/2 will depend if the Versas were GHA owned or Flintshire. If Flintshire owned them then I guess Stagecoach will have the buses then to run the SP1/2 but until then, I doubt it. 1,2,X1 will be a difficult one as it is a long route which goes out the way.

The SP1/2 branded Optare Versas (YJ09 OTN/P/R/S) are owned by Flintshire Council

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(06/08/2016 17:46)SL64 JDZ Wrote:  The SP1/2 branded Optare Versas (YJ09 OTN/P/R/S) are owned by Flintshire Council

In that case, when they are released from GHA, SC will probs run a full service and will probably run it full time. That is my guess as SC are one of the closest to the route. Arriva are too far so unless some independent has space then SC will have it.

[Metroline1511]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(03/08/2016 05:28)telf23 Wrote:  Arriva would never let up on the X1. By far its busiest route.

In my opinion, although a link from Rucorn to Manchester could seem desirable to many, there's no feasable way a bus route could do this without taking a horrendous amount of time on each journey. Especially during peak times, it can take over an hour in the car!

The reason I assume a place like southport to be included in Merseyside and not Runcorn is that along with Liverpool, Southport was a part of Lancashire until the counties and boundaries changed way back when. Runcorn always has been, and even though now included in LCR, always will be a part of Cheshire.

However, being part of the LCR, Merseytravel are now the ones in charge of the bus services in the area, so maybe it could see some new SC routes in the area, or maybe extensions of existing ones?

In my opinion, I can see SC being successful in Halton, Runcorn particularly, as the standard of service recently has dropped significantly. Many late runnings per day, poor buses and very expensive fares. I think a fresh face in the area could do wonders for the infrastructure of the town, and would definitely put the frights up the existing companies.

Thank you for replying to my points. I remember catching one of the final X1s one Saturday in 2013 and it being pretty full. Maybe it can go double-deck when others are displaced by new Hybrids in the new year?

Interesting and true about Liverpool & Southport having both been in Lancashire, unlike Runcorn & Widnes, prior to the creation of Merseyside. It occurs to me that Warrington will be left out in the cold for being neither part of Greater Manchester nor the Liverpool City Region.

My bright hope for Stagecoach could be a Liverpool or St Helens - Runcorn - Altrincham express route. It would link their Merseyside & Manchester networks! Also there is surprisingly no St Helens - Runcorn direct link at present.

[motormayhem1]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(06/08/2016 20:44)Metroline1511 Wrote:  Thank you for replying to my points. I remember catching one of the final X1s one Saturday in 2013 and it being pretty full. Maybe it can go double-deck when others are displaced by new Hybrids in the new year?

Interesting and true about Liverpool & Southport having both been in Lancashire, unlike Runcorn & Widnes, prior to the creation of Merseyside. It occurs to me that Warrington will be left out in the cold for being neither part of Greater Manchester nor the Liverpool City Region.

My bright hope for Stagecoach could be a Liverpool or St Helens - Runcorn - Altrincham express route. It would link their Merseyside & Manchester networks! Also there is surprisingly no St Helens - Runcorn direct link at present.

Deckers would be ideal for the X1 but they wouldn't be suitable due to the X1 serving most of the busway which as low bridges along it.
Ive always thought a route from st helens to runcorn would be great as 2 possible options would be to extend the 17 through widnes then over the bridge and then like the 110 to murdishaw or could have it going to warrington then like haltons 62 upto the halton lea shopping city.

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Really is the X1 really in the remit of Stagecoach's garage's at RF or CH , if it was to happen which is highly unlikely it would be from there GM garage .

CH has to be fit to burst now , seriously if they could move there operations away from Liverpool Road in Chester then they would be a major player on almost all routes in all directions out of Chester.

[Quackdave]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(06/08/2016 20:44)Metroline1511 Wrote:  Interesting and true about Liverpool & Southport having both been in Lancashire, unlike Runcorn & Widnes, prior to the creation of Merseyside.

Widnes was in Lancashire - the southern boundary of old Lancashire being the Mersey.

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
The only way a limited stop Liverpool - Manchester service could be viable time wise is if the motorway network at the Liverpool end came a lot closer than The Rocket at Broad Green.

How many other cities have there terminal motorways a lot closer to the city ?

[telf23]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(06/08/2016 22:18)motormayhem1 Wrote:  Deckers would be ideal for the X1 but they wouldn't be suitable due to the X1 serving most of the busway which as low bridges along it.
Ive always thought a route from st helens to runcorn would be great as 2 possible options would be to extend the 17 through widnes then over the bridge and then like the 110 to murdishaw or could have it going to warrington then like haltons 62 upto the halton lea shopping city.

I would love to see some deckers in Runcorn, quite a few services could really benefit from them. The old busway bridges are so worn down now a days and most of the places where they cross also have a crossing on the road itself, so I don't actually know why the council have kept them up.

I don't ever recall a direct link between St Helens and Runcorn either. It's not really a route that I think would work either imo.

A possible way stagecoach could extend into Runcorn is maybe extending their evening 21 service and mirror Arriva's daytime service. And maybe introduce a Sunday service too. Sunday services are few and far between in Runcorn. 3 of the 5 services go through to Liverpool, all leaving within 5 minutes of each other and 30 min intervals and the other 2 serve Warrington. I think a Sunday service into Chester would get some good patronage if it was at a reasonable frequency. (HT 31 service at every 2 hours (3 trips) seemed a little pointless to me)

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Infrastructure wise Runcorn's busway's are an interesting example of the new town concept of keeping the buses separate from all other traffic.

The only problem with that concept was that all the infrastructure was set up with single decker vehicles in mind .