First Manchester

[Metroline1511]

RE: First Manchester

(09/02/2018 06:17)M60lad Wrote:  There's also talk on social media about First coming off 468 Tottington-Jericho service and if this does happen in April which it looks like it will, for the first time that I can remember it will leave Rosso as the solo operator along Bury and Rochdale Old Road.

I don't know what's happening with First at the moment but it does seem that their not interested in the Bus Side in Manchester at the moment with them thinning out services and not investing/replacing older stock and even the date of when their supposedly going over to Ticketer seems to be getting pushed back.

Yes, I thought First might withdraw some local services in Bury & Rochdale following the closure of BY and Transdev takeover of Rosso.

I can see why First are withdrawing route 575 as it duplicates a longer Arriva route, and a route continuing to Wigan which is not served by First (although it of course used to be). Withdrawing routes 571/72 is more of a shock though. It almost signals an eventual withdrawal of Bolton town routes, with only interurban routes eg 2, 8, 36, 37, 471 & 582 destined to continue.