First Manchester

[iMarkeh]

RE: First Manchester

(21/02/2019 10:15)Mayneway Wrote:  It's a weird scenario. Obviously just like when First took over Finglands there will be a transition period when Go Ahead will accept existing First tickets but First up to now arnt disappearing, they will still be at the other two depots so if go-ahead intend to run First vehicles in First Livery with Go Ahead vinyls it's going to be extremely confusing for passengers.
Wonder if First will reduce the price of weekly/monthly tickets as the area they can be used in will massively shrink.

I think there will have to be a transition period of sorts because GoAhead can't just draft in a whole depot worth of new buses. It will be a confusing time for passengers but whenever there is any sort of takeover, the buses do run in other operators colors for a while. Though slightly different, the Wright Eclipse in Chester took 6 months or so for Stagecoach to repaint them.

I think what GoAhead will do is get some buses from their current divisions and repaint them into Go NorthWest livery (whatever that may be). They will then get a few First vehicles (possibly with First using normal spares from other garages to cover for the short term) while Go Ahead repaint a few of the existing First buses. That way, you have a few buses out on your first day, in normal livery. I would think that routes which run into other First areas are likely to get done first, like the 17, 18 so people can differentiate on main corridors with routes like the 92, 93, 95, 97, 98 and 135 left until last given almost the entire route will then no longer be served by First.