Greater Manchester Service Changes

[knutstransport]

RE: Greater Manchester Service Changes

(17/07/2021 07:49)iMarkeh Wrote:  That depends on the stopping arrangement and frequency of the new bus.

Hulleys on the section between Buxton and Bakewell, have banned local travel, only carrying passengers through to Chesterfield or people with a Hulleys ticket connecting onto another Hulleys bus. If they do that and do limited stop, the 130 still has use for local passengers.

Also if the frequency is low, the 130 will continue, maybe hourly Wilmslow to Wyrhenshawe, two hourly extensions to Macc combined with this new route.

Hulleys won't run often enough and don't like upsetting other operators.

I'm not sure how much Hulleys will know about Cheshire East contracting but the 130 extension to Wythenshawe is being operated on a trial basis and funding for that extension could be withdrawn if the trial doesn't yield acceptable results. It might be they know what date the trial ends or it might be they know little about it.

It doesn't matter how frequent the commercial service is, as least not when it's a Cheshire East Council subsided route. A few years ago they cancelled an invitation to tender for an hourly Knutsford to Macclesfield service with a PVR of 2 because High Peak registered a commercial service with a PVR of 1, even though the High Peak journeys didn't cover every variation of the route that the invitation to tender covered e.g. both Beggarmans Lane and Ollerton. D&G got awarded the 130 Sunday service at one point, which GHA had held up until that point but that award was annulled when GHA decided not to cancel their 130 registration but instead submitted an application to reduce the frequency.

I agree that whatever route Hulleys have picked it won't provide a replacement for all journeys that are possible on the 130 route. However, it'll be down to Cheshire East to decide whether or not an alternative is needed. For example, Alderley Edge to Wilmslow is possible by train and Macclesfield Hospital could be served by an enhanced 88 service or by another service being extended to the hospital. Once the COVID vaccinations at Alderley Park end they'll probably be no need for off-peak services to Alderley Park either.