Greater Manchester Service Changes

[KXW212]

RE: Greater Manchester Service Changes

(29/07/2021 19:43)knutstransport Wrote:  There's apparently a law which states councils can't use money to subside services if there's a competing commercial service. Both Cheshire West and Cheshire East councils have withdrawn subsided routes due to inferior commercial services being registered. TfGM seem to interpret the same law differently and have had evening contracted services with a first journey before the last commercial journey.

The current 130 is being funded on a trial basis. It would be much cheaper to fund a Handforth to Alderley Edge shuttle, with peak time extensions to Macc via Alderley Park if needed.

The thing to note is even if CEC do nothing they might find D&G come to them saying revenue has dropped on the 130 due to the X1 and they can't continue to run it at the same frequency for the same subsidy.

While some people don't want to hear it some of the 130 bus users only choose the bus over a more frequent, faster train because the government gives them a free bus pass. These are the same people who think the bus should continue to Manchester as they want to get to Manchester for free, not because they can't get on a train at Alderley Edge/Wilmslow/Handforth. I'm sure there must also be people who live in Alderley Edge who think why do the buses go to Handforth and Wilmslow when I can get the train there but they don't go to Prestbury, Knutsford or Altrincham.

I doubt Manchester is somewhere any bus passenger would want to go from anywhere along the current 130 corridor. It just takes too long. East Didsbury was always the sensible place to terminate it with a host of onward connection facilities available, pass holder or not. What is often forgotten is not everybody lives near a rail station, intermediate passengers do actually matter and not everyone is a commuter. The residents of Colshaw Farm are a case in point, where shoppers going to/from Handforth make the 130 fairly busy.