Manchester Buses

Service change watch

December sees a bunch of service changes introduced in Greater Manchester, mainly in the Bolton area, and an improved service to the Trafford Centre in the run up to Christmas.

From the 15th of December Tyrer Bus are introducing extra journeys on their 553 (Boothstown - Bolton) and 559 (Hindley - Bolton) services and revising the timetable on service 525 (Bolton - Hall i' th' Wood circular).  Meanwhile, South Lancs Travel are tweaking the 592 (Leigh - Bolton) service a week earlier on the 8th.

Elsewhere in the region, the 403 (Shaw - Rushcroft) service transfers from M Travel to Bu Val from this coming Monday (1st December).  Lancashire United's award winning X41 (Manchester - Blackburn) service gets a slight route change from the 7th December.

A temporary change for the next few weeks comes in the form of extra evening journeys on Stagecoach's 250 (Manchester - Trafford Centre) service.  The Monday to Friday evening frequency is increased to "at least" every 15 minutes from the 8th of December through to the 23rd.  That should give Robinho more of a chance to get his Christmas shopping finished!

[Image credit: Coradia1000 on Flickr]

One we missed: Stagecoach mull Woodford express

It's been up on the Stagecoach site for a couple of weeks now but we missed it until now (how about getting an RSS feed or sticking us on your press release email list, please Stagecoach?).  The operator has published the results of its recent consultation over the future of the 157 Manchester - Woodford service that they inherited from R. Bullock.

89% of respondents were in favour of converting the service to limited stop between Manchester and East Didsbury.  This would be renumbered X57 and would have retimed late evening journeys to accomodate both theatre goers and barflies.  There would be a host of timetable tweaks through the day.

Stagecoach have still to announce final details but the improved service is due to begin from Sunday 25th January.  Future improvements they plan beyond this are an increase in Monday-Saturday daytime frequency to every 20 minutes and the Sunday daytime frequency to every 30 minutes.  A weekend late-night service is also planned.

Full details and a draft timetable can be found here.

[Image credit: the 157 towards the end of the R. Bullock era, by Ingy The Wingy, via Flickr]

Are these the TIF bus improvements?

Greater Manchester's TIF referendum ballot papers are out and the region will be voting on whether to accept the proposals and the associated peak-only congestion charge over the next couple of weeks.  While details on improvements to the tram and train networks have been available for a long time now, bus details have been sketchier.  Yes, we know about the express bus services and the new cross-town routes, but what about improvements to the wider network?

Now a member on the Travel North West forum reckons he's got the scoop on the proposed changes.  One 'faz2105' of Oldham has posted a detailed list of changes and they're certainly interesting.  Big changes include extending the 112 (Manchester - Middleton) across the city centre to the Trafford Centre and a regular daytime service from Chorlton Green for the first time in many years.

Here's the list he's posted.  Your can see the original thread here.  We don't know how accurate (if at all) any of this is but it's worth a look.

Update: 'faz2105' has commented on this post and says he got the details from the GMFutureTransport site.  We hadn't noticed the site had been updated recently, but yes - there's a wealth of up-to-date information on the proposals at: http://www.gmfuturetransport.co.uk/consultation/default.aspx

Existing routes:
5 or 38 or new (Altrincham-Warrington): Evening and Sunday service: 60 mins
8 - Extended to Manchester Royal Infirmary. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins (from every 8 mins). Evening service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from every 15 mins)
10 or M10 - Evening service increased to 30 mins (from 60 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to 20 mins (from 30 mins). Evening journeys extended to Brookhouse.
11 - Slightly confusing. Service would run between Stockport and Altrincham, running every 20 mins and combining with service 371 between Stockport and Gatley and services 12/12A between Altrincham and Wythenshawe. Evening journeys between Altrincham and Wythenshawe introduced on service 11, 12 or 12A.
13 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins. Evening and Sunday journeys increased to 30 mins
15 - Evening and Sunday service increased to every 30 mins (from 60 mins).
16 (Altrincham-Manchester) - Service re-routed to run via Old Trafford and Hulme to provide a faster link for people in Ashton-upon-Mersey to/from Manchester. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins. Sale-Chorlton section replaced by new service.
17 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins. Evening and Sunday service increased to every 20 mins.
18 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from 30 mins). Evenings and Sundays service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
20 (Altrincham) - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins. Evening and Sunday journeys increased to 30 mins
21 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins. Evening and Sunday journeys increased to 30 mins
22 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from 30 mins).
23/23A - Merged into one route, via 23A route. Evening journeys increased to every 30 mins along full route.
26, 32 - Extended to Manchester Royal Infirmary. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 15 mins (from every 30 mins). Evening and Sunday service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
33 (Worsley-Manchester) - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from 15 mins). Evening and Sunday journeys increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
34 - Evening and Sunday service introduced between Leigh and St Helens, running every hour.
38, 39, 331, 332, 333, 393 - Services enchanced to provide feeder services to Ashton-under-Lyne tram stop.
41 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins.
50 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 5 mins
59 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins. Evening and Sunday service increased to every 20 mins.
68 - Salford Royal Hospital-Manchester section withdrawn with service running to Trafford Centre via Centenary Bridge. Service reduced to every 30 mins.
69 - More straightforward route between Eccles, Salford Royal Hospital, Pendleton and Salford Quays. Route extended to Trafford General Hospital via Urmston.
70 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins and evening and Sunday journeys increased to 30 mins between Clifton and Salford Royal Hospital (all from every 60 mins)
74, 76X (Hollinwood-Manchester) - Extra peak journeys
74, 75 (Pendleton-Agecroft) - Service re-routed to serve Lower Kersal and Brindle Heath. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from 60 mins).
76 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from every 20 mins). Evening service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins). Believed that evening and Sunday journeys would run to/from Oldham.
81 - Evening service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from 30 mins).
83 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins (from every 10 mins). Evening service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 15 mins (from 30 mins).
93 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from every 20 mins). Evening service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from 30 mins).
98 - Evening service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from 30 mins).
100 - Warrington-Manchester would run as separate service. Trafford Centre-Manchester: Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from 20 mins). Evening service increased to every 30 mins (from 60 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 15 mins (from 3 per hour).
105 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins)
109 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins)
112 - Extended to Trafford Centre. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from every 20 mins). Evening service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins)
123/124 - Route extended to Chorlton. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins. Evening and Sunday service increased to every 20 mins.
126, 132 (Leigh/Wigan-Trafford Centre) - Services re-routed to serve propsed Tyldesley Interchange to connect with services 26 and 32 and run combined 30 mins frequency to/from Trafford Centre.
130 - Service re-routed to run via Wilmslow Road. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins).
157 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins).
130/157 - Monday-Saturday daytime service to run every 10 mins between Cheadle Hulme and Manchester.
163 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins. Evening service intrcreased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Sunday daytime journeys extended to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins).
167 - Peak time journeys increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins). Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 60 mins (from every 90 mins) with daily evening journeys introduced.
171 - Extended to Central Business Park in Newton Heath with evening and Sunday service introduced running every hour.
173 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 15 mins between Stockport and Manchester (from every 60 mins)
180/184 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins (from every 10 mins) with a bus every 15 mins to/from Greenfield/Uppermill with two of the 184's to/from Diggle/Huddersfield. Evening and Sunday service maybe increased to every 15 mins (from every 30 mins).
182 - Sunday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins)
188 (Ryder Brow-Manchester) - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins between Higher Openshaw and Manchester.
191 (Stockport-Manchester) - Monday-Saturday daytime service introduced running every 20 mins
192 - More journeys to/from Stockport College.
197 - Service re-routed to serve Heaton Road and Parsonage Road.
204 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 15 mins (from every 30 mins) between Hyde and Manchester with service extended to Gee Cross.
205 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins).
217 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins between Droylsden and Manchester.
245 - Service re-routed around Urmston. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins).
247 - Service would run between Trafford Centre and Eccles via Centenary Bridge.
255 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every
256 - Evening service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins)
258 - Monday-Saturday daytime service introduced running every 15 mins
266/267 - Services would be replaced by new service running to/from Manchester via Chorlton.
276 - Extended to Trafford via Shetland Way. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
307, 309 - Improvements to services
312 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
317 - Extended to Stepping Hill Hospital.
322, 327 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
352, 375/385/395 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from every 15 mins).
353/354 - Merged into one single route.
358, 375 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to 2 per hour (from every 60 mins).
362 (Wigan-Chorley) - Evening and Sunday service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
368, 369 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins)
371 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins) and combined with service 11 between Stockport and Gatley.
372 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
374 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins)
383/384 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins (from every 15 mins).
387/389 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from every 15 mins) between Ashton and Stalybridge.
390 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 60 mins (from every 120 mins).
394 - Extended to Stockport
403 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increasd to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins). Sunday daytime service introduced running every 30 mins. Service to be Shaw feeder service for Metrolink.
406 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins)
415 - Monday-Saturday daytime service to run every 10 mins between Oldham and Chadderton, Sportsmans (20 mins between Oldham and Middleton).
425 - Sunday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins)
436 - Extended to Elmsfield. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins. Evening and Sunday service introduced running every hour.
440 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 10 mins (from every 15 mins). Evening and Sunday service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins).
456 - Extended to Littleborough. Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins.
469 - Monday-Saturday daytime service to run every 10 mins full route.
471 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins.
475 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Sunday service introduced running every hour.
482/483 - Evening journeys introduced, running every hour.
484 (Prestwich-Eccles) - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins). Evening and Sunday service introduced.
495 - More journeys introduced (to provide better connection with Simister and Prestwich tram stop).
505 - Monday-Saturday daytime service between Horwich and Bolton, via Middlebrook increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins)
524 - Sunday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from every 30 mins)
540 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins (from 10 mins). Sunday daytime service increased to every 20 mins (from 30 mins)
551/553 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins and run between Bolton and Leigh
589 (Leigh-Lowton) - Evening and Sunday service introduced, running every hour.
592 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 15 mins (from every 30 mins) between Hag Fold and Leigh.
615 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins)
630 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins)
638/639 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins)
640/641 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from every 60 mins)
652 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 7/8 mins (from 15 mins). Evening service introduced running every 30 mins and Sunday daytime service introducing running to every 20 mins.
664/674 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 30 mins (from 60 mins). Evening and Sunday service introduced running every 60 mins.
681 - Monday-Saturday daytime service increased to every 15 mins (from every 60 mins).
X34 - Service re-routed to serve Boothstown.

Rochdale-Littleborough (454, 457, 528, 589, 590) - Additional evening and Sunday journey. (Listed as having 8 buses per hour Mon-Sat daytime and 3 buses per hour evening and Sundays running direct along Halifax Road)
Stretford-Manchester - Monday-Saturday daytime service to run every 5 mins (possible retiming of services 256 and 263).
Aspull - Routes simplified on services 576, 615 and 715 plus new routes.

New routes:
12/12A - Altrincham-Wythenshawe Hospital-Newall Green-Woodhouse Park-Wythenshawe-Airport
45 - Chorlton Green-Barlow Moor Road-Christies-Manchester Royal Infirmary-Manchester: Monday-Saturday daytime: 15 mins
170 - Manchester-Longsight-Didsbury-Heald Green-Airport - every hour serviceX20
Manchester-Ashton Old Road-Openshaw-Audenshaw-Snipe Retail Park-Ashton (Was orginally numbered 218): Frequent
X20 - Stalybridge-Dukinfield-Audenshaw-Manchester (Express route of 220): Mon-Sat daytime: 20 mins; Evenings and Sundays: 60 mins
Circular Routes (Probably a merge of service 53 and part of service 51)
Oldham-Lees-Mossley-Stalybridge-Ashton: Every hour along 343 route between Oldham and Stalybridge
Bolton-Middlebrook: Evening and Sunday service. (Possibly 576)
Stubbins-Ramsbottom-Bury: Mon-Sat daytime: 15 mins; Evenings and Sundays: 60 mins
Bury-Heap Bridge-Pilsworth-Unsworth-Prestwich-Manchester: Mon-Sat daytime: 30 mins; Sundays: 60 mins
Bury-Fairfield General Hospital: Mon-Sat daytime: 15 mins; Evenings and Sundays: 60 mins (483? or new service)
Bury-Whitefield-Stand: Mon-Sat daytime: 30 mins; Evenings and Sundays: 60 mins
Fern Grove-Bury direct (and possibily onto Radcliffe, Whitefield and Farnworth (512/513 extended?)): Mon-Sat daytime: Unknown. Evenings: 60 mins
Rochdale-Rochdale Train Station-Kingsway Business Park: Mon-Fri daytime: 20 mins
Middleton-Alkrington-Moston-Manchester: Mon-Sat daytime: 20 mins; Evenings: 60 mins; Sunday daytime: 30 mins
Salford Crescent-Pendleton-Salford Quays-Manchester: Mon-Sat daytime: 20 mins; Evenings and Sundays: 30 mins
Eccles-Westwood Park-Claremount-Pendleton-Ordsall: Mon-Sun daytime: 20 mins; Evenings: 30 mins
Altrincham-Timperley-Brooklands-Sale-Stretford-Chorlton-Manchester (Combined 16, 266 and 267): Mon-Sun daytime: 30 mins; Evenings and Sundays: 60 mins
Standish-Haigh-Aspull-Hindley: Details unknown.

Millionaire footballer uses Manchester buses

The last time we remember seeing a celebrity on a Manchester bus it was Robert Carlyle.  Okay, it was on the TV and he was playing a psychopath in Cracker at the time so it doesn't really count.  However, bus passengers traveling to the Trafford Centre this week got a surprise celebrity experience when Manchester City striker Robinho and his girlfriend hopped on board.

The Sun reports that the £32m footballer boarded Stagecoach's 250 bus service in Manchester city centre and sat on the lower deck, amazing passengers who would reasonably expect him to have some slightly more upmarket wheels. City Manager Mark Hughes told the club's website "It shows he’s in touch and is quite prepared to put himself at the mercy of public transport some people would say! Good luck to him and he’s getting to know the town and what better way get to know it than to jump on a local bus".

We couldn't agree more.  So, take a second look at your traveling companions next time you're on a bus and let us know if you spot any celebrities!

[Source: David Ottewell's Politics]

[Image credit: Wikipedia]

WBT triumphs at UK Bus Awards

Remember we mentioned the UK Bus Awards a couple of months back?  Well, the results are in and one operator that runs into Greater Manchester has particular reason to pop open the bubbly.  Warrington Borough Transport came out on top, winning UK Bus Operator of the Year.  The judges had this to say:

"Warrington’s superb growth trend in passenger numbers and strong evidence of modal shift from the car, are the very characteristics the judges like to see in a winner. The company shows a clear commitment to excellent customer service, helped by its dedicated staff and partnership working, and a positive determination to succeed."

Aside from that there were quite a few local wins in other categories.  Here's what Greater Manchester and the North West managed to clinch.

Young Manager of the Year went to Rob Jones of Stagecoach North West with Michael Watson of Arriva North West being "Highly Commended".

In the Express Operator of the Year award Transdev Lancashire United's "Lancashire Way" X40/X41 service, which runs into Manchester, was Highly Commended for its growth over the past five years.  We wonder if that controversial Pilates scheme had anything to do with it too?

Shire Operator of the Year saw Warrington Borough Transport winning their second prize of the night.  Blackpool Transport Services, who operate the Manchester City Centre tour service, and Transdev Lancashire United were Highly Commended in the category.

Well done to all the winners.  Let's hope some operators based within Greater Manchester manage to win something next year!

[Thanks for James McCollom for the tip-off]

Another look at the Bolton Metroshuttle

If you haven't had a chance to see it for yourself (just as we haven't) it appears the Bolton Metroshuttle has its own funky black and red livery.  The picture we published on Monday featured a boring white vehicle alongside a fully liveried-up Manchester Metroshuttle.  Now Bolton Council have been on to us asking us to feature the fully jazzed up version that's in service right now.

We're sure you'll get a better glimpse of it in time, but for now here it is, partially obscured by posing councillors Cliff Morris and Norman Critchley.  Don't they look proud?  Well they should - free town centre routes are the kind of services that should hopefully help tempt people away from their cars and onto public transport.

Bolton Metroshuttle takes off, Stockport's due by Christmas

Today saw the launch of the recently announced Bolton Metroshuttle service.  Middleton-based operator Bluebird have won the contract to operate the service which runs every 10 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes.  Two 25-seat single decker Enviro 200 buses will run on the free-to-use route which serves a circular route around much of Bolton's town centre.  The new route appears to be numbered 500, a number that those with long memories may remember used to be used on the old Bolton - Manchester Airport service.

When GMPTA's new Chairman, Matthew Colledge, took over the role during the summer he pledged to extend Manchester's successful Metroshuttle scheme across the region.  We've previously predicted that Stockport would be next to get a free town centre route and that has now been confirmed by GMPTE.  What's even better is that this new service is due to begin on the 29th of November, numbered 300.

The Stockport service will run every 12 minutes daily and will serve Stockport's bus and train stations, the town centre shops and the large Tesco store just outside the centre.  It's due to be operated by Solutions SK, an operator owned by Stockport Council.

Arriva's new low-floor buses debut on the 263

A few weeks ago we told you about Arriva's forthcoming (and much needed) Enviro300 single decker buses.  The buses have now started to appear on the 263 (Manchester - Altrincham) route, as photographed here by James Frisby today.

As the buses are introduced they'll free up the presently used Dennis Dart SLF vehicles to be used on the 130 (Manchester - Macclesfield) and M10 (Manchester - Brookhouse) services, converting them to low-floor operation.

Hopefully this will mean fewer of their much-hated high-floor Darts on the roads. They really do need to be retired!

[Image credit: James Frisby]

Stagecoach stick to their guns... and their stairs, ceilings...

Remember that Stagecoach Manchester turned down Stockport Council's anti-TIF advertising recently?  The operator said the ads would conflict with their own pro-TIF publicity.  They weren't kidding!  Over the past week Stagecoach's buses in Greater Manchester have become increasingly covered with "Vote Yes" publicity.

It started last Monday with a few ads on the ceilings of the saloons of their buses.  Ads in conventional above-window areas followed and even the stairs haven't been spared as our photo here shows.  Publicity on the outside of the buses has now followed and no-one can be in any doubt as to how Stagecoach want the people of Greater Manchester to vote in the upcoming referendum.

The publicity promotes the benefits to bus users in the TIF package.  These include better peak-time frequencies and faster journeys.

Referendum documents will be sent to Greater Manchester residents in the last week of November.  The deadline for returning votes is mid-December.

The circle of life evident as new service changes are revealed

It looks like members of GMPTA's Transport Network Committee have a quiet meeting lined up for tomorrow.  There are only a handful of new service changes listed in the documents which are now online.  The service changes that are proposed will see several withdrawals, but with hope of some new services too.

From this week Citysmart's 16 service (Manchester - Rochdale limited stop) was cut down from a half-hourly frequency to only three Monday to Friday journeys.  From the 20th of December those remaining journeys will also disappear and it will be goodbye to the service that used to provide a higher-speed alternative to First's 17 service.  With a much faster train service available, it's no surprise that this service is disappearing.

Also facing the chop is South Lancs Travel's 593 (Wigan - Belle Green) service.  While much of the route has alternative services, parts of Belle Green Lane and Windermere Road would be left without a service.  GMPTE are therefore suggesting that the Committee approve a subsidy to keep the service running for two months while they decide on a longer term plan.

It's the circle of life; as some services die, others are born.  At tomorrow's meeting the Committee will discuss launching a new service in the Stockport area linking Bridge Hall with Cheadle Heath Morrisons.  This will be numbered 328.  The online documents also announce plans to look into new bus links to Stepping Hill Hospital  from Offerton, Marple, Mellor and Hawk Green.

Elsewhere in the region, Arriva's 20 (Bowdon Vale - Broomwood) service is rerouted in the Broomwood area to improve reliability.  Tendered service 151 (Cheetham Hill - Chadderton) is rerouted in the Cheetham Hill area to improve punctuality, although this will mean The Fort retail park is no longer served.  Up in Rochdale, the withdrawal of some little-used Saturday morning journeys on services 435 (Rochdale - Buckstones) and 440 (Rochdale - Syke) are proposed.  In Bury, the withdrawal of one morning peak journey and one afternoon peak journey on service 479 (Limefield Brow - Topping Fold) is planned.