Stagecoach launch smartcard ticket machines, summer timetable

If you've boarded a Stagecoach Manchester bus this week, chances are you've noticed the new ticket machines many of their vehicles now sport. The new machines currently spit out tiny tickets as it appears the company's logo is yet to be programmed into them. What's more interesting is that the top of the machines feature a contactless smartcard reader.

While there's no official word of Stagecoach launching a smartcard scheme, the fact that the readers are in place means it's likely we'll be seeing something soon. Indeed, Gradyn Thompson, General Manager of the Greater Manchester Bus Operators Association recently predicted a local operator would have the technology in use within three years, and he should know!

Meanwhile, Stagecoach have announced their summer timetable for Greater Manchester. From the 19th of July many services will have revised times during Monday to Friday peak periods. Most journey times will be shorter thanks to the quieter summer roads. Additionally some permanent changes have been announced.

50 (East Didsbury - Manchester) Evening frequency increased from every 20 minutes to every 15.

191 (Stockport - Manchester) Revised afternoon times

197 (Stockport - Manchester) Revised afternoon times

201 (Manchester- Hattersley) Revised Saturday timetable

203 (Manchester - Stockport) Revised Saturday timetable

231 (Manchester - Ashton-under-Lyne) Revised timetable to improve reliability

330 (Stockport - Ashton-under-Lyne) Revised timetable with extra early morning journeys and an additional Mon-Sat late journey from Stockport to Ashton.

377 (Woodford - Stockport) Now runs schooldays only.

X57 (Woodford - Manchester Limited Stop) Minor changes to improve reliability.

[Image credit: Coradia1000 on Flickr]

Comments

[JimmyMac]

Keep an eye out on the senior citizens - the new English Concessionary Travel Scheme bus passes are smartcards already (as already in use in Lancashire) but currently used as a photocard in Greater Manchester. Of course like many IT projects, it'll probably take some time and planning for the software to be upgraded even though the hardware is now in place! :)

[Simon, riverside]

The name will not be on the tickets. This is Stagecoach attempt to save paper as the name is already printed on the paper in blue. No plans to start scanning cards yet. 330 will be run from Ashton depot hense the later bus saves running back empty. 231 has been shortened timewise finally. This has transferred depots to which we aint too happy about.

[Shaun]

Few more changes will take place on the 19th and 26th July. JP Travel will take over the evening and Sunday service of the 28 and 373, plus Monday-Saturday evening journeys on the 324, while the Sunday evening journeys go to Travel Master. The 372 will be taken over by BakerBus, taking their Stockport services to four.

First have lost quite a few of the evening and/or Sunday contracts in Bolton to Arriva. Arriva will now run the evening and Sunday service on the 510 and the new 536 service between Bolton and Bradley Fold, plus the evening services on the 507, 519, 561 and 562.

While Arriva have won those contracts, it would seem that they've lost the contract to the 526 service and 525 and 527 Monday-Saturday evening services to Maytree Travel, who may have also won the evening contract for the 571/572 from First, whilst losing the contract for the 72 Clifton-Pendleton service.

Also, the 184 will have its times slightly changed within West Yorkshire to coincide with the changes to the Slaithwaite and Marsden services. Most journeys will now arrive in Huddersfield 3 minutes earlier with timing points altered.

[Shaun]

The Changes to the Bus Network for the 3rd July meeting is up on the GMITA website and there's not much to report in it.

The proposed changes listed are:
*138 - The 6.50pm Sunday journey from Manchester to be withdrawn. The 7.20pm Monday-Saturday journey from Manchester to be re-numbered 137 and no longer serve Pilsworth. (from 19th July)
*149 - Service to be re-routed between Cheetham Hill and Manchester to run direct along Cheetham Hill Road instead of Waterloo Road, which is still covered by the 59. (from 19th July)
*435 - Evening and Sunday service to be withdrawn following deferral from earlier in year. (from 29th August). Route could be covered by rail replacement service when Oldham Loop closes in October
*584 - The 7.35am from Leigh and 7.47am from Cranwood on Saturdays and the 6.02pm from Leigh and 18.14 from Crankwood to be withdrawn. (from 25th July)

I can certainly see the 149 change happened, given that the evening journeys run 2 to 5 minutes earlier than the 59 between Cheetham Hill and Manchester. Would have made sense to have retimed one of the services to form a 30 minute frequency.

http://www.gmita.gov.uk/downloads/file/2693/item_07_changes_to_the_bus_network

[Shaun]

Another July change. The Monday-Saturday 167 service (apart from a couple of peak-time journeys) will now be run by Rossendale Transport. Another attempt at a Manchester service for them, although the two minute stop-over in Manchester may be ambitious.

http://www.rossendalebus.co.uk/TTMF/20090720_167.pdf