Manchester Buses

First improve Trafford Centre links, drop Brookhouse service

The Trafford Centre management have been in touch to fill us in on some pretty major changes to First's services in Salford. The changes mean better links to the Trafford Centre but a much poorer service for Brookhouse residents, who lose their First service entirely. The estate is now entirely Arriva territory.

Here's the lowdown:

First have registered the following changes, effective from Sunday 30th August:

1) Service 68: The Trafford Centre - Bolton

Service 68, which previously ran between Bolton and Manchester, is being rerouted to run between Bolton and The Trafford Centre. The service will operate 7 days a week from early till late, up to every 30 minutes, and will provide new direct links from The Trafford Centre to the following areas:

Winton
Worsley
Walkden
Little Hulton
New Bury
Farnworth (many parts of which not currently served by service 22)


2) Service 100: Manchester Shudehill - Warrington

The daytime timetable is significantly upgraded to operate every 10 minutes (currently every 20 minutes) between The Trafford Centre and Manchester.
Evening journeys from The Trafford Centre to Hollins Green have been retimed to better reflect the staff finish times.
The service is rerouted between Eccles and The Trafford Centre to run via Patricroft bridge and Barton Road.


3) Service 110: The Trafford Centre - Manchester Shudehill

Service 10 currently operates between Brookhouse and Manchester and is run jointly by Arriva and First. From the end of August, First are rerouting their service to run between The Trafford Centre and Manchester, and renumbering it 110, no longer serving Peel Green and Brookhouse. The service will operate every 20 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytimes and will provide new direct links from The Trafford Centre to the following areas:

Liverpool Street (Eccles)
Seedley
Charlestown
Lower Broughton

PLEASE NOTE:

Arriva’s service 10 will still operate from Brookhouse to Manchester and will not serve The Trafford Centre.
The new 110 will operate along the current 100 route between The Trafford Centre and Eccles, and the 68 will operate along the current 22 (and new 100) routes.

JPT's audacious autumn assault on the majors

Speedwell's upcoming competition against Stagecoach and First may have seemed significant after a couple of years of stability in Greater Manchester's bus scene, but just wait until you hear what JPT have up their sleeves. Manchester Buses reader Shaun has sent us the following information:

"Looking on the JP Travel Facebook page and they've announced that they're planning to run buses on the 17 route from September 7th, running between Middleton and Manchester with evening journeys extended to Rochdale to connect with the 6/7 service. No details yet on frequencies. They're also going to launch a proper website too (rather than just piggybacking on Facebook)

Looking on VOSA and it seems that JP Travel have got a few more changes planned. Times changed on services 13, 118, 335 and 406. New 17 service, plus registrations for one Saturday journey on the 409 from Oldham to Rochdale, weekday journeys on the 59 from Middleton to Rushcroft and Saturday journeys on the 101 between Manchester and Wythenshawe (possibly to connect with service 268)."

Wow. That's an impressive set of registrations, especially for a small operator in this economic climate. We look forward to hearing more details. JPT is doing well for itself at present, recently having picked up contracts to run a number of services in Stockport and Rochdale.

[Image Credit: Coradia1000 on Flickr]

Traffic Commissioner "cuts 9 from Speedwellbus fleet"

According to a brief note on Glossop.com's front page at present, Tameside operator Speedwellbus has got into a spot of bother with the Traffic Commissioner. The note reads:

The Traffic Commissioners held a public enquiry (sic) into the school bus provision at Glossopdale Community College at Golborne, Warrington on Tuesday (June 30). The Deputy Traffic Commissioner decided against the company (Speedwellbus), and curtailed the fleet to 28 vehicles (from 37). He also issued a formal warning with various undertakings. These will be disclosed by the Deputy Traffic Commissioner "at a later date". The Vehicle Operator Services Agency had conducted an investigation and a vehicle examiner carried out a visit to the service provider in December 2008 and marked his report "unsatisfactory".

If true, this will be a blow to the operator, due to start a new commercial service between Hey Farm and Manchester next month. It will be interesting to see what offenses Speedwellbus are accused of. We'll bring you more when we get it.

[Thanks to Anthony E. McKeown]