Look what just dropped into our mailbox - a picture of what Stagecoach's new X50, due to start on Sunday, will look like.
The express service running between Piccadilly and the Trafford Centre should be a hit with passengers unhappy with the amount of time Stagecoach's 250 service takes to complete its journey. City centre links ot the Trafford Centre have improved significantly recently. With improvements to First's 100, the launch of the 110, extra journeys on the 250 and now the X50, there won't be much waiting around to start your gift shopping this Christmas.
On Saturday we reported about a forthcoming change to service 370 (Stockport - Altrincham) that would see the service rerouted to Sale. It appears now that the change, due to be introduced at the end of the month, may not happen at all.
As some of our readers have noticed, Stagecoach Manchester's service changes site now states: "This service will continue to run along its existing route to a new timetable. Further details will be published when received from GMPTE."
The change in route to the 370 was intended to improve links with Sale as part of a GMPTE programme to improve orbital bus services in the region. So, why has GMPTE called off the change? It would certainly remove a direct link to Altrincham from Heaton Mersey and Didsbury and would mean a poorer link from Northenden.
We've asked GMPTE for an explanation and we'll let you know as soon as we get it.
GMITA's Bus Network and GMPTE Services committee had their first meeting since August yesterday and as usual, details of a number of forthcoming bus service changes came to light.
Intriguingly, Part B of the meeting discussed the introduction of orbital bus routes, something that was part of the failed TIF bid earlier this year. While no details of what was discussed have been published, here' what we do know:
Both these changes take place from 26th October.
Elsewhere, First is cutting frequencies. Services 98 (Manchester - Bury) and 123/124 (Manchester - Langley) both go from every 10 minutes to every 15. Additionally, the 123/124 is rerouted between Collyhurst and Manchester to run via Queens Road and Cheetham Hill in order to serve Manchester Fort Shopping Centre. While improving links to Manchester Fort, this means a longer route for those traveling to and from Langley. Service 32 (Wigan - Manchester) is being cut to hourly during off-peak periods with a number of peak-period journeys also axed.
The one service First is boosting is the 17 - that wouldn't be anything to do with JPT's recently introduced competitive journeys, would it?
Among Arriva's changes, the 245 (Flixton - Altrincham) is extended to Manchester Airport via Hale and is renumbered 18A.
In the run up to Christmas, Stagecoach Manchester is improving service 250 (Manchester - Trafford Centre) with extra journeys and introducing an additional limited stop X50 service for shoppers wanting a quick link to and from the retail complex. No word on a timetable for this other than it's daily. Look out for all these changes beginning on the 25th and 26th of September.
There' a whole lot more to pick over in the the Committee notes, and on GMPTE's Service Changes page. We just want to know what other orbital services we're likely to see!
[Image credit: Gene Hunt on Flickr]
UPDATE: Thanks to the commenters and emailers who have pointed out that its only the 370 being rerouted to Sale, not the 371. Also, Stagecoach's timetable for the new X50 is on their website here (PDF link).
As GMITA tries to introduce as many of the schemes included in the failed TIF bid as possible without the funding boost congestion charging would have supplied, we've already seen a solid package of improvements announced.
One of these plans was for some of the cross-city bus routes detailed in the TIF bid to be implemented. Finally today we get to see exactly what's being suggested.
While GMITA can't force operators to run services that run through Manchester city centre and out to other parts of the city, it can make it easier for these services to exist. The current layout of the city centre discourages cross-city routes thanks to its complicated one-way systems.
So, what has GMITA come up with? A package of improvements to the following corridors:
• Boothstown to Manchester via the A580 East Lancashire Road and A6 Broad Street/Crescent/Chapel Street;
• Middleton Bus Station to Manchester via the A664 Manchester New Road and Rochdale Road; and,
• East Didsbury to Manchester via Wilmslow Road and Oxford Road/Street.
The TIF bid included bus routes between Chorlton and Middleton, East Didsbury/Withington and Salford Crescent and Wigan/Leigh and Manchester Central Hospitals. All these routes will be easier for operators to introduce if they choose if the plans go ahead.
Councillor Keith Whitmore, Chair of GMITA, said: “These are radical proposals that will provide a significant change in the way bus services operate through the Regional Centre.
“They will play a crucial role in improving the journey times and reliability of bus services for parts of Salford, Middleton, North Manchester and South Manchester that will, in turn, offer new and improved links to jobs, education, healthcare and leisure pursuits.
“By laying the foundations to encourage through-services to run we aim to make bus travel a more attractive, reasonable alternative to the car for these journeys.”
Here are maps of the planed improvements to bus lanes, bus gating and junction improvements, as well as pedestrian and cycle measures. Some sections of city centre roads will be made bus only. This includes parts of Lever Street and Princess Street receiving bus-only contraflow sections.
A public consultation on the schemes begins today. If approved, work will begin next year with planned completion in 2013. GMITA wants to hear your thoughts at www.gmpte.com/haveyoursay or by calling 0800 917 8808 (Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm).
Click on each map for a closer look.
Stockport's town centre shuttle bus has just been rebranded as a Metroshuttle service, the same as its Manchester and Bolton equivalents. It's got a snazzy new livery too.
It's been a busy few weeks on and off the buses in Manchester. It's been so busy here at Manchester Buses HQ that blogging about buses has had to take a back seat. We're back now, so here are some of the things we've missed.
Have we missed anything important? Let us know by leaving a comment!
[Image Credit: Terry Wha on Flickr]
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.
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)
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.
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]