centrebus holdings sold to arriva

[34D]

To return to the Hebden Bridge network, it will be interesting to see what happens when TLC takes over these services in the New Year.

I gather the company intends to use new Optare Solos, but of the same type and size as the older ones which have been causing the problems recently.

Hopefully, by being new, they will not break-down as often as the older ones, so one major problem should be alleviated, but if they are of the same size, will they still not have problems negotiating the sharp left turn at Mount Skip from Dodd Naze to Old Town?

I gather that at present, because of this turn, the Old Town circular services operate only in the clockwise direction, i.e. down from Old Town, via Mount Skip, to Dodd Naze.

And yet the new service, posted for consultation on the Metro website, proposes the Old Town services go out to Crimsworth via Dodd Naze and Old Town and return the same way - i.e. that buses will regularly traverse the Mount Skip turn in the up as well as the down direction.

As the optare solos I drive can go anywhere that my car can fit (well almost), I suspect it is more down to driving skills than the layout. Gonna look on Google maps to remind myself, though.

 

[Welshman]

As the optare solos I drive can go anywhere that my car can fit (well almost), I suspect it is more down to driving skills than the layout. Gonna look on Google maps to remind myself, though.

That's an interesting insight.
If you're right, it seems TLC's first job will be to re-train some drivers!

 

[radamfi]

Last time I checked it was a shared tender betwen Metro, LCC and GMPTE (now TfGM). So if its changed I don't know about it.

The TfGM timetable for the 589/590

http://www.tfgm.com/journey_planning/RouteMaps/589-Burnley.pdf

only shows tendered journeys for the 590, and only at off-peak times. I would be surprised if the 589 is tendered given that it only operates Monday to Saturday daytimes and provides extra journeys to the 590 between Rochdale and Todmorden and the 592 between Todmorden and Burnley. In fact, it would appear to be a co-ordinated timetable as all three routes meet at Todmorden at the same time, meaning you can generally just get the first bus to Todmorden and change, effectively giving you a 30 minute frequency.

 

[Deerfold]

The TfGM timetable for the 589/590

http://www.tfgm.com/journey_planning/RouteMaps/589-Burnley.pdf

only shows tendered journeys for the 590, and only at off-peak times. I would be surprised if the 589 is tendered given that it only operates Monday to Saturday daytimes and provides extra journeys to the 590 between Rochdale and Todmorden and the 592 between Todmorden and Burnley. In fact, it would appear to be a co-ordinated timetable as all three routes meet at Todmorden at the same time, meaning you can generally just get the first bus to Todmorden and change, effectively giving you a 30 minute frequency.

This:

http://www.wymetro.com/uploadedFile...vel/maps_and_guides/Calderdale_Freq_Panel.pdf

suggests that there is subsidy from WYMetro and Lancashire but it's not clear if that's for the entire service.