Cheshire Bus News (was East Cheshire Bus News)

[spargazer]

I wonder how that news will be received in the Colshaw Farm Estate, as the 378 offers the estate residents a direct bus link to Stockport.

The residents there and Lacey Green will be devastated, OAPs children, disabled shoppers and so on. Access to any shops, Chemists, banks, doctors, anything, will be denied. I drive through and always see people at the bus stops. It is noticeable that the 130 goes through mainly Tory voting areas, the 378 through mainly Labour voting areas and that Cheshire East is a Tory Council. all that is left for Lacey Green is the 200 past the Carrs and that can be notoriously unreliable. At least Colshaw fm has Somerfields.
What is the point of having bus passes if there ain't any buses

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The residents there and Lacey Green will be devastated, OAPs children, disabled shoppers and so on. Access to any shops, Chemists, banks, doctors, anything, will be denied. I drive through and always see people at the bus stops. It is noticeable that the 130 goes through mainly Tory voting areas, the 378 through mainly Labour voting areas and that Cheshire East is a Tory Council. all that is left for Lacey Green is the 200 past the Carrs and that can be notoriously unreliable. At least Colshaw fm has Somerfields.
What is the point of having bus passes if there ain't any buses

The 378 is the only bus that serves the Spath Lane estate in Handforth.

 

[pemma]

Somerfields? Didn't they all get sold to Co-op who have closed some stores. The one in Northwich became a Co-op before closing, while the one in Alderley Edge was knocked down with a Waitrose being built in it's place.

 

[Greybeard33]

The residents there and Lacey Green will be devastated, OAPs children, disabled shoppers and so on. Access to any shops, Chemists, banks, doctors, anything, will be denied. I drive through and always see people at the bus stops. It is noticeable that the 130 goes through mainly Tory voting areas, the 378 through mainly Labour voting areas and that Cheshire East is a Tory Council. all that is left for Lacey Green is the 200 past the Carrs and that can be notoriously unreliable. At least Colshaw fm has Somerfields.
What is the point of having bus passes if there ain't any buses

If the 378 is as well patronised as you say, surely Stagecoach would have found it profitable to retain the whole route as a commercial service? Cheshire East council has to make tough decisions on spending priorities, and subsidising the 378 might not be the best use of limited resources.

Lacey Green is an easy walk from Wilmslow town centre, and Colshaw Farm is close to Handforth station, with a half-hourly train service to Wilmslow, Cheadle Hulme and Stockport shopping centres.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The 378 is the only bus that serves the Spath Lane estate in Handforth.

I see that no-one has picked up on this particular matter as yet. Handforth, after all, is still very much a part of Cheshire East.

 

[pemma]

If the 378 is as well patronised as you say, surely Stagecoach would have found it profitable to retain the whole route as a commercial service? Cheshire East council has to make tough decisions on spending priorities, and subsidising the 378 might not be the best use of limited resources.

Lacey Green is an easy walk from Wilmslow town centre, and Colshaw Farm is close to Handforth station, with a half-hourly train service to Wilmslow, Cheadle Hulme and Stockport shopping centres.

While I've not seen the peak time departures on the 378 from Wilmslow Bank Square I have seen quite a few off-peak departures and you can count the number of passengers on a double decker on your fingers - sometimes it's just the one passenger who is old enough to have an ENCTS pass.

On the other hand the 130 is well patronised leaving Wilmslow, even the services which only go as far as Colshaw Farm. It seems with Arriva providing a half-hourly service between Wilmslow and Colshaw Farm and tickets not being interchangeable between Stagecoach and Arriva services that Arriva get the majority of the passengers going to/from Colshaw Farm.

 

[pemma]

It also seems the infrequent 60 extension between Whaley Bridge and Disley is being withdrawn by High Peak. It wasn't that long ago the council thought there was a need for a once a week RR3 service to Disley in addition to the 60 route.

 

[spargazer]

If the 378 is as well patronised as you say, surely Stagecoach would have found it profitable to retain the whole route as a commercial service? Cheshire East council has to make tough decisions on spending priorities, and subsidising the 378 might not be the best use of limited resources.

Lacey Green is an easy walk from Wilmslow town centre, and Colshaw Farm is close to Handforth station, with a half-hourly train service to Wilmslow, Cheadle Hulme and Stockport shopping centres.

the walk from lacey green is a challenge, steep narrow footpaths and poorly lit roads are the norm, it is Cheshire. I suspect CEC regard Spath Lane and Colshaw Farm as not being really "CHESHIRE", and note, here, bus passes are not valid on Northern Rail, In SK9 the ENCTS bus pass is history after April 23rd

 

[spargazer]

While I've not seen the peak time departures on the 378 from Wilmslow Bank Square I have seen quite a few off-peak departures and you can count the number of passengers on a double decker on your fingers - sometimes it's just the one passenger who is old enough to have an ENCTS pass.

On the other hand the 130 is well patronised leaving Wilmslow, even the services which only go as far as Colshaw Farm. It seems with Arriva providing a half-hourly service between Wilmslow and Colshaw Farm and tickets not being interchangeable between Stagecoach and Arriva services that Arriva get the majority of the passengers going to/from Colshaw Farm.

On the airport tram link you can count passengers on you fingers. loads of fresh air on boggies.

 

[spargazer]

Somerfields? Didn't they all get sold to Co-op who have closed some stores. The one in Northwich became a Co-op before closing, while the one in Alderley Edge was knocked down with a Waitrose being built in it's place.

Somerfields has become a local name now, the locals call it that even though it is long gone, it is actually Colshaw Farm, I promise to use that name in future, i actually have a photo of a Spitfire XIV on the very same site taken in 1956, 5377M/EP120 but that is far too much off topic

 

[spargazer]

the 200, Airport Viewing Park, Airport station, Styal Mill, Styal Prison, Wilmslow is not affected, how is this financed?

 

[pemma]

the 200, Airport Viewing Park, Airport station, Styal Mill, Styal Prison, Wilmslow is not affected, how is this financed?

Combination of funding from Cheshire East, Manchester Airport Group and the National Trust. A new 5 year contract was awarded for the 200 last September (a new 5 year contract had been awarded to GHA Coaches earlier in the year!)

 

[Greybeard33]

I see that no-one has picked up on this particular matter as yet. Handforth, after all, is still very much a part of Cheshire East.

The Spath Lane estate borders Wilmslow Road, served by the 130, and is only about a 10-15 minute walk from Handforth station.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The Spath Lane estate borders Wilmslow Road, served by the 130, and is only about a 10-15 minute walk from Handforth station.

There are many elderly residents on the Spath Lane estate who use their ENCTS passes, which offers no free use of rail travel at Handforth station.

The 130 only serves Manchester, not Stockport.

 

[gnolife]

The 130 only serves Manchester, not Stockport.

Although there is an easy connection available onto the 368 to Stockport at Etchells Road (every 20 minutes), onto the 42B (every half hour) to Grove Lane and Bramhall at Cheadle Road/Albert Road junction, or the 307/308 (hourly) to Bramhall Green and the 309/310 (every half hour) to Davenport at the Cheadle Road/Orrishmere Road junction, not to mention the numerous connections that are available in Cheadle Village towards Stockport. The only section that I can see that isn't one change away from the 130 route is between Bramhall Green and Davenport.

 

[Greybeard33]

There are many elderly residents on the Spath Lane estate who use their ENCTS passes, which offers no free use of rail travel at Handforth station.

The 130 only serves Manchester, not Stockport.

Said elderly residents have chosen to live in Cheshire East, not Greater Manchester. Do you consider that Cheshire East council should subsidise a bus service to facilitate their travel to Stockport? They can instead use their ENCTS passes to travel on the 130 to the excellent shopping and leisure facilities in Wilmslow, where their spending will benefit the local businesses and so indirectly boost their council's revenues.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Said elderly residents have chosen to live in Cheshire East, not Greater Manchester.

Both the Spath Lane estate in Handforth and the Colshaw Farm estate in Wilmslow were built as overspill housing estates to rehouse people from inner city Manchester.

 

[Greybeard33]

Both the Spath Lane estate in Handforth and the Colshaw Farm estate in Wilmslow were built as overspill housing estates to rehouse people from inner city Manchester.

I expect some of the estate residents who still have family and friends in inner city Manchester make use of the 130 service to travel back there. But why would they need to travel to Stockport?

 

[pemma]

I expect some of the estate residents who still have family and friends in inner city Manchester make use of the 130 service to travel back there. But why would they need to travel to Stockport?

The Colshaw Farm estate (like Longridge, Knutsford) was owned by Manchester City Council prior to it being sold to a housing association so as you say the 130 route would be more useful to such people than the 378 route. Mr Sidorczuk's argument would be more stronger if it was in response to a proposal relating to a direct bus between Cheshire East and Wythenshawe.

 

[spargazer]

To clarify matters the 378, only, serves Lacey green, and Spath Lane; the 378 and 130 both serve Colshaw fm; the 130, only, serves Handforth. Tha 200 is for Plane Spotters, Styal womens prison (The Clink) and National trust visitors. The 88 is unaffected. as is the hourly Pendolino; Manchester <> London That is Wilmslow transport in a nutshell. You can buy Oystercards and London congestion charge at M&S, at the BP station. The Bolinfee is no more. The MP is George Osbourne and he is useless, and Chris Grayling is the force behind all these cuts.

 

[spargazer]

I fear for the future as after SEMMS (MAELR?) or is it the (A555) is open the whole area will be gridlocked by A6 to M56 traffic from Hazel Grove to the airport,

 

[pemma]

To clarify matters the 378, only, serves Lacey green, and Spath Lane; the 378 and 130 both serve Colshaw fm; the 130, only, serves Handforth. Tha 200 is for Plane Spotters, Styal womens prison (The Clink) and National trust visitors. The 88 is unaffected. as is the hourly Pendolino; Manchester <> London That is Wilmslow transport in a nutshell. You can buy Oystercards and London congestion charge at M&S, at the BP station. The Bolinfee is no more. The MP is George Osbourne and he is useless, and Chris Grayling is the force behind all these cuts.

The reduction in the number of 130 services going to Manchester was a commercial decision undertaken by Arriva. As Arriva still provide an hourly service to Manchester the council can not provide any financial support to reinstate the half-hourly frequency due to legislation put in place by the Conservative government of the 1980s. That legislation also makes it difficult for them to do anything useful in response to the 378 cut back as they can not award a contract for a service which competes with either the 130 or the remaining part of the 378 route as I've already explained in an earlier post.

The 200 service and rail services in Wilmslow have not been affected by any cuts. Unlike here in Knutsford Wilmslow has seen enhancements to Mon-Sat rail services in recent years - an hourly Pendolino was something Osborne campaigned for, unaware that other stations in the area would see a peak time service reduction as you can't run an infinite number of trains without more infrastructure. :roll:

The 88 service now sees a later first service and an earlier last service than it did under GHA and Arriva. That is down to the council saving money but it's not Grayling who caused that but Osborne who cut council budgets when he was Chancellor and told them to find 'savings.' Personally I don't see why all the buses need to go 'all round the houses' in going in to Wilmslow from the Knutsford direction - many services struggle to get through a number of residential streets with parked cars all over the place and then don't even pick up or drop off any passengers. If only the buses which went via Altrincham Road opposed to Morley Green village took that diversion it would probably be possible to get the PVR back down to 4 without providing an unreliable service and then the saved money could be used to reinstate the earlier/alter buses or used to enhance another service - like getting the 27 or 99 back to being hourly services.

 

[spargazer]

For the residents of Lacey Green the ENCTS bus pass is a bit of an insult, what is the point od having these if there are no friggin buses.
BUT, if the local residents had opted to go to Greater Manchester in the early 70s they would still have a lot of the benefits they are now winging about, ie Wythenshawe Hopsital instead of Macc General. (it is several miles closer) They may even have had a tram serice
NB did Gideon really get Pendolinos stopping at Wilmslow as I can remember BR intercitys stopping there

 

[spargazer]

in the great wikipedia it clearly states FOR Wilmslow_railway_station

Future high speed services[edit]
The economic case for HS2 Phase 1 includes 1 train per hour each way stopping at Wilmslow travelling between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly.[3]

HS2 goes nowhere near here, it goes into a tunnel by Manchester Airport/Hale Barns, or have I missed something?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

For the residents of Lacey Green the ENCTS bus pass is a bit of an insult, what is the point od having these if there are no friggin buses.

That's the case in more and more places.

But don't worry the bus pass is safe in Conservative hands! Pity no-one asked, or made promises about, the actual bus services they are used on.

 

[pemma]

For the residents of Lacey Green the ENCTS bus pass is a bit of an insult, what is the point od having these if there are no friggin buses.

Most people will be able to walk to/from a bus stop even after the 378 is withdrawn. For pensioners and disabled people who can't walk to a bus stop (or even those who can but can't carry back their shopping from it) they'll be able to travel on the D&G Little Bus services for free if they pre-book, just like pensioners and disabled people have been doing in many other parts of Cheshire for a long time.

NB did Gideon really get Pendolinos stopping at Wilmslow as I can remember BR intercitys stopping there

Pre-December 2008 the London departures from Wilmslow were something like 06:30, 08:00 and 15:30. Like I said he backed a campaign for an hourly service from Wilmslow. (I didn't say he started the campaign.)

 

[spargazer]

The reduction in the number of 130 services going to Manchester was a commercial decision undertaken by Arriva. As Arriva still provide an hourly service to Manchester the council can not provide any financial support to reinstate the half-hourly frequency due to legislation put in place by the Conservative government of the 1980s. That legislation also makes it difficult for them to do anything useful in response to the 378 cut back as they can not award a contract for a service which competes with either the 130 or the remaining part of the 378 route as I've already explained in an earlier post.

The 200 service and rail services in Wilmslow have not been affected by any cuts. Unlike here in Knutsford Wilmslow has seen enhancements to Mon-Sat rail services in recent years - an hourly Pendolino was something Osborne campaigned for, unaware that other stations in the area would see a peak time service reduction as you can't run an infinite number of trains without more infrastructure. :roll:

The 88 service now sees a later first service and an earlier last service than it did under GHA and Arriva. That is down to the council saving money but it's not Grayling who caused that but Osborne who cut council budgets when he was Chancellor and told them to find 'savings.' Personally I don't see why all the buses need to go 'all round the houses' in going in to Wilmslow from the Knutsford direction - many services struggle to get through a number of residential streets with parked cars all over the place and then don't even pick up or drop off any passengers. If only the buses which went via Altrincham Road opposed to Morley Green village took that diversion it would probably be possible to get the PVR back down to 4 without providing an unreliable service and then the saved money could be used to reinstate the earlier/alter buses or used to enhance another service - like getting the 27 or 99 back to being hourly services.

can we expect the 130 to do Lacey Green? I doubt it, unless AZ is deleted from the route.

 

[pemma]

HS2 goes nowhere near here, it goes into a tunnel by Manchester Airport/Hale Barns, or have I missed something?

How many people walk home from Wilmslow station after alighting a London train? There's often 20-30 taxis waiting there when a London arrival is imminent, while the car park is usually full and very few use either the 88 or 200 bus to/from Wilmslow station. Those who drive or get taxis won't be affected much by having to use Manchester Airport HS2 instead.

 

[spargazer]

How many people walk home from Wilmslow station after alighting a London train? There's often 20-30 taxis waiting there when a London arrival is imminent and very few use either the 88 or 200 bus to/from Wilmslow station.

that is oh so true, buses in Wilmslow and elsewhere are becoming an endangered species

 

[Greybeard33]

that is oh so true, buses in Wilmslow and elsewhere are becoming an endangered species

The hourly 378 takes over an hour to get from Wilmslow to Stockport in the peak, by the time it has zigzagged its way around the Lacey Green, Colshaw Farm and Spath Lane estates with stops every couple of hundred metres. Like many similar local services, it has seen a long term decline in ridership as car ownership has increased.

In marked contrast, First's V1 service takes a similar time to get all the way from Leigh to Central Manchester, about double the distance. It achieves this by a direct, limited stop, route, in part on the guided busway and in part using bus priority measures on the East Lancs Road. It has been a runaway success since it started last April and is struggling to cope with demand despite the 10-minute frequency.

Perhaps the future of bus travel lies in rapid transit services like the V1, that can lure drivers out of their cars, rather than slow services like the 378, aimed at the traditional bus user without access to a car.