New bus link between Warrington Bank Quay and Warrington Central

[northwichcat]

The downside is unless you're an ENCTS holder you'll need to buy an additional ticket, you won't be able to - for instance buy a Birchwood to Runcorn East ticket with the bus link included.

Warrington Bank Quay

Bank Quay Station is an important gateway to the town but currently doesn't have a regular bus service.

From 9 April Cheshire Cat services will stop at Bank Quay Station every 10 minutes. The service will operate as part of the Cheshire Cat network via Centre Park.

This new bus service means that our 2 main railway stations have a public transport link, as well as linking the town centre and south Warrington.

Rail passengers will be able to pay in the usual way or ask for a Warrington ‘Plus Bus’ add-on when they book their rail ticket and the cost of this will be added to the train fare. New bus stops will be situated close to the station.

Ben Wakerley, Managing Director at Network Warrington, said: “We’re delighted to introduce these latest service improvements.

“We are grateful to all the residents who braved the elements last night to come along to the Cheshire Cat roadshow at Stockton Heath and we were pleased to hear some really positive feedback about the proposed changes.

https://www.networkwarrington.co.uk/news/spring-bus-network-changes

 

[urbophile]

The downside is unless you're an ENCTS holder you'll need to buy an additional ticket, you won't be able to - for instance buy a Birchwood to Runcorn East ticket with the bus link included.



https://www.networkwarrington.co.uk/news/spring-bus-network-changes

B***dy ridiculous! The fragmentation of the transport industry is doomed to continue.

 

[Bantamzen]

I've never understood why an elevated walkway between Central and the Interchange / Golden Square wasn't ever considered? I know its not exactly a massive walk under the bridge and across the road, but for the two to be so close without a direct link seems to be another example of the fragmentation mentioned above. Admittedly Midland Way is, well in the way but even an exit on it with a crossing, and then a bridge across to the bus station would have be a bit better.

And wasn't there previously a free / cheap bus that ran between the two? I haven't seen one on more recent visits there, but I'm sure there was one for a while as I've used it to get to Bank Quay when there have been problems at Central.

 

[driver_m]

B***dy ridiculous! The fragmentation of the transport industry is doomed to continue.

To be fair, Warrington buses are council owned and at least sort of try to serve the best interests of the people of the town. It's better than nothing, and they've had to fend off the big bus companies trying to undermine them in the past.

 

[185143]

There used to be a 'Centrelink' route, yes. Fare was 20p I believe? Not sure when that finished, but I'd say about 5 years ago maybe. It only ran during office hours as it also served a business park, so was of little use at the times I'd have actually used it! It also only ran in one direction.

The Arriva 329 (I think? Might be the 360 actually) DOES link Bank Quay station to Warrington Interchange currently. The minimum fare for Network Warrington buses currently is £1.60, I can't see too many people being willing to pay that. (Though I expect a cheaper fare to be introduced if they are intending people to use the bus for that purpose)

I do believe they allow (or certainly used to) passengers who've travelled into the bus interchange and want to access the other side of the town centre (such as the old market-now flattened) to board another bus either for free or a very small additional charge. No idea how well known it is though-I used to use our buses quite a lot when I was younger and never saw or heard of anyone doing it.

 

[185143]

The downside is unless you're an ENCTS holder you'll need to buy an additional ticket, you won't be able to - for instance buy a Birchwood to Runcorn East ticket with the bus link included.



https://www.networkwarrington.co.uk/news/spring-bus-network-changes

Here's where the old system in Chester for the bus link has it's advantage. Free to rail ticket holders (and ENCTS) but everyone else had to pay.

Now everyone has to pay and few people seem to use it!

 

[Statto]

Arriva 329 & 360 do not serve Bank Quay, they both head in & out of the Interchange straight up Winwick Road, i know this as i've used both routes recently, Arriva 7 & 110 are the nearest Arriva routes to serve Bank Quay, nearest stop there is Liverpool Road

 

[185143]

Arriva 329 & 360 do not serve Bank Quay, they both head in & out of the Interchange straight up Winwick Road, i know this as i've used both routes recently

So they do. Wonder when that changed then? I definitely used to see Arriva buses pass there!

 

[northwichcat]

Here's where the old system in Chester for the bus link has it's advantage. Free to rail ticket holders (and ENCTS) but everyone else had to pay.

Now everyone has to pay and few people seem to use it!

It actually became free to all when ATW installed ticket barriers at Chester because they decided to have the barriers eating all tickets instead of returning them so they could be shown to the bus driver.

The free service ended not because of what any of those sponsoring the service (the local council and TOCs serving Chester) pulled out or reduced funding or because the operator pulled out. It was because another operator (Aintree Coachline) exploited a loophole which prevents public money being used to support a bus service when there's an alternative commercial service. Cheshire West council have said they have to subside Aintree Coachline more for the commercial service than they gave First for the free bus because most people now walk and those who don't are mainly ENCTS holders.

 

[Statto]

So they do. Wonder when that changed then? I definitely used to see Arriva buses pass there!

329 & 360 have always gone direct via Winwick Road in & out of Warrington, never gone around the Town Centre or Bank Quay, the only Arriva routes that may have gone past Bank Quay could be any of the 7, 37, 38, 110, X30.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Will Plusbus work on the new service?

 

[northwichcat]

Will Plusbus work on the new service?

Yes as stated in the quote from Network Warrington in the original post.

 

[DarloRich]

was there not a bus service in the past? i am sure I have used it. It seemed to potter off round some vast business park - when did that stop?

 

[northwichcat]

was there not a bus service in the past? i am sure I have used it. It seemed to potter off round some vast business park - when did that stop?

There is currently a half-hourly Warrington Interchange-Centre Park-Latchford-Westy-Warrington Interchange circular service (route 12) which stops at the Police Station (round the corner from Bank Quay) between Warrington Interchange and Centre Park but the circular service which roughly follows the reverse route (route 11) doesn't stop there.

 

[6Gman]

was there not a bus service in the past? i am sure I have used it. It seemed to potter off round some vast business park - when did that stop?

This was the bus referred to above with the 20p flat fare. It was quite good for Central - Bank Quay which was pretty direct, but because it was a circular service which included the business park you mention, it took for ever to get from Bank Quay to Central!

 

[urbophile]

To be fair, Warrington buses are council owned and at least sort of try to serve the best interests of the people of the town. It's better than nothing, and they've had to fend off the big bus companies trying to undermine them in the past.

Good point. I'm not attacking the bus company, just national policies like deregulation.

 

[M60lad]

There actually was an Arriva bus that used to run between the Bus Station and past Bank Quay, it was actually Arriva's 329 service which run between St Helens and Warrington but I think it was one bus an hour used to extend through to Daresbury Business Park via Bank Quay, the hourly extension was then withdrawn though due to the fact the service became unreliable due to constant traffic problems on Chester Road due to the peaks and whenever the Ship Canal Bridge used to swing open.

 

[DarloRich]

This was the bus referred to above with the 20p flat fare. It was quite good for Central - Bank Quay which was pretty direct, but because it was a circular service which included the business park you mention, it took for ever to get from Bank Quay to Central!

Thanks - that is the one i must have used. It didn't seem to bad a journey for 20p!

 

[Andrew Nelson]

The downside is unless you're an ENCTS holder you'll need to buy an additional ticket, you won't be able to - for instance buy a Birchwood to Runcorn East ticket with the bus link included.



https://www.networkwarrington.co.uk/news/spring-bus-network-changes

PlusBus?

 

[northwichcat]

PlusBus?

PlusBus is an additional ticket and to get Warrington PlusBus you need to buy a rail ticket to Warrington, not a ticket valid for a route via Warrington.

 

[Andrew Nelson]

PlusBus is an additional ticket and to get Warrington PlusBus you need to buy a rail ticket to Warrington, not a ticket valid for a route via Warrington.

I've never had a problem buying a ticket (Plusbus) for intermediate points.

 

[northwichcat]

I've never had a problem buying a ticket (Plusbus) for intermediate points.

So you're saying if someone went to Irlam ticket office and asked for a ticket to Runcorn East with a Warrington Plusbus they would sell them it? That's news to me.

 

[ivanhoe]

The PLUSBUS rules state

19. Does my rail station origin / destination have to link with my PLUSBUS?


You can only buy a PLUSBUS ticket for a location that is named as either the origin and / or the destination on your train ticket. So, in order to buy a Birmingham PLUSBUS ticket, you have to have Birmingham named on your train ticket (as either an origin and / or the destination station).

 

[Andrew Nelson]

The PLUSBUS rules state

19. Does my rail station origin / destination have to link with my PLUSBUS?


You can only buy a PLUSBUS ticket for a location that is named as either the origin and / or the destination on your train ticket. So, in order to buy a Birmingham PLUSBUS ticket, you have to have Birmingham named on your train ticket (as either an origin and / or the destination station).

As I actually said: "I've never had a problem buying a ticket (Plusbus) for intermediate points".

A few weeks ago, I got a Manchester one, on a Huddersfield to Liverpool ticket.

 

[MarkyT]

As I actually said: "I've never had a problem buying a ticket (Plusbus) for intermediate points".

A few weeks ago, I got a Manchester one, on a Huddersfield to Liverpool ticket.

Interesting. It would be better if the conditions specifically allowed purchase for a reduced rate transfer by local bus where a route allows an out of station interchange. Come to think of it with break of journey rules allowing a stop off at any intermediate stop on a valid route it seem perverse that you can't theoretically buy a Plusbus for nipping about in that town before rejoining to complete a longer journey. Of course it might be cheaper to split tickets at the indended stop en route anyway so any savings could pay for the plusbus add on!

 

[Bevan Price]

329 & 360 have always gone direct via Winwick Road in & out of Warrington, never gone around the Town Centre or Bank Quay, the only Arriva routes that may have gone past Bank Quay could be any of the 7, 37, 38, 110, X30.

Many years ago, the 329 (and other buses) used to pass Warrington Bank Quay, on their way to/from Arpley Bus Station (next to the long closed Arpley station). That ceased when a new bus station was opened adjacent to what is now Golden Square shopping centre, and Arpley bus station was closed.

 

[Sankey Wire]

There actually was an Arriva bus that used to run between the Bus Station and past Bank Quay, it was actually Arriva's 329 service which run between St Helens and Warrington but I think it was one bus an hour used to extend through to Daresbury Business Park via Bank Quay, the hourly extension was then withdrawn though due to the fact the service became unreliable due to constant traffic problems on Chester Road due to the peaks and whenever the Ship Canal Bridge used to swing open.

Correct, this coincided with the reintroduction of a Sunday service to St Helens. It was around 2014, I think.

 

[185143]

So you're saying if someone went to Irlam ticket office and asked for a ticket to Runcorn East with a Warrington Plusbus they would sell them it? That's news to me.

What ticket office?

 

[northwichcat]

What ticket office?

Guess I wrongly presumed that Irlam (on the same line as Urmston which does have a ticket office) would have one.

 

[Ibex]

I'll be interested to see how this pans out. In 2017 a similar bus link was introduced between St Albans Abbey and St Albans City stations (route SC1 part subsided by Herts County Council) but it's been withdrawn this month due to lack of use.

The SC1 also required an additional ticket, I don't know for a fact that it was a contributing factor to the demise of the link but if so I'm sensing there's been no wider lessons learnt here with the introduction of the Warrington bus in terms of integrated ticketing etc.