TfGM-website, timetable updates and general news concerning TfGM bus stations.

[Shrimper]

When I drove the buses I'd only use Charlotte Street if no one wanted the stop outside the music store as Charlotte Street didn't offer a practical alternative.

One other issue was the scaffolding on the corner of Charlotte Street and Portland Street which made it a very tight corner - Finglands vehicles were banned from using the back way as the scaffolding kept scraping the single deckers - almost every single had a large scrape above the rear nearside wheel!

 

[neilmc]

I get the impression the 10 minute service will be retained between West Didsbury and Piccadilly (previously the 20 minute 41 had the 48/41X to Northenden slotted in between).

The 41 is still every 10 minutes to Sale with the 42 every 20 minutes to East Didsbury.

I noticed today a sticker advertising £1 fares between Didsbury and Manchester but nothing for Northenden/Sale, presumably because Stagecoach Magic Buses run to Didsbury but not Northenden.

 

[Shrimper]

The 41 is still every 10 minutes to Sale with the 42 every 20 minutes to East Didsbury.

I meant when the TT changes next month, the brief news announced by first implied that the 41 would see changes.

 

[BurtonM]

In response to First's £1 Manchester - Didsbury fares, Stagecoach Manchester have launched the same deal on Magic Buses.

 

[Jeni]

In response to First's £1 Manchester - Didsbury fares, Stagecoach Manchester have launched the same deal on Magic Buses.

Am I the only one thinking that this will all end badly?

 

[northwichcat]

Am I the only one thinking that this will all end badly?

Repeat of what happened when UK North took on Stagecoach on the 192 route?

 

[alwaystouchout]

Slightly off-topic, but it'd be good to see some TfL-esque bus route spider maps around there..

 

[323235]

Am I the only one thinking that this will all end badly?

The difference here to many past experiences is they're both major corporate companies with multi billion pound shareholders and with enough money to keep it going probably indefinitely if they really wanted.

First's fight with JPT on Route 17 ended with JPT pulling back and on the 192 UK North had their license suspended due to safety concerns not related to the over congestion of the route, which many were deeply unhappy about as buses piled up all along the route.

I guess it depends on whether they decide to let it spill out onto other high profile routes in further retaliation.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Am I the only one thinking that this will all end badly?

There does seem to be the matter of an extremely large university population to be carried for many months of the year in addition to the undoubted normal public service user base.

 

[radamfi]

I can understand a new small company competing against one of the big boys, as the new company won't have any old routes to defend. But if a big company competes with another big company, they can retaliate by running in the other company's area. So both companies lose money.

First and Stagecoach have avoided competing for the last 18 years or so for this reason. I can only assume that they are doing this now to give the impression that there is competition in Manchester, to avoid any possible allegations of a cartel.

Having said all that, it was inevitable that there would be running into each other's area as a result of the opening of the cross-city scheme.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Having said all that, it was inevitable that there would be running into each other's area as a result of the opening of the cross-city scheme.

Stagecoach do have services in the area north if Manchester with the 76 service to Oldham being one of these, having spotted one of these from the Metrolink tram that I was on, coming into Oldham town centre from Manchester.

 

[radamfi]

The 76 is operated by Stagecoach because that route was run by Hyde Road depot under GM Buses, so passed to GMS Buses when it was split.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In the latest TfGM changes, it states that from 27th April, the Stagecoach Manchester service 80 from Middleton to Manchester will be cut back to run from White Moss to Manchester.

Two questions:-

1) Are there to be any direct bus services from Middleton Junction to Manchester after that date.

2) Giving my age away somewhat, was the 80 service known as the 54 service very many years ago ?

 

[radamfi]

In the latest TfGM changes, it states that from 27th April, the Stagecoach Manchester service 80 from Middleton to Manchester will be cut back to run from White Moss to Manchester.

Two questions:-

1) Are there to be any direct bus services from Middleton Junction to Manchester after that date.

2) Giving my age away somewhat, was the 80 service known as the 54 service very many years ago ?

The 112 goes from Middleton Junction to Manchester. The 80 doesn't go via Middleton Junction anyway.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The 80 doesn't go via Middleton Junction anyway.

What year did the 80 service cease to serve Middleton Junction ?

 

[radamfi]

What year did the 80 service cease to serve Middleton Junction ?

Last September.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Last September.

Thanks for confirming that this matter only occurred a matter of a few months ago and not back in the dim and distant past.

I still await clarification of the historical matter of the 54 service, that I raised in an earlier posting.

 

[Polo Mint]

I thought route 54 operated to NMGH, but First got pushed off the route by JPT 118, I don't know if I am confusing it with another route though.

Maybe route 80 would have been more successful routed through Alkrington.

When Stagecoach purchased GM Buses South the Hyde Road garage had a few routes in North Manchester including 76, 181 and 182. The 76 still operates and I believe Stagecoach dropped the 181 and 182 and First now operate the routes. Likewise First have routes 22 and 53 in South Manchester from the GM North days.

Its only been recently through cross-city routes (18 and 50) and through purchases (Stagecoach Bluebird and First Wigan and First with Finglands) that First and Stagecoach have intruded each others territory. For years they managed to remain pretty much separate (except from First Pioneer which competes in Tameside with Stagecoach).

 

[northwichcat]

TfGM have some very old timetables on their website e.g. they've still got the Swans Travel 200 service and the 88 timetable leaflet mentions a GHA Coaches £3.75 day ticket - it's now a £5 day ticket.

 

[radamfi]

I thought route 54 operated to NMGH, but First got pushed off the route by JPT 118, I don't know if I am confusing it with another route though.

I'm guessing he was talking about some ancient 54, in the days of Manchester Corporation Transport. The answer to that is likely to be found on the GM Buses Yahoo group.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'm guessing he was talking about some ancient 54, in the days of Manchester Corporation Transport. The answer to that is likely to be found on the GM Buses Yahoo group.

Indeed I am, being 69 years of age, but I am sure that this was the service number in those far-off days

 

[northwichcat]

According to publictenders.net in 2008 68 offers were received for contract number 50288, the winning bid being from Vale of Llangollen. Contract number 50288 relates to the 88 route between Knutsford and Altrincham via Wilmslow. How is 68 offers for one bus route possible? Could operators like GHA Coaches have submitted a number of different offers for the same contract? In contrast the contract for the 200 service between Wilmslow and Manchester Airport shows 5 offers.

http://www.publictenders.net/tender/1416105

 

[Deerfold]

According to publictenders.net in 2008 68 offers were received for contract number 50288, the winning bid being from Vale of Llangollen. Contract number 50288 relates to the 88 route between Knutsford and Altrincham via Wilmslow. How is 68 offers for one bus route possible? Could operators like GHA Coaches have submitted a number of different offers for the same contract? In contrast the contract for the 200 service between Wilmslow and Manchester Airport shows 5 offers.

http://www.publictenders.net/tender/1416105

It's not uncommon for operators to submit more than one bid, including different vehicle types or combined bids for several routes.

This tender appears to be split and be for 8 routes but each of them specify 68 bids - I suspect this is the total number of bids for all the routes.

 

[northwichcat]

It's not uncommon for operators to submit more than one bid, including different vehicle types or combined bids for several routes.

This tender appears to be split and be for 8 routes but each of them specify 68 bids - I suspect this is the total number of bids for all the routes.

I didn't notice they all said 68 offers. I wonder why they put them all together considering they are a complete mixture of transport services contracts from public bus contracts to a taxi to transport a few schoolkids.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I didn't notice they all said 68 offers. I wonder why they put them all together considering they are a complete mixture of transport services contracts from public bus contracts to a taxi to transport a few schoolkids.

I have already made a response to your posting that concerns this matter on the East Cheshire Bus News thread, so I will not respond on here.
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Back on the matter of TfGM, their media site has now published the expected very large number of service alterations that will be effected by the end of April.

 

[Polo Mint]

Any news on JPT emergency tenders?

 

[pdsalford]

Unfortunately the bus stands on Parker Street are closing for 4 days again next week. The arrangements seem to mirror those in place when this happened last year. http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_centre/Pages/News.aspx?articleId=438

If only they could have done both sets of work simultaneously.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Any news on JPT emergency tenders?

There is now a dedicated thread about the current situation regarding JPT Travel.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

From 18th May, a new service with service number 38 shown, will be introduced by Stagecoach Manchester from Farnworth to the Manchester Royal Infirmary, running via Little Hulton, Walkden, Swinton and Pendleton.
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How long has it been since Stagecoach Manchester has been running the evening services on the number 19 bus service from Altrincham to Manchester Airport ?

 

[Shrimper]

I think it occurred in the timetable changes on the 27th April.