Wigan-Manchester buses

[anti-pacer]

Does anyone know why the service from Wigan to Manchester has been massively scaled down?

 

[Y961 XBU]

Passenger number drop following the introduction of the Busway

 

[anti-pacer]

Passenger number drop following the introduction of the Busway

So do Wigan passengers now travel to Atherton for the connecting bus, or are more people taking to the train?

 

[Y961 XBU]

There was never that many through Passengers, a lot that got on in Wigan would be off by Atherton, When the Busway was due to open Stagecoach cut it back to the Park and ride as they knew people in Atherton would just use the V2

 

[Statto]

There was never that many through Passengers, a lot that got on in Wigan would be off by Atherton, When the Busway was due to open Stagecoach cut it back to the Park and ride as they knew people in Atherton would just use the V2

Yep, 80 minute plus journey time was the killer, so not many would go end to end, even the 33 has been cut to Worsley-Manchester although through journeys operate to Wigan Evening & Sundays.

 

[Y961 XBU]

The mon - Sat daytime 33 has always only operated between Manchester and Worsley

 

[Rail Bus]

Couldn't the V2 or at least part of it be extended to Wigan?

How come the 34 to Leigh still survives?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Couldn't the V2 or at least part of it be extended to Wigan?

Hasn't the railway now got that one sewn up, particularly with the TPEs?

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

The mon - Sat daytime 33 has always only operated between Manchester and Worsley

Completely wrong. Many drivers from Wigan depot used to absolutely loath seeing route 33 in their duty rosters as they used to go Wigan - Manchester - Worsley - Manchester - Wigan as a single duty portion ie no rostered break. Increasing traffic congestion eventually made this wholly untenable but it is only since the Stagecoach takeover of Wigan that the 33 has been cut back.

 

[Ianno87]

The mon - Sat daytime 33 has always only operated between Manchester and Worsley

Nope - it was most definitely a marathon run from Wigan to Manchester in the early 2000s, operating Mon-Sat daytimes - although it has been at least 10 years now since the daytime services were cut back to Worsley.

 

[Ianno87]

Completely wrong. Many drivers from Wigan depot used to absolutely loath seeing route 33 in their duty rosters as they used to go Wigan - Manchester - Worsley - Manchester - Wigan as a single duty portion ie no rostered break. Increasing traffic congestion eventually made this wholly untenable but it is only since the Stagecoach takeover of Wigan that the 33 has been cut back.

I remember overhearing a drivers conversation a while back. A new driver at Wigan (then First Manchester) depot was complaining he was told he was only allowed one return ride on each route in order to learn it. He was finding remembering the entire 33 route from Wigan to Manchester (understandably) rather challenging to remember from just one trip!

 

[nerd]

Couldn't the V2 or at least part of it be extended to Wigan?

How come the 34 to Leigh still survives?

There are proposals to extend the V2 along a new road being built from Atherleigh Way into the North Leigh Park development. Long term, Wigan borough appear to envisage this route extending incrementally further westwards, eventually linking into Wigan town centre.

 

[radamfi]

How come the 34 to Leigh still survives?

The part of the route that is bypassed by the V1 still needs to be served which would explain the continued existence of the 34.

 

[PermitToTravel]

Though the continued existence of the X34 is pretty inexplicable - particularly now that it only runs in the peaks, when it takes roughly forever