Nothing interesting about gee cross international bus terminus but i just found a leaflet on the bus advising of a public consultation on the 236 237 service. Well the real time buses that go through to manchester anyway. I believe the full info is on the website. I was on the 1850 from town last night and collected the regular 3 people who get on it. It asks about how the service should be run between ashton and manchester. And also if there should be a through service at all. Should be be interestin to see what comes back. Personally i would run it from stalybridge to manchester non stop to compete with the train. A bit like the x84 diggle service which doesnt go into oldham at all. This would have the advantage of using either the old or new road and would be a pretty swift service. Thats my take on it anyway. Suggestions finish on the 11th feb for interested parties, back to ashton now then glossop and back and home.
Im sure we have been through this before. I seem to remember a few years ago there was some kind of consultation. Passenegers were claiming it was quicker to get a 216/219 to Ashton then getting a bus to Glossop rather than use the 236/7.
ReplyDeleteIn the end Stagecoach ran peak X36/X37 which like in GMB days ran straight through Ashton to Glossop omiting the Bus Station.
We used to have a bus that went non-stop between Ashton and Manchester until Stagecoach took over and stopped it. Remember the 153?
ReplyDeleteIf Stagecoach wishes to conduct a consultation exercise with its passengers, then arrangements should have been put in place for comments and suggestions to me made through the PTA. In asking that representations be made directly to it (ie via its website), it can be selective in the evidence it uses to support its business objectives, even though this may not be representative of the general consensus. I am therefore opposed to the consultation process being conducted in this way.
ReplyDeleteThey don't need to ask for anyones opinion at all. This part of the service is commercially run. If they wanted to change it to what they wanted then they would simply do it. They only want suggestions. It's not a competition as to whos idea wins. Just opinions.
ReplyDeleteIts nothing to do with the PTE as its a commercial service. I might be wrong but last time i got on a 236 at peak in Manchester the bus was packed with standing room only. However by the time the bus had reached Ashton, there was only 4 people on it. It makes me wonder how many people use the bus from Manchester to Glossop and the other way around.
ReplyDeleteThis is an issue that has been coming and going since the early 90's. GM Buses ran it as an 'express service' and i seem to remember it was a limited stop up to Droylsden. Just before Stagecoach took over GMS dropped the Express service and ran it normally. This is when it began to loose passengers, and its slowly got worse ever since.
No No No No !!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe bus service that's run from Glossop by Stagecoach is already appalling anyway.
In the old days they used to run the limited stop 224 and 225s from Glossop via Hyde all the way through to Manchester. Just before Stagecoach took over the franchise they started to run this limited stop service during peak times only (a 214 and 215 service ran during the day which called at ALL stops). Then shortly after Stagecoach got their hands on it the service was dropped all together.
That means that we've now only got the 236 and 237 buses, the majority of which terminate at Ashton. If you use a megarider ticket this means that the only way you can now get to Hyde is either by jumping on a 330 at Ashton or a 201 at Hattersley (ie by jumping off the 236/237 at Mottram) which is something of an inconvenience.
Also, because most of the 236/237s finish at Ashton, the only way you can get to Manchester is by jumping on a 216 or 219 at the bus station.
And now you're suggsting that the 236/237 services should terminate at Stalybridge!!!!!!
If that was to happen, how are people living beyond Mottram supposed to get from A to B?
And before you start bleating on about nobody using the service all I can tell you is that EVERYTIME I use the 236/237 service the bus literally has people hanging from the rafters (MORE DOUBLE DECKERS STAGECOACH PLEASE).
And also why oh why oh why do the buses on this service ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS run so late?
I would also add that before Stagecoach got their mits on the bus service round here the 216 (which now runs the short distance from Manchester to Ashton) actually used to run from Manchester all the way through to Hyde (via Mottram). It used to do what is now the 201 route between Hattersley and Hyde. This was OK for people living in Mottram.
Rather than running a 236/237 between Stalybridge and Manchester, why not just run the 216 service between these two points and leave the 236/237 service alone?
Surely, you cannot just leave people living beyond Mottram WITHOUT a bus service!
i think, anonymous, you should go back and re-read oldham100's comment! since you are adamant stagecoach are purposefully ruining your bus service, and you are obviously oblivious to the glaring traffic problems glossop and the surrounding areas suffer, and the fact that this is what is making your buses late. stagecoach are actually trying to improve the reliability of this service!
ReplyDeleteoldham100's suggestion, which i most definately agree with, is not curtailing the 236/7 back to run between manchester and stalybridge only! he is suggesting the peak-time 6/7's, which normally run through to manchester, to become a limited stop service between stalybridge and piccadilly, meaning the buses will stop at every stop between glossop and stalybridge, but will then stop only at selected stops, if any, until it reaches piccadilly!
the ANR corridor already has more than enough buses at any time, let alone peak, with a 216 every 5-10 minutes, 231's every 15 minutes as far as edge lane. running the 236/7, which is meant for commuters from further reaches ie- glossop, as a normal service between manchester and ashton or stalybridge, is pointless.
expect to see x's appear soon!
Mr/Mrs No No No No needs to check there facts. As i have mentioned in above comments Stagecoach have and are keen to improve the connection between Manchester and Glossop and have raised this many times before. They used the x's not so long ago in peak runs if i remember but the problem is TRAFFIC. Lets not forget that less than a year ago Speedwell thought they could run a 'express' style service direct to Mossley in an hour and look what happened there.
ReplyDelete216's did indeed run to Hyde, but GMBS dropped this before the takeover, however im sure Dennis's did continue to run peak 216's to Hyde for a while but then gave up.
I dont see the point in Stagecoach approaching the problem till after the Metrolink as knowone knows what effect this will have on traffic along ANR in the future.
Why would a bus operator float the idea of not stopping its service to pick-up passengers along the very stretch of route which isn't subsidised? My best guess is that during the recent snowy spell, when the morning buses were packed with Glossop commuters who had been forced to abandon their cars, Stagecoach recognised the huge potential customer base and the faster journey times are intended to lure these individuals onto the bus permanently.
ReplyDeleteBut over the past 4 or 5 years, Stagecoach has scaled back and reduced its Glossop services to virtually nothing, even closing its depot, and I know of so many city centre workers who have abandoned the 236/7 for this very reason, switching to the train, car or even giving up work altogether. So, if the services are so poor as to forfeit core custom, what prospect is there of long-term car users viewing it all as an attractive alternative? None at all.
Indeed, Im not saying stalybridge is the end lol. No no no... Run the normal 30 minute service like it does very well all day between Ashton and glossop. This only runs late when one of the councils start to dig the road up somewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe Piccadilly buses if they were to express from Either ashton or Stalybridge to manchester have a great chance of getting there very quickly. Eithe rusing ashton moss. Ashton old road or ashton new road. Even with the way things are now. North road to avoid the two sets of lights that have been erected.
Last night i did the 1850 out of piccadilly again. Yes the same two people as always. And yes i will bleat that the earlier ones pick up more people than two but i dont do them ones..
Because i was a little late due to the southerners going to watch manchester united and blocking mottram moor i requested that i only drop off between ashton and manchester. Now this really depends on the caliber of the driver but i did it in 22 minutes without speeding. Stopping only 3 times to drop off. Even in rush hour its very possible with initiative to make a short journey time.
My thoughts exactly. There is, and always has been big demand for a decent bus service and i know of my work collegues that live in Glossop and work in Manchester. They all use the train. If there is a way of making the service better then thats what stagecoach will try and do.
ReplyDeleteI personally think cutting out Ashton bus station may make it slightly better, saving time and also cutting out the alight/loading at Ashton.
And stagecoach ned to address this now. Before the real track works start on ANR. It cant wait until the tram is running there will be no one left to travel. I want to take the people off the trains and back on the bus with a very quick service which can diversify in route depending on traffic.
ReplyDeleteA few years back Maynes started an express service between Glossop and Manchester one route via whooley lane the other via hadfield and tintwistle when they got to mottram they went down the motorway with about 3 stops to piccadilly they wernt allowed to run buses before 9 30 am it lasted about 6 months
ReplyDeleteI remember that Mayne's service and took a ride on it, but one route went through Hadfield and Tintwistle, while th eother route was through Simmondley, Gamesley, Charlesworth and Broadbottom.
ReplyDelete