Ok so we all know that there are road works on ashton new road. This is going to be the case for the next 2 years ish. So why are we having so many people getting on the bus giving us grief when no bus turns up then 5 come along at once. And sods law i normally end up taking off the one at the front. Also i had 3 days off last weekend to come back to "let's guess where the next bus stop is" game. The 216s at the moment should have a counsellor on bored each bus to comfort the driver when he finishes and the passengers as they get on. I even swapped my two duties yesterday and today to have a bit of a break on a late shift. I know there is very little we can do about the situation and i'm sure the company is fed up with all the complaints too. maybe we should adopt the amphibious bus idea and send them down the ashton canal. Anyway rant over. Off to work at 3 till 11 couple on the 347 then 5 hours around glossop. Oh heaven.
Ah dreaded roadworks lol. Much easier to navigate on your bicycle ;>)
ReplyDeleteIs this for the new tram? I don't know what your opinion is, but I don't see the big benefit with them - compared to catching a train into Manchester, or jumping on a bus for somewhere in between :>/
Never mind. I hope Glossop was more enjoyable for ya.
been on speedwells KX 54 NKG like the bus can not wait to see the second one
ReplyDeletebeen the Beer walk here in Saddleworth today
The Metrolink extension to Droylsden will be a massive white elephant. Even more so now it seems the 'big bank' extension to Ashton will be scrapped by the new goverment.
ReplyDeleteAshton New Road already had a good bus system in place so why the need for the trams?
I can see the only times the Metrolink being busy is when Man City are playing at home.
Speedwells Enviro is nice, although will look nicer once the green skirts are added.
I think there next Enviro is a little younger. 07 reg i belive.
good to hear about the 07 reg they are showing firstbus how it should be done if you go to Leeds or Bradford you will see nearly all new buses and those diverted from Manchester when they did not get the charge for driving into the city
ReplyDeleteooh, an 07 reg...thought it was another 54' E300, maybe minds have changed, nice though.
ReplyDeleteI would argue over the bus and congestion case. Stagecoach have a lot of Enviro 400's, and although Ashton have the oldest and/or ones without Ad-blue, they still have a majority of decent buses.
The congestion charge would have little or no effect on the buses used, but would only have an impact on new routes...and more yellow buses but that's a different matter. 90% of the money would've gone into the Metrolink expansion...it's up to the individual company if it's worth the investment with new buses.
William, Perhaps you are right and it is a 54 reg Enviro. It was a few months ago that someone on a Yahoo Group who is personal friends with the owner of Speedwell mentioned they were going to aqcuire two Enviros. One 54 reg and one 07 reg but perhaps plans have changed.
ReplyDeleteThat was the big problem with the congestion charge. People were under the illusion that if they voted 'yes' there would be huge investment in the bus network, but as you have said the money was for Metrolink and bus lanes, not for buses.
Ashton does have a good fleet but it is lacking behind the other depots in terms of more modern vehicles. I think it was a shame non of the last batch of Enviro 200's didnt come to Ashton.
That was a shame with the E200's. Are they a nice drive at all Oldham100?
ReplyDeleteAtleast stagecoach have a 99% low floor fleet...100% if you pardon the B10's and remains of maynes. It could be worst (or rhymes with 'worst'). I don't mind the metrolink, infact i'm unsure why anyone would not vote to have it...probably due to the preffered option of not paying for personal access.
I'm not doubting it's an 07 reg, more likely to be an 07 anyway. Speedwell obtained 1 from Manchester Airport and who knows if there was 1 more of them or not. Chances are that ths new one will be painted fully before being released.
Stagecoach's fleet is more 99.9% low floor. I think the B10M at Ashton and the corrie bus are the last two high floor buses in the Stagecoach fleet [not counting the magic bus fleet]. All the Mayne's high floor vehicles have been withdrawn now as well.
ReplyDeleteSpeedwell get there vehicles from a company called Dawson rentals who lease vehicles to among others Manchester Airport. There Enviro did spend time at Manchester Airport as did one of there Excels but i think the other Enviro is coming from an operator in the Midlands.
They will certainly look better when the green skirts are added.
The problem with the Metrolink is its going to be competing with an already very good bus service along Ashton New Road. When the trams start running the frequency of 216's and 231's will be slashed to help the traffic flow but whats the point. The trams will only be busy at peak and during football games at Eastlands. Anyone wanting to catch a bus in say Audenshaw will probably have a longer wait once the trams start rolling. Its just a waist of money.
Not entirely. Trams are a transport innovation, designed for large passenger numbers, but to relieve the use of the combustion engine. However, it is also designed to fit the current road structure, leading it to become a success for a lot of urban locations.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed it's another E300 for Speedwell, I've been on the 54 reg and it is a nice bus. If it's an 07 reg then i'm unsure if it is the newer design.
The only place that doesn't have a tram as the leading solution is the London underground, but London was built around the underground system. If you look into it, you see how the majority of the housing layout is built around 1 station. Which is why alot of city's like Manchester and Edinburgh, need a fast and environmentally freindly innovation to reduce the number of buses and cars on the road, and grow their own economy's. I would suggest trains but the little lines around here are congested with High speed rail links and Transpennine trains who miss stops out i.e. Mossley and Ashton, god knows why?.
The bus service is great in Tameside, but it is no lost to Stagecoach since they run the metrolink...who knows, Oldham100 may become a tram driver lol
I agree with alot of what you have said William, and i think links to Manchester Airport and the Trafford centre are musts but i dont see the point in running a line to Droylsden. Ashton New road has managed fine for years with several frequent bus services and congestion has been low [until they began building the Metrolink that is]. It would have been nice to have a line to Ashton but this has always been a doubt. The idea was to secure funding to Droylsden then the goverment would see the light and give funding to run to Ashton, now with the coalition it looks like its back to Droylsden only.
ReplyDeleteIn princable the metrolink is a really good idea, but i think its the way its run that lets it down. One of the crasiest things is that Metroling dosen't run after midnight.
I think Stagecoach is only running the Metrolink on behalf of GMPTE, unlike the Sheffield Supertram Stagecoach make no profit from the Metrolink and its heavily controlled by the PTE.
Yes but he won't enjoy riding his (environmentally cleaner than a tram) bike across tramlines.
ReplyDeleteAlong a lot of the run (certainly from Guide Bridge onwards) you'll notice spare trackbed. Re-installing rail along that wouldn't mess the road up.
Thats another good point Ian. Instead of building tram lines to Droylsden. Why not just open up Droylsden station again. Then you can get from Victoria to Droyslden in 10 minutes with no mess for road users.
ReplyDeletea lot of funding is based on the funding for electric traction...instead of diesel. Plus there is a lack of free trains as it is, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteFirstly. I wish anon people would use a name of sorts. It makes for easier reading. I won't impose it but it would be nice to see. Anyway i don't mind them digging up old railways and running them again because i'm sure one of the commitments to this would be a cycle lane running along it. Anyway i'm in the pub chilling. Got two weeks graft before my two week summer hols. Please use names if you can. The funnier the better.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of having a tram runnning to Droylsden/Ashton. Quite exciting really and a great part of the development of Tameside. Whether it will be worth it is debatable. Will just be Stagecoach competing against themselves though.
ReplyDeletebeen busy on here I have been in chester doing the mararthon great event
ReplyDeleteare stagecoach getting anymore new buses yet