(24/07/2015 23:06)citario Wrote:  There seems to be a few odd allocations going on at the moment are first experimenting during the summer months when kids are off school.

(25/07/2015 10:38)Owl Wrote:  Kids for a Quid on the 81 is an interesting one - showing the customers on Moston Lane what their full fares are supporting.

(25/07/2015 16:30)Dentonian Wrote:  Surely, you aren't suggesting that "evil" First are cross subsidising 41/42 with revenue from captive market areas, any more than Stagecoach are cross subsidising the 38 & 50 from revenue on Hyde Road corridor and elsewhere!
As for passengers on the 81 (and 88), I suspect they would be glad if the services ever went more than eight weeks without a timetable change! And I mean *ever*.

(25/07/2015 19:51)Dentonian Wrote:  There was an element of sarcasm in my comments, and I totally agree with you. Privatisation (and worse still, de-regulation) of public services always lead to "postcode lotteries", because privateers know some people don't have a choice. I've seen it today in the NHS' "competitive market", where different (often simple) functions can only be carried out at the Primary Care Centre that can do it "most efficiently". To hell with the customer/patient. You need your wound dressing changed safely? Certainly sir, its a 6 mile two bus journey, but we only open office hours, so you will have to finish work two hours early every other day until the wound has heeled. Luckily for me, after one unofficial training session, my brother is unsquemish (if there is such a word) and competent, so we've got round it. But what about patients with no able relatives?

(25/07/2015 16:30)Dentonian Wrote:  As for passengers on the 81 (and 88), I suspect they would be glad if the services ever went more than eight weeks without a timetable change! And I mean *ever*.

(26/07/2015 19:11)Dentonian Wrote:  Sorry, got the numbers transposed but the principle is that the numbers now make sense, as White Moss was always on the 88/89 route.

(27/07/2015 15:17)Dentonian Wrote:  I don't think an opening date of the Busway or delivery date of the buses has ever been mentioned other than as rumour/gossip. Suffice to say that if there has been any significant delay, then the problem is not with the Leigh-Salford section.

(27/07/2015 13:13)Dentonian Wrote:  You would have to ask First, but I don't ever recall short workings of a specific route using a different number in GM. There might be an agrument for re-introducing the "X" suffix now that all blinds are automated, but generations of Greater Mancunians are used to a single number denoting a specific line of route, even if the journey doesn't cover the full route. In fact, I would venture to suggest that Stagecoach using 114 for short 112s just because they have to turn on to Mainway to physically turn round, caused more confusion than had they just stuck to 112, with or without a suffix letter. In the early days especially, how many inbound passengers in Moston or Harpurhey let 114s go past and waited for a 112 and then complained (even if only amongst themselves) that Stagecoach had halved the service?