Greater Manchester Service Changes

[knutstransport]

RE: Greater Manchester Service Changes

(03/08/2021 09:43)dounowhoiam Wrote:  It's not so much the extension into Wythenshawe Interchange / Hospital, though if Jobcentre travel is the main target then it should be travelling to the Interchange on Saturday as well as it's open on that day.

Everyone (regardless of whether they are unemployed or not) has a designated DWP day based on their NI number.

If the two digits before the final letter are
0-19 your day is Monday
20-39 your day is Tuesday
40-59 your day is Wednesday
60-79 your day is Thursday
80-99 your day is Friday

That becomes your sign-on day for any period you are unemployed and claiming benefits while you're working age and is now also the day your state pension payment will be sent after you retire.

No-one is allocated a Saturday sign-on day. A quick Google shows some job centres started to open on Saturday in 2019 and that relates to providing services to those who are working, most notably older workers looking to retrain for a new career.

Quote:If full paying passengers (like myself) are the main goal having a Saturday service from within GM (such as the Airport) allows regular GM commuters (bus / tram / train) to travel to Cheshire purchasing the D&G day tickets.

Like I mentioned in another thread when discussing airport services airport patronage is at very low levels not seen since the 1960s. For those catching only buses (and not flying) there's alternative interchanges, many of which are more suitably located.

From the Cheshire end a Wilmslow to Manchester Airport plus bus ticket gets you to the airport quicker than the bus and then allow use of almost any bus within Greater Manchester.

Quote:The experience with the Hulleys service is that it shouldn't be considered a direct competitor with 130 as it will likely be a limited stop (similar to how the X57 is between Glossop and Manchester Airport). Areas like Handforth and Alderley Edge don't get served by other normal bus services where I have seen the patronage board and alight in both directions.

It doesn't matter whether it's a duplicate route or not, the important question will be are there any essential journeys which can be made using the 130 but won't be possible on the X1 or other public transport options. It also doesn't matter whether people board and alight in Alderley Edge or not, what matters is why they are making those journeys - if it's to get medical treatment at Macclesfield Hospital or to travel to Sainsbury's in Wilmslow then they are would be classed as essential journeys, if it's for a ride on a bus/something to do then the council doesn't have to subside them. If they are essential weekday off-peak journeys the council could include them as part of the Flexirider system instead of a fixed route bus service.

Quote:The 42C is an hourly service, whereas the Airport gives multiple transport methods that link different areas of Greater Manchester with facilities to support those travelling on public transport. D&G do run a service that links Handforth Dean with Wilmslow and Knutsford four days a week.

You're missing the point. The 42C is a TfGM contracted service, which is part replacement for the old 130, while even before the Wythenshawe extension of the new 130 there was no attempt to ensure the remaining part of the 130 connected with the 42C. Alderley Edge to Cheadle requires 2 changes using the 'Free Bus' option you suggested and even then the 'Free Bus' is only a very limited service that doesn't necessarily connect with the the 130 or 42C.

The Knutsford extension on the Free Bus is because the bus was running out-of-service to get to and from Wilmslow for the service. I doubt many people in Knutsford want to catch a bus which takes an hour to travel a relatively short distance and then would leave them at Handforth Dean for 3.5 hours. If it was better publicised it might be a few people would have used it to get to the pharmacy led COVID vaccinations at Handforth Dean.