Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

(15/08/2018 21:22)clarkethomas94 Wrote:  Going back to the C56 change. Could it be actually that stagecoach are making the change to upgrade the service and make it gold? As we know it's becoming a 5a which will do a normal 5 to huntington but extend to wrexham. Arriva have the sapphire to wrexham. If stagecoach have the Gold it might persuade passengers to use the stagecoach service. I know its not quite as quick but sometimes on the 1 you can get caught up in all sorts of jams on the a483. Just a thought that was debated in the canteen yesterday.

Looking at the registrations, it is no longer becoming a 5a. It will just show up as a 5 to Wrexham with Huntington essentially becoming 'short hops'. It is certainly Stagecoach who put forward the idea of the link. Not the councils (Hence the 41C). Currently it gets busy running every 2 hours so increasing the frequency might help get a few more passengers. The major point as well is the lack of time. They keep running 20 minutes late currently due to the lack of time in the mornings and the fact the bus runs dead M-F from Chester to Wrexham. Linking with the 5 eliminates that dead running therefore meaning the majority of trips should run without delay. Also extra 'commuter' trips between Holt and Chester may help quite a few people.

Further to all the above, it is extended to Wrexham General train station and every other bus conveniently goes at 26 mins past. If the train is delayed or cancelled (always a 20 past departure from Wrexham into Chester), you can catch the bus literally outside a few minutes later (also means you don't have to hope for parking at Wrexham Bus Station).

Finally, I don't think the 5 makes much. The only reason it is so often is because the Crown Fields development fund the 5. Linking with the C56 enables Stagecoach to cross subsidise to make that little bit more money using the same amount of buses.

The fact it is gold is just a bonus I think. Even without the gold, this is a great move which could make them a lot more not only with the existing passengers but the onward links to the train station for commuters but only the day tickets which can then be used to get to the zoo (which could grab a few more passengers from the Saph 1 as now the bus to Wrexham is more often, you are a bit more open to getting to/from chester at a time that suits the passengers not the bus company.