First Manchester

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester

(01/04/2013 21:03)Polo Mint Wrote:  Can you remind me of route 20? Didn't that go all the way to Bacup? I am certain First had a service all the way up to Bacup through that area.

Service 20 ran via the X82 route between Manchester and Royton except for running via Oldham Road to Broadway junction before running all the way up Broadway instead of via Dean Lane and Nuthurst Lane. From Royton, the 20 followed the 24 route to Rochdale before continuing to Bacup via 464 route.

(01/04/2013 21:03)Polo Mint Wrote:  Indeed the Metrolink will have an impact on services, and now in the Moston area have competition with JPT and Stagecoach, who is far more formidable than Bluebird. I still reckon they need to increase frequency to win back that area but cheaper feares will help an awful lot.

First are quite frequent in the Moston area with the 81/81A running a combined 10 minute service and 88/89 running every 10 minutes between White Moss, Moston and Manchester. JPT have 9 buses per hour (every 10 mins on 118, every 20 mins on 112), while Stagecoach run every 20 mins on the 112 (interesting to see what they do later in the year with the ex-Bluebird services).

First do offer a Moston return ticket, allowing passengers to travel between Moston and Manchester for £2.50 return. The weekly ticket was scrapped following the introduction of the FirstM60 tickets.