A plan to save dozens of bus services across Greater Manchester is to be signed off by transport bosses this week - but there are fears of a ‘devastating’ impact on the network should it fail. Government funding helped to keep bus services going during the pandemic, as plummeting passenger numbers put their future at risk.
But that emergency cash is set to be pulled from October - and commercial operators in Greater Manchester have identified a raft of unprofitable services they intend to axe completely or run less often. In total operators intend to cut 33 services, while a further 32 services would see reductions in frequency or changes to the route.
A plan to save the routes and maintain service levels as best as possible has been hatched by local leaders - who say failure to act would have ‘significant’ consequences for people who rely on public transport. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is currently working on retendering contracts, using funding from existing budgets and the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.
READ MORE : Fears Stockport bus services could be ‘devastated’ if rescue plan fails
Where operators - such as Stagecoach, First and Transdev - are proposing to run services less often, TfGM would seek to agree a subsidy to maintain current service levels up to a maximum of four buses per hour. But rescuing services which operators intend to pull altogether hangs on successfully retendering the contracts - something which may not be easy.
A report to the GMTC acknowledges that rising costs - including fuel and driver wages - have ‘further undermined the viability of the network and continues to do so’. The rescue plan goes before the Greater Manchester Transport Committee for approval on Friday.
But committee member Councillor David Meller has warned the the rescue package is almost entirely dependent on successfully retendering the contracts - leaving vital bus services in the borough ‘under serious threat’.
In Stockport, where Coun Meller is shadow cabinet member for economy and regeneration, there are fears losing the 42B would mean commuters in Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme and Bramhall would lost any viable link to the city centre.
The remaining 42C does not arrive in Piccadilly Gardens until 8.30am in the morning, while the last service of the day leaves Manchester at 6.02pm.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that failure to secure under-threat services would have a 'devastating' effect on the network.
Below is a list of the services that are to be axed by their current operator from October - and the action proposed by TfGM in a bid to save them.
Bolton
Diamond 507 to be retendered.
Diamond 533 to be retendered.
Diamond 571/572 to be retendered.
Manchester
Stagecoach 103 to be retendered.
Oldham
First 180 to be retendered.
Rochdale
First 6 to be retendered.
Transdev R3 to be retendered.
Stockport
Stagecoach 313 to be retendered.
Stagecoach 322 direct award to contractor.
Stagecoach 328 to be retendered.
Stagecoach 358 to be retendered.
Stagecoach 378/379 to be retendered.
Tameside
Stagecoach 237 to be retendered.
Trafford
5/5A direct award subject to Warrington BC.
Wigan
Stagecoach 1 / 2 to be retendered.
Diamond 597 to be retendered.
Diamond 635 to be retendered.
28 to be directly awarded subject to Warrington BC.
Cross-borough services
Bolton/Bury
Transdev 480 to be retendered.
Diamond 511 to be retendered.
Manchester/Rochdale
Stagecoach 56 to be retendered.
Manchester/Stockport
42B direct award to contractor.
Manchester/Trafford
Stagecoach 108 to be retendered.
Stagecoach X50 to be retendered.
Stagecoach X58 to be retendered.
Manchester/Salford/Wigan
Stagecoach 34 to be retendered.
Manchester/Stockport/Trafford
Stagecoach 150 to be retendered.
Oldham/Manchester
First 81 to be retendered.
First 181 to be retendered.
First 182 to be retendered.
First X84 (no action proposed, 84 provides alternative).
Stockport/Manchester/Tameside
Service: 7 Stagecoach 7 to be retendered.
Stockport/Manchester/Trafford
Stagecoach 11A - direct award to contractor.
Below is a list of services which TfGM will seek to subsidise to maintain current levels (up to a maximum of four buses an hour).
Bolton
Arriva North West 534 - operator proposing to run less often.
Arriva North West 541 - operator proposing to run less often.
Bury
No services purely affecting this borough.
Manchester
Stagecoach 147 - operator proposing to run less often.
Oldham, Rochdale, Salford
No services purely affecting these boroughs.
Stockport
Stagecoach 383/384 Stagecoach - operator proposing to drop evening services.
Stagecoach 314 - operator proposing to drop evening services and run other services less often.
Stagecoach 368 - operator proposing to run services less often and drop Sunday services. Sundays could be retendered.
Tameside
Stagecoach 346 - operator proposing to drop early morning services.
Trafford
Arriva North West 245 - operator proposing to run less often.
Arriva North West 247 - operator proposing to run less often.
Wigan
Stagecoach 5/ 6 - operator proposing to drop early morning and evening services.
Stagecoach 3/ 4 - operator proposing to run less often.
Stagecoach 9 - operator proposing to run less often.
Stagecoach 10 - operator proposing to run less often.
Arriva North West 352 - operator proposing to run less often.
Arriva North West 360 - operator proposing to run less often.
Arriva North West 375 - operator proposing to run less often.
Arriva North West 395 - operator proposing to run less often.
Cross-borough services
Bolton/Salford/Manchester
Diamond 8. Route curtailment. No action proposed (terminates at St Mary’s Gate instead of Shudehill).
Bolton/Salford/Trafford
Diamond 20 - operator proposes route curtailment.
Oldham/Manchester
First 59 - operator proposing to run less often.
First 350 - operator proposing to run less often.
First 425 - operator proposing to run less often.
Manchester/Salford
Arriva North West 10 - operator proposing to run less often.
Manchester/Stockport
Stagecoach 197 - operator proposing to run less often.
Manchester/Trafford
Stagecoach 253/255 - operator proposing to run less often.
Stagecoach 256- operator proposing to run less often
Arriva North West 263 - operator proposing to run less often
Stagecoach 250 - Sunday services are to run less often, but no action is proposed as buses would still run every 12 minutes.
Stagecoach 85A. Route curtailment.
Salford/Trafford
Diamond 21/22 - operator proposing evening services will run less often.
Stockport/Manchester/Trafford
Stagecoach 23 operator proposing to drop early morning services.
Stagecoach 11 - operator proposing no Sunday services and other services will run less often. Sunday services could be retendered.
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