D&G Bus

[EDB325]

RE: D&G Bus

(11/08/2020 06:13)knutstransport Wrote:  See Rick Hunter's post - D&G now charge £2.60 on the 88 and £2.10 on the 288. Although, do they still charge the higher fare on the Sat Eve/Sun Wilmslow to Altrincham 88s when they are running, as those are TfGM contracted and part of the same contract as the 288.

When you say black cab do you mean a cab from a taxi rank opposed to one you pre-book? If so then it would be easy to get one at Altrincham where there are loads waiting but maybe not so easy to get one going towards Altrincham.

Yes, I'm talking about the taxi rank in front of the Interchange. And it's no big problem to telephone and book in the opposite direction. Of course, being an old fogey, I'd use my free bus pass

[knutstransport]

RE: D&G Bus
Regarding the missing Northwich to Shavington Sunday service the government have told local councils to consider using funding allocated for the Better Deal for Buses funding to instead support existing services affected by COVID. There had also been funding allocated for a Sunday 130, evening Bollington services, 89 services to coincide with Knutsford Academy times, reinstatement of services in Little Bollington & Warmingham, a Saturday 78 + 317, an evening 6A and a Sunday 36

[Rick Hunter]

RE: D&G Bus
How about make Altrincham to Macclesfield hourly and have a bus just doing 89 Knutsford to Northwich? The 16.02 89 gets the kids in the afternoon but they obviously get a lift in the morning.

(11/08/2020 20:09)knutstransport Wrote:  Regarding the missing Northwich to Shavington Sunday service the government have told local councils to consider using funding allocated for the Better Deal for Buses funding to instead support existing services affected by COVID. There had also been funding allocated for a Sunday 130, evening Bollington services, 89 services to coincide with Knutsford Academy times, reinstatement of services in Little Bollington & Warmingham, a Saturday 78 + 317, an evening 6A and a Sunday 36

[knutstransport]

RE: D&G Bus

(11/08/2020 22:23)Rick Hunter Wrote:  How about make Altrincham to Macclesfield hourly and have a bus just doing 89 Knutsford to Northwich? The 16.02 89 gets the kids in the afternoon but they obviously get a lift in the morning.

The current 88 timetable is a mess. Someone at Cheshire East wrote it on the basis that 4 vehicles would cover the 88/89/188 but D&G initially decided to run a 88A with a gap to the 88A used to cover the afternoon 188 and allowing an extra Macclesfield run. There's been multiple changes since - one has been using the Handforth Dean bus for the 188 instead of one off the 88 but there's been no change to the morning 88 to remove the inconsistencies which were added in to free up a vehicle for the 188.

There's currently an expansion to Parkgate Ind Estate being built, as well as a new roundabout on the B5085. The planning application for that development said the nearest bus stop is Mobberley Road/Oakfield Avenue where there's a half-hourly bus to Altrincham via Wilmslow, as well as a half-hourly town circular. Only problem is now the only buses going past that stop are the 188 and the Handforth Dean bus!

Worryingly it sounds like their intention was for a limited Knutsford-High Legh-Little Bollington-Altrincham service to be run by D&G as part of the 88 contract as well. Logically they should be talking to Warrington's Own Buses and TfGM about either diverting some CAT5 buses via Little Bollington or running a few additional journeys that way, as well as a 47 enhancement to make it easier for those in High Legh to get to Knutsford. If the 47 remains alongside a part 289 reinstatement that'll mean some High Legh residents needing to get a WOB to Knutsford and then a D&G Bus back, which is fine for ENCTS holders but not for fare paying passengers.

[knutstransport]

RE: D&G Bus
Not much social distancing going on with the 09:45 Altrincham-Knutsford arriving in Knutsford this morning. That's one of the issues with having the inconsistent timetable - the first bus pass holders can use for free is 90 minutes after the previous one so the combination of the first post-09:30 bus and the long gap result in it being a busy service and when it's looking like it might rain that can easily result in a few additional people.

[wirralbus]

RE: D&G Bus
It's a balancing act , trying to get the right amount of services against the right amount of passengers. As the winter months start edging closer then it is going to result in more people trying to use services instead of walking .

[knutstransport]

RE: D&G Bus

(19/08/2020 11:42)wirralbus Wrote:  It's a balancing act , trying to get the right amount of services against the right amount of passengers. As the winter months start edging closer then it is going to result in more people trying to use services instead of walking .

The long gap was the result of the 88/89/188 timetable being put out for tender using only 4 vehicles. Since D&G have decided to run the Handforth Dean service using the vehicle off the 188 there isn't really a need to retain the additional gap between services in the morning now.

[knutstransport]

RE: D&G Bus
D&G Bus to take over the 108 and 109 services from Aimees from 1st September.

They've also added a note to the 88/188 timetable saying that only schoolchildren will be allowed to travel on the 188 and that priority will be given to children with passes.

A new 82 timetable will also start in September, which for weekdays seems to be

Bus 1:
06:00 Northwich-Chester
07:05 Chester-Northwich
08:20 Northwich-Chester
09:35 Chester-Rudheath
10:56 Rudheath-Chester
12:35 Chester-Rudheath
13:56 Rudheath-SANDIWAY
DESIGNATED COLLEGE SERVICE FROM JOHN DEANES
16:50 Northwich-Rudheath
16:56 Rudheath-SANDIWAY

Bus 2:
07:15 Northwich-Chester
08:35 Chester-Northwich
09:56 Rudheath-Chester
11:35 Chester-Rudheath
12:56 Rudheath-Chester
14:35 Chester-Rudheath
15:56 Rudheath-Chester
17:45 Chester-Northwich

Bus 3:
DESIGNATED COLLEGE SERVICE TO JOHN DEANES
08:50 Northwich-Rudheath
08:56 Rudheath-Chester
10:35 Chester-Northwich
11:56 Rudheath-Chester
13:35 Chester-Rudheath
14:56 Rudheath-Chester
16:45 Chester-Northwich

[iMarkeh]

RE: D&G Bus

(22/08/2020 12:40)knutstransport Wrote:  D&G Bus to take over the 108 and 109 services from Aimees from 1st September.

They've also added a note to the 88/188 timetable saying that only schoolchildren will be allowed to travel on the 188 and that priority will be given to children with passes.

A new 82 timetable will also start in September, which for weekdays seems to be

Bus 1:
06:00 Northwich-Chester
07:05 Chester-Northwich
08:20 Northwich-Chester
09:35 Chester-Rudheath
10:56 Rudheath-Chester
12:35 Chester-Rudheath
13:56 Rudheath-SANDIWAY
DESIGNATED COLLEGE SERVICE FROM JOHN DEANES
16:50 Northwich-Rudheath
16:56 Rudheath-SANDIWAY

Bus 2:
07:15 Northwich-Chester
08:35 Chester-Northwich
09:56 Rudheath-Chester
11:35 Chester-Rudheath
12:56 Rudheath-Chester
14:35 Chester-Rudheath
15:56 Rudheath-Chester
17:45 Chester-Northwich

Bus 3:
DESIGNATED COLLEGE SERVICE TO JOHN DEANES
08:50 Northwich-Rudheath
08:56 Rudheath-Chester
10:35 Chester-Northwich
11:56 Rudheath-Chester
13:35 Chester-Rudheath
14:56 Rudheath-Chester
16:45 Chester-Northwich

The 108/109 is an interesting win for D&G. They are slowly taking over Macclesfield making their fares even more attractive to potential users.
Macclesfield to Hanley for £5.50 (Admittedly takes 2 hours but still).

On another forum, it was mentioned that because of the ticket acceptance in place with Midland Classic, you would be able to get from Manchester Airport to East Midlands Airport for £5.50. It would take all day but it would be doable.

Quote from Gnolife from RailForums

Quote:Manchester Airport - 288 - Altrincham - 88 - Knutsford - 88 - Macclesfield - 109 - Leek - 16 - Hanley - 14 - Stafford - 841 - Uttoxeter - 401/402/403 - Burton - 9 - East Midlands Airport

[Rick Hunter]

RE: D&G Bus
Depending on timing it would be quicker to change from 88 in Wilmslow to the 130 to Macclesfield

(22/08/2020 23:28)iMarkeh Wrote:  The 108/109 is an interesting win for D&G. They are slowly taking over Macclesfield making their fares even more attractive to potential users.
Macclesfield to Hanley for £5.50 (Admittedly takes 2 hours but still).

On another forum, it was mentioned that because of the ticket acceptance in place with Midland Classic, you would be able to get from Manchester Airport to East Midlands Airport for £5.50. It would take all day but it would be doable.

Quote from Gnolife from RailForums