Manchester bus franchising

[Mayneway]

RE: Manchester bus franchising

(03/02/2023 12:22)Barney Wrote:  My understanding is that the first tranche of franchises will initially replicate what exists right now under the deregulated system and there will not be any change to the bus network until the whole process is completed in 2025. After that date, TfGM will then begin to create a network that it wants and believes to be most beneficial to its populous.

As for the withdrawal of services in the lead-up to September 2023, these are commercial decisions made by the current operators and TfGM has little say in what they choose to do.

Those of us with long memories will remember that in the lead-up to deregulation in 1986, the PTEs did exactly the same in the knowledge that the new commercial operators were unwilling to run them without a subsidy from the local authority.

We had a Q&A with Burnham and TFGM chiefs last year. Their plan was/is sit back and do nothing for 5 years once it’s kicked in, although there’s no promise any withdrawn routes will make a come back. No plans for more cross city services and no plans to create more park and ride sites into the city centre.