GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

[knutstransport]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(15/07/2016 12:55)33109 Wrote:  Good that the 27 has been picked up, hopefully they can do maybe 2 an hour around peak times as it's used a lot by people heading home from work in knutsford. Tbh though, I don't actually ever remember it being a high earner or that well load honestly.

I think High Peak (when they originally tried to run the route commercially) focused too much on people getting to Macclesfield and AstraZeneca for work and meeting the needs of pensioners. While they ignored how many people were using the bus to get to Knutsford and Radbrooke Hall (from the Macclesfield direction) and the needs of people doing part time training courses in Macclesfield (who require later services in the Knutsford direction.)

Quote:Arriva will more than likely quite happily pick up the 88, it's been getting good loadings lately & seems quite a profitable route.

The enhanced frequency had an unusual effect on commuting habits. People from the Altrincham area working at Parkgate and Knutsford business park realised the train was hourly and the station was 20-25 minutes walk from their place of work, while the 88 bus was half-hourly and 5 minutes walk from their place of work. So despite how indirect the route is between Altrincham and Knutsford, people were finding it the best way of getting to their place of work. However, if the reduction to hourly is permanent then the big advantage of the bus over the train goes away and presumably the additional passengers do as well.

Quote:What'll happen to the drivers, regarding final pay checks? Guessing the administrators will be sorting that out, but it's been known in the past where administrators come in wind up a company & don't exactly play things by the book & sometimes staff are left without having been paid their final wages.

Unfortunately, administrators aren't there for the benefit of former employees. Initially they have to try and make the business profitable and if that doesn't work they have to wind down the business. To try and make the business profitable they have to prioritise paying existing employees and suppliers who they might need to keep a relationship with, then if there's money left over they start paying former employees, suppliers they aren't keeping a relationship with etc.