North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

[Rick Hunter]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
Under normal circumstances the free bus does the 188 which is why it has a big bus. The allocation sheet still shows that working to have a big bus even though the school is off. For the past few weeks there have only been small buses at Wincham. Now the Versas are back the 288 should get a big Enviro200. Drivers on the free bus prefer a smaller bus.

(03/06/2020 20:11)knutstransport Wrote:  I thought the Handforth Dean bus got a large bus because it's the same vehicle that does the 188 now. It used to get a 28 seater Solo when it was the bus off the 08:00 Altrincham to Knutsford and the bus off the 188 went on the 89.

[knutstransport]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
A limited 130 Handforth-Macclesfield is to restart on Monday. It looks like it's been coordinated with the 88 services meaning D&G departures from Macc will be:

08:45 88
09:45 130
10:45 88
11:45 130
12:45 88
13:45 130
14:45 88
15:45 130
16:45 88
17:45 130

Although, in the case of the latter it means the last Macclesfield-Handforth bus gets Sainsburys in Wilmslow at exactly the same time as the last Altrincham-Knutsford bus, so only someone very brave would catch the 17:45 departure from Macc, with the intention of changing in Wilmslow for Mobberley or Knutsford.

It also appears they'll be two D&G vehicles arriving at Macc at 08:40 (one off the 88, one off the 130) and one won't go out again until 09:45.

This will also mean the only D&G services without a Mon-Fri service from next week will be 89, 188, 316 and 319. (They won't be running a 38 service but Arriva are providing services on that route.)

(04/06/2020 06:54)Rick Hunter Wrote:  even though the school is off.

Technically the school is open for children of essential workers. The 188 did continue to run for the first few days of the school only remaining open for essential workers but was then stopped so presumably either it wasn't used or those who used it were so far out at the end of the route that it was decided they could get the train from Mobberley station instead. Presumably there was no-one from the part of Mobberley near the Ilford works, otherwise with the early Knutsford bound 88 journeys not running they wouldn't have had an alternative.

(03/06/2020 19:58)Rick Hunter Wrote:  There are 2 staff that work in Booths regularly use the 89. Before the roster change in February the regular driver of the 16.02 Knutsford to Northwich used to wait for them and depart late as they finish at 16.00. At the moment they are using the train

Prior to the last train timetable recast a 16:00 finish would have be a bad finishing time for someone working in Knutsford and living in Northwich, as that would have meant they would have had to wait until 17:00, but now the trains are at 25 past it's not too bad. Although, obviously the train doesn't stop in the centre of Northwich.

[Rick Hunter]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
The rota for next week at Wincham has been taken down for changes to be made so it's likely the 130 will be operated by Wincham. Nobody was using the 188 so it was dropped as was the 288 school bus in Altrincham.

(04/06/2020 09:08)knutstransport Wrote:  A limited 130 Handforth-Macclesfield is to restart on Monday. It looks like it's been coordinated with the 88 services meaning D&G departures from Macc will be:

08:45 88
09:45 130
10:45 88
11:45 130
12:45 88
13:45 130
14:45 88
15:45 130
16:45 88
17:45 130

Although, in the case of the latter it means the last Macclesfield-Handforth bus gets Sainsburys in Wilmslow at exactly the same time as the last Altrincham-Knutsford bus, so only someone very brave would catch the 17:45 departure from Macc, with the intention of changing in Wilmslow for Mobberley or Knutsford.

It also appears they'll be two D&G vehicles arriving at Macc at 08:40 (one off the 88, one off the 130) and one won't go out again until 09:45.

This will also mean the only D&G services without a Mon-Fri service from next week will be 89, 188, 316 and 319. (They won't be running a 38 service but Arriva are providing services on that route.)


Technically the school is open for children of essential workers. The 188 did continue to run for the first few days of the school only remaining open for essential workers but was then stopped so presumably either it wasn't used or those who used it were so far out at the end of the route that it was decided they could get the train from Mobberley station instead. Presumably there was no-one from the part of Mobberley near the Ilford works, otherwise with the early Knutsford bound 88 journeys not running they wouldn't have had an alternative.


Prior to the last train timetable recast a 16:00 finish would have be a bad finishing time for someone working in Knutsford and living in Northwich, as that would have meant they would have had to wait until 17:00, but now the trains are at 25 past it's not too bad. Although, obviously the train doesn't stop in the centre of Northwich.

[M60lad]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
If 130 is going to be operated by Winchem which drivers will be doing it? I know myself that if its going to be interworked with 88 like whats been said that not all Winchem drivers even those currently on 88 dont know 130 at the moment.

[knutstransport]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(05/06/2020 08:01)M60lad Wrote:  If 130 is going to be operated by Wincham which drivers will be doing it? I know myself that if its going to be interworked with 88 like whats been said that not all Wincham drivers even those currently on 88 dont know 130 at the moment.

Do the drivers who don't know the 130 know the Handforth Dean free bus route? If they do and know the 88 route then the only completely new section will be the Broken Cross junction on the A537 to the roundabout on the outskirts of Wilmslow which shouldn't be a difficult bit to learn - as long as they join the right road it's just a case of straight on. Although, I accept if they don't know where bus stops are located that might cause some issues.

[knutstransport]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
D&G have announced the 88, 89 and 288 will return to their normal timetables from 15th June. The 188 will remain suspended until they receive information about Knutsford Academy pupils returning.

[KXW212]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(05/06/2020 08:01)M60lad Wrote:  If 130 is going to be operated by Winchem which drivers will be doing it? I know myself that if its going to be interworked with 88 like whats been said that not all Winchem drivers even those currently on 88 dont know 130 at the moment.

As there will be no service diverting via Alderley Park and the vicious speed humps therein, I assume the 130 won't need to be restricted to Optare Solo's.

[Rick Hunter]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
The 130 is to be operated by Wincham and the drivers operating the 88 today were taken round the route from Alderley park entrance to Handforth. The area manager and Wincham assistant manager were in Wilmslow most of the day and took each driver off in turn. The interworking is just for 1 week. As has been posted the 88 reverts to normal from the 15th June. It will be worked by Enviro200s as there are now no Solos at Wincham.

[SF07]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
The update to the First Bus app is now available. Tried it out this morning. In order to see how many seats are available on the route, you need to click on the stop you're travelling from and select the service.

[knutstransport]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak
Not sure what the general approach is going to be regarding school services when years 10 and 12 return but St Nicholas High School in Hartford have said no designated school buses will operate. That'll likely affect loadings on the Warrington's Own Buses Cat9 and 48 services, given they partly duplicate designated school bus routes. It also might mean some Crewe-Liverpool trains will be a little busier.