Cheshire East proposed funding cuts

[knutstransport]

Cheshire East proposed funding cuts
This has been briefly mentioned in the Arriva Winsford thread but I think it's worthy of it's own thread.

Cheshire East are proposing a £1.5m cut in funding from the next financial year, which is 43% of the current funding.

The proposals include withdrawing the 200 service and withdrawing the 130 Sunday and BH service.
http://www.wilmslow.co.uk/news/article/1...ly-service

If I understand what the Knutsford Guardian have said here: http://www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/news/...on_saving/ the 27, 88 and 289 will all be withdrawn and an E1 will run Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford-Macclesfield every 2 hours and be interworked with an E2 which will run Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford-Northwich every 2 hours!

There will also be cuts to the 300 evening and Saturday subsided service (the weekday day time service is commercial.)

[Barney]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts

(04/05/2017 10:22)knutstransport Wrote:  This has been briefly mentioned in the Arriva Winsford thread but I think it's worthy of it's own thread.

Cheshire East are proposing a £1.5m cut in funding from the next financial year, which is 43% of the current funding.

The proposals include withdrawing the 200 service and withdrawing the 130 Sunday and BH service.
http://www.wilmslow.co.uk/news/article/1...ly-service

If I understand what the Knutsford Guardian have said here: http://www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/news/...on_saving/ the 27, 88 and 289 will all be withdrawn and an E1 will run Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford-Macclesfield every 2 hours and be interworked with an E2 which will run Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford-Northwich every 2 hours!

There will also be cuts to the 300 evening and Saturday subsided service (the weekday day time service is commercial.)

These are political decisions driven by central government policies. There are local elections today followed by a general election next month and anyone who thinks that politicians are all the same needs to scrutinise the party manifestos.

[knutstransport]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts

(04/05/2017 11:04)Barney Wrote:  These are political decisions driven by central government policies. There are local elections today followed by a general election next month and anyone who thinks that politicians are all the same needs to scrutinise the party manifestos.

Cheshire East council elections aren't for another two years - except for any by-elections.

In the General Election for Tatton the Lib Dem candidate lives in Mobberley - affected by the proposed changes, the Labour candidate lives in Wilmslow - affected by the proposed changes, the Green candiate lives in High Legh - affected by the proposed changes. The Conservative candidate has no connection to the area and doesn't live in it - yet simply by wearing a Conservative rosette a lot of sheep voters will vote for her, despite it being the Conservatives who are behind the plans.

[33109]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts
I'd this is the game they want to play bring it on. But they'll have to deal with a lot of very angry people that've been let down by them time & again.

Plus we'll have virtually no bus services left the way they're going!

[knutstransport]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts
Full proposed timetables: http://moderngov.cheshireeast.gov.uk/doc...0April.pdf

The proposed Macclesfield to Knutsford times don't take in to consideration hospital visiting times and presumes everyone finishes work before 5.30 or their place of work is right next to a bus stop. Also interesting they think a 35 seater bus is required for an hourly Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford when some services have most seats occupied using 35 seaters currently.

It's also going to annoy a lot of operators e.g. D&G have just opened a depot in Wincham based on the fact they have a 5 year contract for the 88 which has a PVR of 5, while Howards acquired 2 new and 1 fairly new vehicle to use on the 27, 200 and 289 routes.

11, 32, 47, 56, 75, 77, 79, 83, 89, 99, 315, 319, SB routes would also go. 378 and P1 would be merged in to one route terminating at Hazel Grove. The limited Cheshire part of the 35 would also lose support - I'm not sure what impact that would have as a whole.

19 service would be retained but with some journeys withdrawn.

[iMarkeh]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts
The 83 seemed quite full when I was on it. Every seat was taken. If they ran that once a week (as they currently do) and removed the 89. Reroute the 83 so it serves all the areas of the 56 then these areas still have a bus. From Chester there is Easybus and Arriva to Wrexham meaning pax may go up slightly therefore subsidy is less. A lot of people on the bus were more elderly and they are not the biggest fan of DRT from what I can gather.

[trixmax2000]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts

(04/05/2017 11:04)Barney Wrote:  These are political decisions driven by central government policies. There are local elections today followed by a general election next month and anyone who thinks that politicians are all the same needs to scrutinise the party manifestos.

There are no local elections today in Cheshire East only Lancashire

[knutstransport]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts
According to a BBC reporter there's a number of Cheshire East cabinet members unhappy with the proposal, including council leader Rachel Bailey so it's very likely they'll be changes following the upcoming consultation process.

[Barney]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts

(04/05/2017 18:47)trixmax2000 Wrote:  There are no local elections today in Cheshire East only Lancashire

My point was that these cuts are political decisions, both locally and nationally. In two years' time will people in Cheshire East consider where to place their X based on bus services? I recall having an exchange of views a few years ago with someone who was adamant that there would not be any cuts to rural services in Lancashire because of central government policy. That person was very wrong.

[knutstransport]

RE: Cheshire East proposed funding cuts
The consultation is now open: http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_a...eview.aspx

Please note the consultation document is misleading in places. For instance, for the 27 route it says "A 2 hourly frequency will be retained" when the frequency is currently every 90 to 120 minutes and the proposed timetable will be every 120 to 150 minutes. I've also noticed it says the 88 route would remain underchanged when in fact there would no longer be any services via Altrincham Road (direct.)

Also mentioned in the consultation document is the plan to introduce a £3 charge for pass holders using flexible buses e.g. the D&G Little Bus services. So some villages will lose their regular services (where passes allow free travel) and if pass holders want to travel on the replacement flexible bus they'll have to book in advance, travel on a specific day and time and pay £3.

Some town councillors have been discussing the below alternative proposal to replace the 27/47/88/188/200/289 services which would reduce the PVR by 1-2 buses (depending on the day and time) but provide an overall more consistent and useful timetable and keep a bus service on all routes except High Legh to Altrincham.



Unfortunately, it's gone a bit blury when being converted to an image but I do have it in a spreadsheet form as well if anyone wants to see the original spreadsheet.