First Manchester

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Bit more room on the Metroshuttle 2 this afternoon, as a B5LH hybrid was filling in for one of the Solo hybrids

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
The B5LH was still out yesterday evening peak on 2s as I saw it heading past Victoria Station about 17:20 yesterday evening.

Also due extra traffic due to The Young Voices Choir on at Manchester Arena, First Manchester were having serious problems keeping services to time from about 17:30 onwards as Rochdale Road outbound was busy with extra traffic going to the Arena, this was having a knock on effect with buses in/around City Center with Church Street, Great Ancoats Street and Oldham Street seriously affected, Buses on Church Street were virtually not moving and were queuing from High Street lights all the way back to Oldham Street and Lever Street Junctions.

Because of the amount of traffic and buses hardly moving on Church Street ithis was having problems with Oldham Street buses as well as nothing could turn right onto Church Street meaning anything coming down Oldham Street was waiting for buses to turn right onto Church Street, as a result a journey coming down Oldham Street seemed to be taking an additonal 20mins or more just to get from top to bottom, one service I did see was 17:45 24 Manchester-Rochdale service which was stuck in the jam and it was still there in the same place at about 18:05 with various other buses in front of it also suffering the same problems

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
The traffic problems wasn't that great on Lever Street either on Monday or Tuesday at afternoon rush-hour. Although one driver did manage to literally find a way around this. Caught the 1813 184 from Manchester on Monday and the driver decided to take some action by heading along Stevenson Square and Newton Street onto Great Ancoats Street rather than crawling up Lever Street, which was jammed.

End result: got itself in front of the 1807 184 to Diggle, 1809 83 to Sholver and 1811 X84 to Carrcote, which all got stuck on Lever Street.

First website reported that the 59 and 149 were both diverted via Miller Street instead of Victoria Station from 1pm this afternoon.

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/greater_...821&conf=1

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Timetables for the current Finglands services now displayed on the Forthcoming Timetables page on the First Manchester website.

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/greater_...coming.php

[MX05 CKN]

RE: First Manchester
Just seen a First B7RLE driving through Hindley in Wigan. Anyone know why?
Just thought it was a bit strange.

[GmBusesNorth]

RE: First Manchester

(06/02/2014 21:53)MX05 CKN Wrote:  Just seen a First B7RLE driving through Hindley in Wigan. Anyone know why?
Just thought it was a bit strange.

Possibly a staff bus?

[MX05 CKN]

RE: First Manchester

(07/02/2014 00:58)GmBusesNorth Wrote:  

(06/02/2014 21:53)MX05 CKN Wrote:  Just seen a First B7RLE driving through Hindley in Wigan. Anyone know why?
Just thought it was a bit strange.

Possibly a staff bus?

Fair enough, seemed like a strange place to see it.
It looked good though.

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Leaflets and posters are now on Finglands buses informing passengers about the transfer of services to First on Sunday. First and TfGM websites also publishing the changeover.

The details are:

*Finglands buses will continue to operate the routes until First have acquired enough buses to cover the routes. Some First vehicles will appear over coming weeks.
*While First obtain vehicles for the routes, Finglands ticket range will continue to be available on the 16, 19, 41 Altrincham, 42, 99 and 157 as currently. Tickets will also be valid for use on the 18 between MRI and the city centre (although cannot be purchased on the 18).
*FirstDay and FirstWeek tickets will be valid on services 16, 19, 41 Altrincham, 42, 99 and 157 but cannot be purchased for the time being.
*Changes to current range of Finglands tickets will be announced in the near future.

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/greater_...finglands/
http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_cent...icleId=391

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Meanwhile, First are holding consultation on services 12/25 between Leigh and Manchester and on services in Breightmet and Withins (471, 510, 536, 561/562)

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/greater_...sultation/
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/greater_...sultation/

[John I]

RE: First Manchester

(07/02/2014 18:59)SF07 Wrote:  Leaflets and posters are now on Finglands buses informing passengers about the transfer of services to First on Sunday. First and TfGM websites also publishing the changeover.

The details are:

*Finglands buses will continue to operate the routes until First have acquired enough buses to cover the routes. Some First vehicles will appear over coming weeks.
*While First obtain vehicles for the routes, Finglands ticket range will continue to be available on the 16, 19, 41 Altrincham, 42, 99 and 157 as currently. Tickets will also be valid for use on the 18 between MRI and the city centre (although cannot be purchased on the 18).
*FirstDay and FirstWeek tickets will be valid on services 16, 19, 41 Altrincham, 42, 99 and 157 but cannot be purchased for the time being.
*Changes to current range of Finglands tickets will be announced in the near future.
Surprise earlier this evening Olympian 1782 on Wilmslow Road on service 42 destination Piccadilly.
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/greater_...finglands/
http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_cent...icleId=391