Traffic chaos, missing buses and the return of proper snowmen in the Tameside area
For most of us around the UK, this week’s weather has had a fundamental effect on our daily lives. Whether we were stuck on trains to and from the continent or walking to the railway station, we will have no doubt been affected by the lack of grit on the roads and pavements. Read the rest of this entry »
Tameside area service changes (December 2009):
After being awarded to First Pioneer on an emergency tender since the 5th October 2009, Speedwell Bus has regained the Monday to Friday daytime service of the 343 route. Prior to then, the Hyde based company operated the route since April 2007, with the weekday service being ran commercially since the 25th April 2009. Read the rest of this entry »
Since I wrote the first installment of ‘Lost Bus Routes of Greater Manchester’, there has already been a favourable response in terms of comments and visitor numbers. This has prompted me to continue the series further. With the fluid nature of bus routes since deregulation began over 23 years ago, it has made for fascinating reading and jogged a few memories of those who have almost forgotten the routes. Read the rest of this entry »
Anger as Top Mossley residents are cut off from outside world by road closure.
When’s the best time to close a main road for roadworks: Christmas Day? Half Term holidays? The rush hour? Christmas Day would of the three as most people would be sat at home scoffing turkey and listening to this year’s X Factor winner (whom would have rigged the Christmas No. 1 spot for the umpteenth time). In a small town, the half term holidays is a least worst option due to the reduced schools traffic. Read the rest of this entry »
Another tumultous month awaits us…
The school holidays are already over and the next few weeks are going to be far from dull indeed for Tameside based bus enthusiasts.
After the last Bank Holiday, a major change has been made to Stagecoach’s 389 route, with the service no longer running to Stockport. Since then, the revised terminus has changed to Gee Cross, in line with First Pioneer’s Sunday and Bank Holiday service. As a result, the 386 service from Greave to Stockport has been restored and taken over by Arriva North West. Sister services 380 and 381 too have been taken over by Arriva.
As a consequence of the traffic on Ashton New Road, Speedwell’s new S50 route will be revised to run between Ashton and Mossley only. This is a temporary measure till the Metrolink works have finished. Last week’s Tameside Reporter also included reference to Speedwell’s proposed expansion of S50 service with evening and Sunday operations in the pipeline.
In the latest installment of The Incredibly Fluid 343 Route, there will be an operator revision. From the 5th October, First Manchester will regain the Monday – Friday daytime route which was lost to Speedwell in April 2007. In the last month, Speedwell intended to deregister the daytime journeys leaving Flowery Field without a full time link to Stalybridge and Dukinfield. This led to the formation of a Facebook group (Save The 343) favouring the route’s retention.
With the next round of major service changes due by the end of October, the 343 could well be changed yet again, as an emergency tender has been granted to First Manchester for the interim period since the 5th October 2009. This recent change will be the fourth one which has affected this route in the last 6 months and the eighth in the last 6 years! By contrast, the 346 has had half that number of changes within the same period.
Elsewhere, fellow Monday – Friday daytime Speedwell routes 41 and 337 will also be operated by First Manchester. This will leave the two local services in the sole hands of First for the first time since September 2006.
With the unanimous ‘No’ vote of last year’s Transport Innovation Fund referendum and the recession, we could be in for a bumpy ride. If I expect to be walking more at 60 than at 30 years, you’ll know why.
S.V., 22 September 2009.
With 13,000 plus friends on Facebook favouring its retention, support from beyond the Tameside boundaries and celebrities, Tameside Hippodrome must have had a fighting chance of being saved. Read the rest of this entry »
Plans for new cross-city bus network proposed under Transport Innovation Fund
Unless you have had your head buried in the sand, Manchester was the successful bidder for the Government’s Transport Innovation Fund. This would Read the rest of this entry »
Young people’s haven faces closure in 2008
It was revealed in the Tameside Advertiser (09 August 2007) that unless funding could be sought, an important haven for Tameside’s 13 – 25 year olds could close by New Year’s Day 2008.
The Information Shop for Young People has for the last ten years offered free and confidential advice to young persons on services from counselling to anger management. From their premises in Market Avenue, 1,900 youngsters turned to the Information Shop in the last year alone. For its users, the shop is a comfortable place and often busy.
Losing this facility would leave its users devoid of a private, confidential and non intrusive place much needed in the Tameside area. Supported by NHS personnel, the Information Shop’s sexual health clinic is the busiest in the borough. Its counselling services have saved many a young person from mental distress and eating disorders.
It is important, for the greater good of Tameside that this facility should be saved. Having used this place myself, I too found the Information Shop a comfortable place when I was unemployed. I would like to see this place remain so.
