Duffers’ Guide to Bus Operations #14: Lowbridge Buses

The even longer awaited fourteenth part of our informal look at bus operations For beginners.

Once upon a time, quite some time ago, a certain Robert Stephenson created the world’s first true inter-city railway line. By September 1830, it carried its first passengers and goods between Liverpool and Manchester city centres. Today, Liverpool Lime Street is the world’s oldest railway terminus in continuous use. Liverpool Road station, in Manchester, is part of the Science Museum Group as Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum.

On reading the previous paragraph, you may be asking yourself, “What has this got to be do with buses?” Quite a bit, because not all railway bridges are sixteen feet or higher above our roads, bridleways, canals, footpaths and rivers. Our earlier road bridges were designed for horses and carts, never mind state-of-the-art electric cars. Or double decker buses.

Greater Manchester Bus Fare Changes, January 2020

What’s going up, what’s staying the same, and what’s going down?

This year’s bus fare changes could be fairly grim for some passengers, particularly those in North Manchester. The 02 January 2020 sees the expiration of the Diamond Bus North West/Go North West/First Greater Manchester ticket agreement. Instead of one FirstDay ticket for most of North Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and Bolton, three single operator day saver tickets cover the area.

Thankfully, System One Travelcards’ multi-operator tickets can bridge the gap, though these are going up in price. Stagecoach Greater Manchester will be raising the price of their season tickets but single fares will be frozen.

Duffers’ Guide to Bus Operations #13: Bus Fares

The long awaited thirteenth part of our informal look at bus operations. For beginners.

A First Greater Manchester bus, loading at Ashton-under-Lyne bus station in July 2017.

In a previous Duffers’ Guide (Part Six), we looked at how concessionary fares work on bus routes. At this moment in time, fare increases have dominated the news agenda after Brexit, Trump and, in Greater Manchester at least, Andy Burnham’s death knell to bus deregulation. In his speech he has cited the cost and complexity of bus fares.

Summer Bussing, Ever So Far: Summertime Fare Offers in Greater Manchester

Good clean bus fun for all the family, ages 5 and up

From Carrbrook to Carrington, or Radcliffe to Ringway… the bus can be a great way of exploring Greater Manchester. Seen in this October 2012 shot is one of First Greater Manchester’s Volvo B9TLs on the 348 service to Carrbrook. Today, this service uses ‘A’ stand at Ashton-under-Lyne Bus Station and is more likely to have Wright StreetLite single deckers on its route.

The summer holidays are in full swing. Yes, four to six weeks of “Mum, I’m bored”, or trying to find suitable childcare options. Or trying to budget for six weeks of lunches without breaking the bank. On some occasions you may wish to leave the house. A bus trip could be a good excuse for visiting Greater Manchester’s finest attractions, or somewhere further afield. Or for notching up your Pokémon Go score.

System One’s Economy Drive Continues: Cheaper Bus Travel Till April 2014

Price cut continues for Buscard tickets

Andrew Fender and Richard Soper seen promoting the joys of the Buscard in September 2013. (© 2013 Tangerine PR Ltd)

Great news for regular bus users in Greater Manchester: System One’s price cut on its Buscard tickets has been extended. The original promotion was set to finish on the 25 January this year. Owing to popular demand, it has been extended till the 26 April 2014.

System One’s Economy Drive: Cheaper Bus Travel Till Early 2014

Welcome price cut for Buscard tickets

Any Bus Will Do: Andrew Fender and Richard Soper seen promoting the joys of the Buscard. (© 2013 Tangerine PR Ltd)

For most ordinary Britons, the economy is tanking or flatlining at best. We are feeling the pinch from higher food prices, utility bills and petrol costs. Bus users too are no exception: though single fares have continued to rise, operators have frozen or reduced the price of their season tickets. A recent price cut has seen increased patronage on Manchester bound buses, particular those of First Greater Manchester’s services.

Duffers’ Guide to Bus Operations #6: Concessionary Fares

The long awaited sixth part of our beginners’ guide to bus operations returns

Passengers of a certain age may remember a time when Greater Manchester’s municipal and private operations had a varying degree of concessionary fare rates. Some didn’t introduce concessionary fares till the 1960s.

Mancunian Oystercard Online for 2013 Release

TfGM gains £32.5 million grant for a ‘Digital ClipperCard’ scheme

The Future of Greater Manchester’s Transport: our impression of how TfGM’s Oyster Card may look (Logo © 2011 Transport for Greater Manchester)

In most parts of the United Kingdom, outside of London, changing from bus to train incurs a financial penalty. If a passenger travels from Leigh to Southport, the quickest way on public transport would involve two sets of tickets: a FirstDay ticket for the 582 to Atherton, then a return ticket from Atherton to Southport.

System One’s Big Day Out for 2012

Popular community competition returns with bigger prize fund and potential for a bigger day out

Bus denoted in graphic does not reflect upon contemporary operations. Unfortunately. (Unless you fancy visiting the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport, of course)

For our local charities, this year is set to be a tumultuous one as funding by our councils is being slashed. The double whammy of council cutbacks and a recession (which has increased demand for their services) has made 2012 and may make subsequent years tougher than before.

The person you may see at your local charity shop or food bank may enjoy their role, but behind this exterior, he or she may be rushed off their feet. Therefore, giving up some of their time to avert hunger or sell secondhand clothes could be hard work, given that he or she may only be paid travel expenses. With 27% of charities planning to cut back on paid staff and expenditure (source: National Council for Voluntary Organisations Charity Forecast 16 report, February 2012), even the fate of the local charity shop or food bank is far from steady.

Our City United: I Love Manchester Day, 26 August 2011

System One Travelcards to give away 2000 one-day Any Bus DaySaver tickets

Regular readers of this blog would be all too familiar with the recent riots in Manchester, Salford, Birmingham and London and the fall out from that. According to a BBC Northwest Tonight report, footfall [in Manchester] on the Saturday after the riots was 25% lower than usual. Instead of moping about over several smashed windows and attempts to loot Cash Generator, our city’s been getting off its collective rear ends to woo back lost custom.

Along with the city’s post-riot voluntary street sweepers, another party has joined the crusade against the looters. That of System One Travelcards, a company owned by Greater Manchester Travelcards Ltd with a stake from each of Greater Manchester’s bus operators to ensure multi-operator through-ticketing within the TfGM boundary.

From today until tomorrow, System One Travelcards are going to give away 2000 one-day Any Bus DaySaver tickets. Unlike the usual tickets (which are bought on the bus), these limited edition day rovers will be self-validating by means of a scratchcard (like the Wayfarer tickets). Tickets will be given away at TfGM’s Travelshops on Piccadilly Gardens and Shudehill Interchange.

Choose your date by rubbing off the number, month and year. Then sit back, relax and enjoy a good day’s bus hopping (peak hour conditions may apply), or a trip to the centre of Manchester. From Pemberton to Littleborough, or Stalybridge to Hale, Greater Manchester’s yours to explore from the first off-peak bus to the last one of the day.

Call in to any of the two Travelshops, but don’t delay as these day tickets are available on a strict first-come first-served basis!

S.V., 25 August 2011.