Tameside and Glossop Bus Service Changes, Summer 2017

Summertime timetables and a subtle service review

The normal bus of choice on the 216 route, outside Ashton bus station.

For the first time in a good while, we have little to say about this summer’s set of service changes. All but one set of service changes entail the Summer timetables.

Summertime (and the Evening Fares are Cheaper)

Stagecoach Manchester’s summertime evening fare offer

If you’re a sporadic bus user, chances are you seldom buy a season ticket for one or more operator. When you do catch a bus for the one journey, you quibble about the expense of the fare and think “stuff this, back to the car”. Or you get a cab for these occasional journeys instead and split the fare with a friend or relative.

Calling All Wannabe Bus Loving Engineers

Fancy yourself as the next Stuart Pilcher, Ralph Bennett, or Christopher Bowles?
Stagecoach Manchester are calling for apprentices

Stagecoach Manchester are calling for budding engineers to join their apprenticeship scheme. The company is offering places on its Bus Engineers’ scheme at all six of its depots: at Ashton-under-Lyne, Hyde Road, Middleton, Sharston, Stockport, and Wigan. Applications are now being accepted with courses starting in September/October 2017.

Tameside and Glossop Bus Service Changes, April 2017

Subtle changes but Stalybridge and Dukinfield passengers at sharpest end of two major changes

• Minimal changes to First services, in spite of depot closure;
• Cuts to evening journeys of 340 service;
• 169 service curtailed on weekdays and Saturdays;
• First and Stagecoach retimings.

First Greater Manchester’s journeys of the 346 service, unaffected by the latest service changes.

For passengers within the Tameside and Glossop area, the biggest story behind this month’s service changes is the closure of Dukinfield garage. It has been stated that any changes to First Greater Manchester routes would be negligible.

Bus Chief Among Top 50 Most Powerful Northern Women

Stagecoach Manchester MD Elizabeth Tasker makes list for role in mainly male dominated industry

Driving force: Elisabeth Tasker, Managing Director, Stagecoach Manchester. Image courtesy of Tangerine PR Limited, 2017.

With yesterday (08 March) being International Womens’ Day, we at East of the M60 has learned of one notable inclusion. That of Stagecoach Manchester’s Elisabeth Tasker. She was named on the Top 50 list at the 2017 Northern Power Awards in Manchester on Tuesday night (07 March).

Stagecoach Manchester Goes Contactless

Greater Manchester bus passengers able to pay for singles and day rovers using contactless cards

Elisabeth Tasker, Stagecoach Manchester’s MD seen at Hyde Road depot launching the company’s contactless payment option.

From the start of this month, Stagecoach Manchester passengers now have access to contactless payment methods. In line with Greater London operations and Stagecoach South East’s Little & Often network, they will be the first bus operator to offer this facility in Greater Manchester.

Tameside and Saddleworth Bus Changes Extra, Winter 2017

Changes to South Pennine Community Transport and Tameside Local Link services

South Pennine Community Transport’s then newly formed 352 service outside The Commercial Hotel, Uppermill.

Since our Tameside and Saddleworth area bus service changes articles went to press, here’s news of a couple of changes that have escaped our radar.

Tameside and Glossop Bus Service Changes, January 2017

Winter changes dominated by Stagecoach retimings

• Cuts to night buses on 201 and 216 routes;
• Reductions to some peak hour journeys;
• First and Stagecoach retimings.

The 330: one of a handful of Stagecoach routes being retimed.

True to form, the late January changes for 2017 are another lull before April’s storm. The bulk of this year’s first changes are retimings on Stagecoach Manchester’s part. Some of which entail the withdrawal of some journeys, mainly outside the peaks in the small hours or before the witching hour.

First Greater Manchester’s Digital Fare Freeze

Fares held for smartphone users but on-bus prices rise

First, the bad news. Bus fares are going up again on First Greater Manchester’s routes. To soften the blow, passengers from the 02 January 2017 can pay last year’s fares if they download a smartphone app. Which is good if you have a Windows Phone, iOS, or Android device.