Almost Everything you need to know about Stalybridge bus station
Stalybridge bus station is a modest, unstaffed bus station with a single island platform. It has four stands and lacks layover facilities. You may argue that the town has two bus stations because of its four stops on Armentieres Square. In recent times, the stops on Armentieres Square have increased in their importance.
East of the M60’s reassessment of the Bus Stations from Hell of 2006
2006’s Bus Station From Hell: the former Nelson bus station, photographed by Robert Wade in 2010. (Creative Commons License – Some Rights Reserved-Non Commercial).
East of the M60 looks at the former base of North Manchester Travel
The 1980s was an amazing era for long distance coach travel. With a more extensive motorway network, the seemingly moribund industry was on the up. In the nationalised and privately-owned sectors of the bus and coach industry, the standards of comfort on long distance routes began to improve. Continue reading “Ducie Street: Manchester’s Forgotten Coach Station”→
A pint before the last bus: what is there not to like? All the better if our desired public house is a short stagger from our bus stop or favoured bus stand.
The history of public houses dovetails with the development of modern day bus operations. Stagecoaches used to call at coaching inns and roadside pubs. On a long journey, for example Manchester to London each coaching inn would constitute a stage where passengers stayed overnight prior to embarking on their next leg. In later years, some of the coaching inns would remain stops on modern-day bus routes. For example, the Old General on the corner of Crescent Road and Astley Street with the 346. Continue reading “Two Pints of Jaipur and a 346, Please…: The Top Beer Not So Perfect Ten”→
A look at Transport for Greater Manchester’s exciting new travel planning tool
Never miss a bus again: TfGM’s Route Explorer enables you to find bus stops and routes nearest to your locality. It details all bus services throughout the Greater Manchester area and offers links to its timetable library.
The lack of a decent travel planner has probably been a bone of contention for Greater Manchester’s bus users. With Google Maps and First Greater Manchester’s mobile app telling you when the next 343’s due, as well as directions on foot, it seemed as if TfGM and its contemporaries would fall behind. Continue reading “Any Bus, Anywhere, in Greater Manchester: Introducing TfGM’s Route Explorer”→
This Sunday saw a new chapter in Rochdale’s transport history with the opening of Rochdale Interchange’s bus station. It improves on its predecessor with twelve stands under one roof, and an entrance with waiting area – ideal for Town Taxi’s cabs and the forthcoming Metrolink line to Rochdale railway station. Continue reading “In Pictures Special: Hello to Rochdale Interchange”→
The end of an era as another link with Greater Manchester Transport is severed
By the end of this month, Rochdale’s buses will have moved to the new Rochdale Interchange, powered by an Archimedes screw from the River Roch. Next year, the new tram stop on the side of Smith Street will be ready, allowing for a more effective connection with Manchester and the National Rail network.
Survey sees 84% satisfaction, though room for improvement is required
The last year has seen some improvement in the quality of rolling stock on Greater Manchester’s buses, some of which reflected in the latest Passenger Focus survey. Seen here is the interior of an electric hybrid Solo SR, owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated by First Pioneer on the 41 route from Dukinfield [Tennyson Avenue] to Ashton-under-Lyne and Crowhill estate.Out of a survey conducted by Passenger Focus involving 664 bus users in the Transport for Greater Manchester area, 84% of them were either ‘very satisfied’ or ‘fairly satisfied’ with their journeys. Though the figures may be encouraging for TfGM and Greater Manchester’s bus operators, there is still room for improvement, particularly in customer service and value for money. The average satisfaction rate among PTE areas is 85%, with TfGM boundary bus users amassing a slightly lower than average score. Continue reading “Praise For Bus Routes By Greater Manchester Bus Users”→