Stalybridge Bus Station for Beginners

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.

Bus Stations from Hell: The Return

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).

Apart from the obligatory “Hello, Good Evening, and Welcome to our New Blog” type of post, Bus Stations from Hell was the first proper post on East of the M60. Just to recap, here’s the Not So Magnificent Seven from the 16 August 2006.

Ducie Street: Manchester’s Forgotten Coach Station

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.

Two Pints of Jaipur and a 346, Please…: The Top Beer Not So Perfect Ten

Ten pubs near to bus stations and bus stops

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.

Any Bus, Anywhere, in Greater Manchester: Introducing TfGM’s Route Explorer

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.

£32.7 Million Upgrade for Ashton Bus Station Welcomed

New look single terminal set to replace 1994 version

The 1994 version of Ashton bus station: soon to be replaced by a state of the art terminal by the end of this decade.

After some speculation in the last seven years, Ashton-under-Lyne is set to receive a high quality bus and tram interchange. The new Ashton Interchange will be completed in 2018, costing £32.7 million.

In Pictures Special: Hello to Rochdale Interchange

East of the M60 visits Rochdale’s new bus station

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.

In Pictures Special: Farewell to the Old Rochdale Bus Station

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.

Duffers’ Guide to Bus Operations #3: Bus Stations

The third part of a concise guide to bus operations from a passenger point of view, aimed at bus noobs more than anything

Oldham Bus Station, an example of a multi-platform bus station.

For our third part, it makes sense to progress from bus stops to bus stations. Without at least one, or even two of them in our major town centres, our streets would be more chaotic.

Praise For Bus Routes By Greater Manchester Bus Users

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.