The Leigh Guided Busway construction project

[WatcherZero]

A) Normally if there was a problem on the Atherton line they run Wigan-Manchester directs via Chat Moss, divert some services through Bolton (and strengthen the existing services) and lay on buses as well for the stations that become inaccesible.

B) Some spare fast paths but no spare slow paths, the main bottleneck to the Chat Moss line is the congestion around Victoria and Piccadilly though.

As to Leigh rail link, well the Leigh Rail Study basically says it all.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I have just been informed that TfGM have issued a new coloured leaflet that covers the route of the Leigh Guided Busway, plus other routes to Middleton and to Parrs Wood into Central Manchester, called:-
"Greater Manchester bus priority package - putting you in the picture (July 2012)"

I understand that this leaflet will be sent out to businesses and to residents located near to these three routes and will set out the proposals to improve bus links to and from the core of Manchester city centre from those three areas.

I cannot post a link as I have not had sight of this leaflet as yet.

 

[WatcherZero]

Its a consultation on the off core-route highways improvements for buses, things like junction chnages, bus lanes and light prioritys.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Its a consultation on the off core-route highways improvements for buses, things like junction chnages, bus lanes and light prioritys.

I wonder if you are able to post a link of this leaflet. Thank you for your speedy feedback. Unfortunately, I am under strict instructions not to exert myself, either mentally or physically, whilst recovering from the stroke that afflicted me recently.

 

[WatcherZero]

I dont have the public leaflet but this is the council doc on it.

http://democracy.wigan.gov.uk/documents/s8234/Bus Priority Programme report appendicies.pdf

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Has anyone on the forum who lives in the area of Ellenbrook seen any of these preparatory route clearing works and can comment upon them ?

 

[lancastrian]

Park & Ride at Glazebury, anyone, once Chat Moss is electrified? Or is that too obvious for GNUMPTE...

I have suggested this option on previous discussion topics. I know that it is outside the GMPTE boundary, but those boundaries are just arbitrary lines on a map and bare no resemblance to real life. Just look at some of the daft places that these PTE boundaries are drawn.

If you extend the Atherleigh way from where it joins the East Lancashire Road to just by the site of what was Kenyon Junction. The last time I looked the old goods yard was still clear for a large car park for a park & ride station on the site of Kenyon Junction.

To me this would be the cheapest option to link Leigh back onto the network. What is NOT NEEDED is a busway. Even if the blocked the potential rail link (just as they have done in Cambridge) where will it link onto the road network. If it continues to the end of the old railway embankment at Monton, and then joins the road network it will be in great traffic congestion miles away from the centre of Manchester.

I used to drive into work in the centre of Manchester in the 1980's and the traffic was very congested then. I gave up driving into Manchester in about 1988, and having tried the bus (that was a real laugh from Bolton, took about an hour in what we laughingly call the 'rush hour'. I then used the train for the following 6 years until I moved jobs and now work near to where I live in Bolton.

It used to take me about 20/22 minutes from Bolton to Deansgate Station and then about 3 minutes walk to my work. I could catch a train at 8.00am and be in work by 8.30am. Buses increased my journey time by at least 40 minutes. At least I had a rail option. The people from Leigh will not have that.

The busway might rush them from where it starts somewhere near the centre of Leigh (I hope), to Monton in about what 15/20 minutes. Its not the most direct route. But from Monton to the centre of Manchester it will depending upon how congested the traffic is, will be at least 30 minutes if not longer. If my memory serves me right, when Leigh had a rail service (1970) it took about 20 minutes from Leigh to Victoria.

No competition, a busway is not the answer, re-instated rail service, that's what is needed.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

No competition, a busway is not the answer, re-instated rail service, that's what is needed.

It is rather too late for representations to TfGM to cease (and reinstate) all the groundwork clearances that have already been effected to date, so I am informed.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The Leigh Guided Busway project seems to have very recently had a number of posting references made to it on other sub-forums on this website by forum members unaware that this thread existed on this sub-forum, so perhaps this long-running thread can be used to address any such future queries.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Just because there has not been any recent official work updates issued by TfGM, do not be lulled into a false sense of security with regard to this project, as it still proceeds remorselessly onwards.

 

[yorksrob]

Last time I was at Leigh bus station a couple of weeks ago, the project was being well advertised with posters etc

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Last time I was at Leigh bus station a couple of weeks ago, the project was being well advertised with posters etc

That would be an ideal situation for such project publicity to be displayed.

I think that once the stage is reached where the section that takes the route of the main carriageway from the former rail alignment on the actual roadway and works take place from there onwards, there will be the need for TfGM to send work notifications to affected residents and businesses, as is the case that occurs on the Manchester Metrolink routes that are under construction.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Balfour Beatty, the chosen company to perform all the works, are currently performing further clearance works on the former rail route section at present. They were awarded the contract on a Design and Build basis.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Since postings on other threads have been made about this project, I have caused this thread to become active again.

 

[34D]

When is it anticipated to open?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

When is it anticipated to open?

In answer to your query, some TfGM publicity material that was sent to me quite some time ago dated December 2011 refers to "late 2014". I have spoken to Anna Sutton (Project Communications Officer) at TfGM this morning and the current news is that Balfour Beatty are confirmed as the project contractor but the operational date has been moved back one year to 2015.

 

[telstarbox]

Construction is about to start on the East Lancs Road (this is part of the non-guided section):

Rush-hour motorists face serious delays lasting four months as engineers begin key work on a guided busway for the A580 East Lancs Road.
Preliminary work on the Leigh Guided Busway is due to start on Monday [21 October].
The eastbound carriageway of the East Lancs will be reduced to one lane from Walkden to Moorside , Swinton .
The initial work is due to last 20 weeks although the £76m scheme is not due to be completed until 2015.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...-news/leigh-guided-busway-four-months-6188439

 

[Scania3379man]

Hi guys,

I know u talk about leigh bus guide way complete in 2015. I wonder what type of bus will go on guide busway for leigh to manchester via ellenbrook on X34 or othe route....I'm thinking maybe enviro 400 or Wright gemini with guide wheel might come in 2014 i guess so mean 20 hybrid bus might go seperate first and stagecoach wigan.

Any suggest.

Thank you,
Martyn

 

[Nym]

I wonder how much more than £74m it would cost to re-build a proper railway and link it in at Atherton...?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I wonder how much more than £74m it would cost to re-build a proper railway and link it in at Atherton...?

Hello again and welcome to this long running thread that a reading of the earlier postings shows much angst amongst certain forum members.

I note your comment and would respond by reminding you of who it is who has funded this project that seems to have assumed a new life as being one that is just not another of the future extensions of the ever-growing Manchester Metrolink system. Had TfGM applied for funding to build your stated project, would the monies have been as forthcoming as in other of their light-rail extension projects ?

 

[D841 Roebuck]

TfGM have the intellectual capacity of watercress and decided to build a guided busway because Cambridge is a smaller city than Manchester and got jealous.

 

[185]

When is it anticipated to open?

2014 as a busway.

2015 as a mistake.

2016 as Metrolink :P

 

[gingerheid]

I would say that the current status of the West Edinburgh Bus Scheme / Edinburgh Fastlink is what guided busways should look like.

Having said that, I live beside the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway and I'd have to grudgingly admit that, for a reason I don't quite understand, it has been successful in terms of attracting passengers (too much so, the worst thing about it is overcrowding). The only problem is what happens when the crumbling monstrosity finally falls to pieces, which seems likely to happen sooner rather than later.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

2014 as a busway.

2015 as a mistake.

2016 as Metrolink :P

Opening date now 2015, as I reported in an earlier post and work scheduling is starting next Monday on the A580 East Lancs Road.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I am now on the stakeholder e-mail list of the project (as I have been on all the lines of the Manchester Metrolink system) with the TfGM team who are jointly with Balfour Beatty ensuring the residents and business on the affected sections are sent information sheets that concern any work taking place in any specific area.

Having just been sent a large package of all past copies of such literature by the TfGM team, I must say that the quality of this information and area leaflets that concern the Leigh Guided Busway project are most clear and concise.

 

[WatcherZero]

TfGM have the intellectual capacity of watercress and decided to build a guided busway because Cambridge is a smaller city than Manchester and got jealous.

Except the Leigh Guided busway planning process was started a year before the Cambridge guided busways started.

 

[Bevan Price]

I am now on the stakeholder e-mail list of the project (as I have been on all the lines of the Manchester Metrolink system) with the TfGM team who are jointly with Balfour Beatty ensuring the residents and business on the affected sections are sent information sheets that concern any work taking place in any specific area.

Having just been sent a large package of all past copies of such literature by the TfGM team, I must say that the quality of this information and area leaflets that concern the Leigh Guided Busway project are most clear and concise.

Yes - they are spending lots of money to get people from Leigh to Manchester in at least 15 to 20 minutes slower than was once possible by train 1n 1895....

(Fastest time between Leigh & Manchester Exchange was 22 minutes, albeit infrequently - for many journeys, passengers needed to change at Tyldesley. . )

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Yes - they are spending lots of money to get people from Leigh to Manchester in at least 15 to 20 minutes slower than was once possible by train in 1895....

5th May 1969 saw the closure of the Tyldesley Loop Line and its associated railway stations, so what alternative railway service has been available for the residents of Leigh over the last 44 years ? That is the matter that should be used as a benchmark in terms of consideration of comparison.

Had there ever been a definite official reopening proposal ever been put forward from 1969 to 2012 for a new rail service on the former railway line and if so, which official organisation made the submission and what was the outcome of it?

 

[Bevan Price]

5th May 1969 saw the closure of the Tyldesley Loop Line and its associated railway stations, so what alternative railway service has been available for the residents of Leigh over the last 44 years ? That is the matter that should be used as a benchmark in terms of consideration of comparison.

Had there ever been a definite official reopening proposal ever been put forward from 1969 to 2012 for a new rail service on the former railway line and if so, which official organisation made the submission and what was the outcome of it?

I would disagree on the first point -- in my opinion, providing a service half the speed of that possible over 100 years ago is anything but progress.

On the second point, I would not expect a reopening proposal from TfGM / GMPTE (opinions censored) - but if Leigh & Manchester were in Scotland, they would probably have had an electrified railway by now.

 

[MK Tom]

Just out of curiosity, if it had been built as a Metrolink line, where could it have connected to the existing system?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I would disagree on the first point -- in my opinion, providing a service half the speed of that possible over 100 years ago is anything but progress.

On the second point, I would not expect a reopening proposal from TfGM / GMPTE (opinions censored) - but if Leigh & Manchester were in Scotland, they would probably have had an electrified railway by now.

On the first point, you must ask yourself as to why the closure of the Tyldesley Loop Line was effected in 1969 and who made the decision to effect that line closure, as that is a fact of history.

On the second point, any authority in Scotland cannot be used for comparison purposes as they have, to the best of my knowledge, no authority, legal or financial, in the affairs of these environs. You have to accept which official body in the area in question is responsible for official decision making.