West Midlands Trains "Destination Manchester" - will it happen?

[jfollows]

Royal London has a free shuttle bus service from Wilmslow for its employees, although I’ve no idea of the times. Its former site is being turned into houses and so on.
The ICO (Information Commisioner’s Office) is closer to the station than my house, it’s hardly any distance other than for people with walking difficulties, and in any case is moving to Manchester in 2026. Actually, it’s already moved at the end of September.
The car park close to the station, which was always full pre-Covid, had its charges reduced recently because it no longer fills up. £3.80 per day now; was £5.60/day previously. https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/car...-parks-in-Cheshire-East/Car-parks-in-Wilmslow

The truth is also that many people have worked out that parking all day for free on residential streets in Wilmslow makes sense. Those like mine have time-limited free parking but the likelihood of anyone checking number plates twice is small, and on the occasions that they do paying the fine is cheaper than paying for parking every day anyway.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Here is another example of how the Styal line from Manchester is currently being used by a commuter on his way to a department store, where he has worked for for very many years.

He boards the 0749 Northern Trains service from Gatley, which arrives at Wilmslow at 0806 and he just has a five minute walk from the railway station to his place of employment.

He lives just a four minute walk from his home to Gatley station, which was the reason why he bought that property many years ago. Wilmslow is not renowned for parking space availability.

Úntil I broached the subject of the proposed Birmingham to Manchester Airport rail service and its effect on the Styal line services to Wilmslow, he was totally unaware of the implications to his daily direct commute.

What advice would any of the thread contributors offer to this person, as it is not very likely that an onward change to the Birmingham-bound train would not likely be be waiting at Manchester Airport railway station at that time of the day. He still has seven years to go before he reaches retirement age.

 

[jfollows]

What advice would any of the thread contributors offer to this person, as it is not very likely that an onward change to the Birmingham-bound train would not likely be be waiting at Manchester Airport railway station at that time of the day. He still has seven years to go before he reaches retirement age.

As in my last post, drive and get a season ticket for the large car park next to the station (£610/year) or park on residential streets for free with an occasional fine. I wouldn’t have advised the 130 bus even when it ran because it was fiendishly late and unreliable.
Cars parked on my road all day seem to get tickets once a month or less. £50 when they do, reduced by 50% for early payment. Just do the sums! And go somewhere with free time-limited parking, because it’s normally too much hassle for the traffic wardens, compared to ticketing people parking in no-parking areas.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

As in my last post, drive and get a season ticket for the large car park next to the station (£610/year) or park on residential streets for free with an occasional fine. I wouldn’t have advised the 130 bus even when it ran because it was fiendishly late and unreliable.
Cars parked on my road all day seem to get tickets once a month or less. £50 when they do, reduced by 50% for early payment. Just do the sums! And go somewhere with free time-limited parking, because it’s normally too much hassle for the traffic wardens, compared to ticketing people parking in no-parking areas.

Firstly,I telephoned the man in question late last night and told him of your ideas. The man in question is 58 years old and has never driven. So the suggestion that he buys or leases a car is out of the question and learns to drive, just so a Midlands-based TOC can launch a new rail service to Manchester Airport, which will see the end of his direct Gatley to Wilmslow commute is totally unacceptable.

Secondly, the service 130 run by D & G Buses runs from Wythenshawe to Wilmslow (as part of its route to Macclesfield) goes nowhere near to Gatley where the man lives.

 

[The Planner]

Firstly,I telephoned the man in question late last night and told him of your ideas. The man in question is 58 years old and has never driven. So the suggestion that he buys or leases a car is out of the question and learns to drive, just so a Midlands-based TOC can launch a new rail service to Manchester Airport, which will see the end of his direct Gatley to Wilmslow commute is totally unacceptable.

Secondly, the service 130 run by D & G Buses runs from Wythenshawe to Wilmslow (as part of its route to Macclesfield) goes nowhere near to Gatley where the man lives.

He unfortunately has to check what impact it has to his journey and adapt to it. There are always winners and losers with these changes.

 

[em81]

just so a Midlands-based TOC can launch a new rail service to Manchester Airport, which will see the end of his direct Gatley to Wilmslow commute is totally unacceptable.

He isn't prevented from travelling. It will become a less convenient commute but they aren't tearing up the railway or closing it to passenger traffic.

Stockport to Salford used to be possible on a direct commute. Now it involves a change. East Didsbury now gets a Warrington, Chester and Wales service instead of a Yorkshire service. It's likely some students were inconvenienced by the change.

The bottom line is if enough people complain they'll try to find some sort of compromise, like what happened with Southport retaining it's Oxford Road link. However, not every change suits every passenger.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

He isn't prevented from travelling. It will become a less convenient commute but they aren't tearing up the railway or closing it to passenger traffic.

Stockport to Salford used to be possible on a direct commute. Now it involves a change. East Didsbury now gets a Warrington, Chester and Wales service instead of a Yorkshire service. It's likely some students were inconvenienced by the change.

The bottom line is if enough people complain they'll try to find some sort of compromise, like what happened with Southport retaining it's Oxford Road link. However, not every change suits every passenger.

Fine, then when the Gatley train arrives at Manchester Airport railway station, how long will it be when the Birmingham-bound train leaves for Wilmslow? T

The man wants to know if he will be able to buy a single Gatley to Wilmslow weekly return ticket as happens at present, even though two TOC will be involved.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The man wants to know if he will be able to buy a single Gatley to Wilmslow weekly return ticket as happens at present, even though two TOC will be involved.

Yes.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

He boards the 0749 Northern Trains service from Gatley, which arrives at Wilmslow at 0806 and he just has a five minute walk from the railway station to his place of employment.

He lives just a four minute walk from his home to Gatley station, which was the reason why he bought that property many years ago.

The service prior to the 0749 from Gatley to Wilmslow is the 0649. It appears there are some who think naught of having to set off an hour early.

The current 0749 commute and the five minute walk from Wilmslow station to his place of employment allows him to arrive in good time to meet the starting time of his employer.

I shall say no more on the subject, as the man in question has been made fully aware of the views of the thread contrbutors. I do wonder as to the actual number of Wilmslow commute passengers will be similarly affected.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The service prior to the 0749 from Gatley to Wilmslow is the 0649. It appears there are some who think naught of having to set off an hour early

Services from Gatley to Manchester Airport are available at 0709 and 0717 as well. Probably of more consequence will be whether the timing of the connection to Wilmslow is suitable for his required arrival time at work, but that sort of change could happen without the split anyway and does from time to time, and it's one of the perils of planning your life around an hourly service.

 

[em81]

Services from Gatley to Manchester Airport are available at 0709 and 0717 as well. Probably of more consequence will be whether the timing of the connection to Wilmslow is suitable for his required arrival time at work, but that sort of change could happen without the split anyway and does from time to time, and it's one of the perils of planning your life around an hourly service.

Indeed. There was an alternative proposal for half-hourly Crewe to Piccadilly via the airport, which would have meant some people travelling to and from Stockport would have had to change trains. As well as Manchester commuters facing a slower commute, but it would have improved airport connections. I doubt the Gatley commuter would have raised an objection to those significant changes had they gone ahead.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Indeed. There was an alternative proposal for half-hourly Crewe to Piccadilly via the airport, which would have meant some people travelling to and from Stockport would have had to change trains. As well as Manchester commuters facing a slower commute, but it would have improved airport connections. I doubt the Gatley commuter would have raised an objection to those significant changes had they gone ahead.

Since you have raised the matter, when was that alternative proposal put forward and what was the outcome?

 

[em81]

Since you have raised the matter, when was that alternative proposal put forward and what was the outcome?

It was part of one of three options for the wider Manchester area. The option that got the go ahead was one that involved a less significant recast.

 

[Bumpkin]

The service prior to the 0749 from Gatley to Wilmslow is the 0649. It appears there are some who think naught of having to set off an hour early.

The current 0749 commute and the five minute walk from Wilmslow station to his place of employment allows him to arrive in good time to meet the starting time of his employer.

I shall say no more on the subject, as the man in question has been made fully aware of the views of the thread contrbutors. I do wonder as to the actual number of Wilmslow commute passengers will be similarly affected.

My bold
I believe this website should provide some of this data. RailwayData.co.uk ODM for Wilmslow

In 2024/25, it seems that East Didsbury is the station that has the highest number of passengers to Wilmslow of any station on the airport line that would be affected by the changes, approximately 2997 trips per year, or very roughly 8 people per day.

If you add up all the stations on the loop that won't be served by LNR, you get. again a very rough answer, of 26 people per day.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

My bold
I believe this website should provide some of this data. RailwayData.co.uk ODM for Wilmslow

In 2024/25, it seems that East Didsbury is the station that has the highest number of passengers to Wilmslow of any station on the airport line that would be affected by the changes, approximately 2997 trips per year, or very roughly 8 people per day.

If you add up all the stations on the loop that won't be served by LNR, you get. again a very rough answer, of 26 people per day.

Looking at the 2024/5 passenger figures of the three stations nearest to Manchester Airport station on the Styal line, the following is shown.....
Heald Green............420,000
Gatley....................374,000
East Didsbury..........299,000

All these three stations will see a termination at Manchester Airport station of direct trains to Wilmslow.

 

[6Gman]

Looking at the 2024/5 passenger figures of the three stations nearest to Manchester Airport station on the Styal line, the following is shown.....
Heald Green............420,000
Gatley....................374,000
East Didsbury..........299,000

All these three stations will see a termination at Manchester Airport station of direct trains to Wilmslow.

Which is unfortunate, but these things happen.

 

[The Planner]

Looking at the 2024/5 passenger figures of the three stations nearest to Manchester Airport station on the Styal line, the following is shown.....
Heald Green............420,000
Gatley....................374,000
East Didsbury..........299,000

All these three stations will see a termination at Manchester Airport station of direct trains to Wilmslow.

Yes, but not all those passengers are going to Wilmslow.