Proposed Transdev X41/X43 Changes within Manchester

[Whistler40145]

And have become slow and unreliable over the years as traffic has worsened.

A quick look at bustimes.org for Thursday on the 1 shows gaps in service of 30 minutes and round trips taking over double the scheduled time - e.g. the 17.25 journey taking ~1hour 20 minutes to get round instead of the scheduled half hour.

The same congestion that has caused this change by Transdev makes the Free Buses not a viable way of getting around the city centre a lot of the time.

Has the service become unreasonable due to the expansion of the Metrolink system?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

And have become slow and unreliable over the years as traffic has worsened.

A quick look at bustimes.org for Thursday on the 1 shows gaps in service of 30 minutes and round trips taking over double the scheduled time - e.g. the 17.25 journey taking ~1hour 20 minutes to get round instead of the scheduled half hour.

The same congestion that has caused this change by Transdev makes the Free Buses not a viable way of getting around the city centre a lot of the time.

I don't think you can apply criticism to bus transportation that is free to ride. If you don't like it, just walk instead.

 

[Class 466]

Without dedicated branding and buses, they've probably fallen into the crowd a bit.

That’s only a recent thing though - however it is incredibly popular from Piccadilly Station at least - helped by the Metrolink works over the summer where people were using the Free bus over the rail replacements (because they decide to pick up closer to the Metrolink platforms which is at least twice the walk to where the free bus picks up)

 

[Starmill]

I don't think you can apply criticism to bus transportation that is free to ride. If you don't like it, just walk instead.

It's not free though is it? While there may be no cost to taking a journey on it, it's paid for using public money.

Lots of things are free at the point of use but perfectly normal to apply criticism to. This is because people understand that it's still our money being spent.

 

[Deerfold]

I don't think you can apply criticism to bus transportation that is free to ride. If you don't like it, just walk instead.

If a bus is taking longer than walking, I think you should be free to criticise it. Sadly, not everyone finds walking that distance easy.

It doesn't run at some of the times I used to travel to and from Manchester most often on the X43 (very early morning and Sunday evenings) and is infrequent after 1900. If you're going from the South of Manchester city centre you now need to leave an hour earlier on a Friday or Saturday night, including the walk to Shudehill.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's not free though is it? While there may be no cost to taking a journey on it, it's paid for using public money.

Lots of things are free at the point of use but perfectly normal to apply criticism to. This is because people understand that it's still our money being spent.

When I said free to use, I spoke only from a passenger point of view. With regards to your mention of its being paid for using public money, ask yourself, how many passengers boarding free to use buses would consider that point you make.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Nov 2024 ==

If a bus is taking longer than walking, I think you should be free to criticise it. Sadly, not everyone finds walking that distance easy.

If it costs you nowt, why should you even give a second thought to it. Taxis are there for those at railway stations who find walking a problem.

 

[Leedsbusman]

When I said free to use, I spoke only from a passenger point of view. With regards to your mention of its being paid for using public money, ask yourself, how many passengers boarding free to use buses would consider that point you make.

By this logic does anyone with a free concessionary travel pass not have the right to complain about a bus service?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

By this logic does anyone with a free concessionary travel pass not have the right to complain about a bus service

We were discussing buses that are free to use by all age groups. People with an ENCTS pass I should imagine use buses that fares are payable upon for standard passengers and ENCTS passengers are liable to pay at the earlier pre-rush hour times. Everyone, not just ENCTS passengers are perfectly free to complain about those type of buses that charge bus fares.

 

[Starmill]

When I said free to use, I spoke only from a passenger point of view. With regards to your mention of its being paid for using public money, ask yourself, how many passengers boarding free to use buses would consider that point you make.

You're the one saying that we can't criticise it, not any old passengers boarding the bus. I'm saying that you're wrong. I think that's fair.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Nov 2024 ==

We were discussing buses that are free to use by all age groups. People with an ENCTS pass I should imagine use buses that fares are payable upon for standard passengers and ENCTS passengers are liable to pay at the earlier pre-rush hour times. Everyone, not just ENCTS passengers are perfectly free to complain about those type of buses that charge bus fares.

I think this is strong evidence of your logical fallacy.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Nov 2024 ==

If it costs you nowt, why should you even give a second thought to it.

Well my school cost me "nowt" too. So did my recent GP appointment. Same for a rather long list of other things I personally may not pay to use but which are publicly funded. Do you apply this to those?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Nov 2024 ==

Taxis are there for those at railway stations who find walking a problem.

Is that an offer to cover the cost of this from your own funds?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Well my school cost me "nowt" too. So did my recent GP appointment. Same for a rather long list of other things I personally may not pay to use but which are publicly funded. Do you apply this to those

Indeed so. I am now 79 years of age and use taxis on a regular bases since I stopped driving after my stroke in 2012 as suggested by my consultant. I do live quite a distance away from any public transport.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Nov 2024 ==

Is that an offer to cover the cost of this from your own funds?

You are now being rather silly. Of course I pay for my own taxis from my own money.

 

[158756]

The new route seemed to be coping well with the Christmas traffic tonight, all services seemingly running on time or with relatively minor delays. (It does look like there were some delays getting into Shudehill around 3-4pm though. Since the new route came in traffic around Victoria/Printworks can be a problem)

Meanwhile there were long delays to all services using Deansgate and John Dalton Street. The traffic on the old route was just silly last year, so I think at this time of year at least the new route is definitely better.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The new route seemed to be coping well with the Christmas traffic tonight, all services seemingly running on time or with relatively minor delays. (It does look like there were some delays getting into Shudehill around 3-4pm though. Since the new route came in traffic around Victoria/Printworks can be a problem)

Meanwhile there were long delays to all services using Deansgate and John Dalton Street. The traffic on the old route was just silly last year, so I think at this time of year at least the new route is definitely better.

Indeed, noting the Manchester Christmas Markets especially in nearby places to Deansgate such as St Ann's Square and King Street that always attract large pedestrian numbers at walking speed, this was not a surprise and a vindication of the new route.