Free buses in Greater Manchester
This article needs to be updated.(November 2018) |
Spinningfield | |
Service type | Zero-Fare bus services |
---|---|
Fleet | Optare Versa Optare solo SR |
Operator | Go North West |
Website | free bus website |
Free bus[1] is a zero-fare bus system that operates in Greater Manchester. The system was first introduced in Manchester city centre in 2002, with three routes linking the city's major thoroughfares and stations with its main commercial, financial and cultural districts.
Manchester
History
Transport across the
To address the problem of cross-city transit, the
Centreline continued to provide inter-station transit links for several years. After
From 28 October 2018, due to declining passenger numbers,[14] the service was reduced to 2 routes, and rebranded as free bus.[15] Both routes were taken over by Go North West on 2 June 2019 with part of the First Greater Manchester business.[16][17]
Partnership
Manchester's Metroshuttle is a partnership between TfGM, Manchester City Council, National Car Parks and the property developer Allied London.[18] The service is zero-fare (free) and does not require any tickets or passes. Allied London own the Spinningfields mixed-use development and all three routes serve this site. The service is also partially supported by advertising. First Greater Manchester provides a publicity contribution. The free service costs approximately £1.2 million each year.[19]
Routes pre 2018
The Manchester Metroshuttle network consists of three services, each operated by First Greater Manchester. The services were originally operated using a dedicated fleet of 18 Optare Solo minibuses with route branding applied for all services, Route 1 (orange), Route 2 (green), Route 3 (purple). Some Solos carried a generic livery, consisting of silver-grey in place of the route colours allowing them to be used on any route. In November 2010, 20 electric hybrids Optare Versas replaced the Solos.[21] In July 2014, three electric Optare Versas were introduced.[22] Metroshuttle bus stops also share the same route colour of the appropriate bus stopping there.
Metroshuttle route 1 and route 2 began operating in September 2002 and replaced the previous Centreline city centre operation. Allied London own the Spinningfields mixed-use development that is served by the route.[23] Metroshuttle route 3 began operating in September 2005 linking additional areas of the city.
These are the routes as of January 2017.[24]
Metroshuttle Route 1 | Metroshuttle Route 2 | Metroshuttle Route 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Operator: First Greater Manchester
|
Operator: First Greater Manchester |
Operator: First Greater Manchester |
* denotes peak hours only (07:25–09:30 and 16:30–19:20 Monday–Friday)
-
Metroshuttle Route 1 bus
-
Metroshuttle Route 2 bus
-
Metroshuttle Route 3 bus
Routes post 2018
The current service requires 10 buses,[14] and is operated by Go North West. Since 28 October 2018, free bus have operated the following routes:
- Route 1: Piccadilly station - Piccadilly Gardens - Market Street - Spinningfields - St Peter's Square - Chorlton Street coach station- Piccadilly station
- Route 2:
At peak hours (Monday to Friday, 06:30 – 09:10 and 16:00 – 18:30), route 2 additionally runs via Salford Central station.[15]
Both services operate every 10 minutes during the day, every 15 minutes after 18:30, and every 12 minutes on Sundays and Bank Holidays.[15]
Bolton
History
Bolton's Metroshuttle first began operating on 17 November 2008 and follows a similar operation to Manchester's Metroshuttle on a 12-month trial.
In November 2012, it was announced that the contract for the service had been extended for another year and that
Following a further contract extension the tender for the Bolton Metroshuttle was won by Cumfybus who took over the service in 2013. The Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) vehicles transferred from Diamond North West to Cumfybus's Bolton depot.
On 4 September 2017 Bolton's new transport Interchange on Great Moor Street opened and all services transferred from the old Moor Lane Bus Station. This saw many local bus services being subjected to route changes. The Bolton Metroshuttle was amended to serve a newly installed stop outside Bolton Market which would now be the first stop after departing the interchange. The frequency was reduced to every 15 minutes to allow for this extra routing.
After the latest tender process the Bolton Metroshuttle has been operated by Vision Bus since 3 January 2018.
Partnership
Bolton's Metroshuttle is a partnership between TfGM and
Route
Bolton's Metroshuttle originally consisted of two 25-seater Alexander Dennis Enviro200 single decker buses, with black and red route branding,[31] although this changed following Maytree Travel taking over the service, who replaced it with a blue branding.[32] In 2012 Transport for Greater Manchester provided two Optare Versa diesel-electric hybrid vehicles in a blue version of the Metroshuttle branding similar to the livery of the vehicles provided for the Manchester and Stockport Metroshuttle services.
The service starts at Stand F at Bolton Interchange, before serving Bolton Market (next to the old Moor Lane Bus station) and looping back to the train station and running anti-clockwise around the town centre using existing stops within the town centre before returning to the Interchange.
Route 500 |
---|
Operator: Vision Bus |
Stockport
History
Stockport's Metroshuttle first began operating during Christmas 2007 as a complementary shuttle designed to help ferry the elderly and disabled around Stockport more easily. It was reintroduced on 29 November 2008 as permanent fixture. Branded the Stockport Shuttle Bus it was operated by Solutions SK on behalf of
Route
Stockport's Metroshuttle ran in two loops around Stockport town centre and use existing stops, as well as dedicated stops in areas where other services do not operate within the town centre. The service started from Stockport bus station and ran to Stockport railway station via Grand Central Stockport before returning to the bus station then via Mersey Square, Bridgefield Street, Warren Street (for Sainsbury's and Asda), Great Portland Street to Tesco before returning via Knightsbridge, Warren Street (for Sainsbury's and Asda again), Millgate, Churchgate, Little Underbank and Great Underbank to Stockport Bus Station.
Route 300 |
---|
Operator: Manchester Community Transport |
Oldham
History
In June 2012, the Manchester Metrolink tram network started running services to Oldham with trams running to a temporary Oldham Mumps tram stop located near the former railway station before trams started running through the town centre and through a new Oldham Mumps stop in 2014. Following criticism of long walks up steep hils into the town centre from passengers, Transport for Greater Manchester and Oldham Council organised a free service linking the tram stop with the town centre.[39]
The service was branded as Metroshuttle and started service on 30 July 2012
The service was extended to run until 20:00 on Thursdays from mid-November 2012 until Christmas and also on weekdays on the week before Christmas to appeal to Christmas shoppers in Oldham.[42] The service continued until the town began to be served by Metrolink.[43]
Route
Oldham's Metroshuttle starts outside the Metrolink station on Victoria Street. The service then heads to Oldham town centre along the Oldham Way by-pass (A62 before heading into town via King Street stopping near Mecca Bingo. The service had previously run temporarily to the Manchester Street roundabout and then up Manchester Street, stopping outside Aldi while King Street was closed due to the Metrolink work going on in the town centre.
From King Street, the service continues into the town centre and the bus station, stopping at the Cheapside station at stand C. The route then follows the same route as several of the fare-paying services via St Mary's Way, Lord Street, Yorkshire Street and Princes Street back onto the Oldham Way before looping around to the tram stop on the other side of the carriageway via Huddersfield Road, Cross Street and Lees Road. An additional stop on Lees Road was introduced from October 2012.[41]
Route 400 |
---|
Operator: Manchester Community Transport |
Future
Following the success of Metroshuttle, Transport for Greater Manchester have been studying the feasibility of introducing Metroshuttle routes in other towns in Greater Manchester, to provide a high-quality town centre bus service that links key public transport nodes and car parks with the main retail, commercial, leisure and cultural destinations within town centres.[44]
Other towns like
References
- ^ "free bus". Visit Manchester. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ Ogden & Senior 1992, p. 4.
- ^ Williams 2003, p. 273.
- ^ "Monorail for Manchester?". archive.commercialmotor.com. 28 January 1966. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ De Leuw, Cather & Partners; Hennessey, Chadwick, O'Heocha & Partners (August 1967). Manchester Rapid Transit Study, Volume 2.
- ISBN 9781483156439. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Todd (11 August 2015). "Revealed: 100 years of failed transport plans for Manchester – monorail and underground tube included". men. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Wainwright, Martin (14 March 2012). "Manchester's tube train that never was". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017.
- ^ Brook, Richard; Dodge, Martin (2012). Infra_MANC - Post-war infrastructures of Manchester (PDF). RIBA/CUBE Gallery. p. 134. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016. (exhibition catalogue)
- ^ "Commissioners approve bus-rail link". Commercial Motor: 21. 14 June 1974. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
- ISBN 9781445653150. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
- ^ "Lucas battery bus for Manchester". Commercial Motor: 21. 14 June 1974. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Greater Manchester Transport Timeline - Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester". www.gmts.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 October 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Metroshuttle Contract Award". TfGM Committee. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Enjoy free travel around Manchester city centre on a free bus" (PDF). TfGM. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ First Manchester are selling 160 buses and their Cheetham Hill depot for £11.2 million Manchester Evening News 19 February 2019
- ^ Timetables Archived 2 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine Go North West
- ^ "Metroshuttle set for expansion". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
- ^ Buses magazine
- ^ Metroshuttle set for expansion Manchester Evening News 18 April 2010
- ^ Freedom of the city with Manchester Metroshuttle Archived 30 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine 2 November 2010
- ^ Free city centre Metroshuttle goes electric Optare 31 July 2014
- ^ Metroshuttle Archived 26 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine Transport for Greater Manchester
- ^ "Metroshuttle: Free bus travel in the city and town centres".
- ^ "Bolton Metroshuttle takes off, Stockport's due by Christmas". Manchester Buses. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ "Extended run for Bolton's free bus service". TfGM. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
- ^ "One year's extension for free shuttle buses". Bolton News. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- ^ "Forthcoming Changes to Bus Network – 7 January 2011". GMITA. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ "Bolton's free town centre bus service to continue". Transport for Greater Manchester. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ^ "Free Metroshuttle takes off in Bolton". Bolton News. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
- ^ "Another look at the Bolton Metroshuttle". Manchester Buses. Retrieved 19 November 2008.
- ^ "Take shuttle bus around town for another year". Bolton News. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
- ^ "Bolton Metroshuttle takes off, Stockport's due by Christmas". Manchester Buses. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- ^ "Stockport's Metroshuttle mistake leads to operator switch". Manchester Buses. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- ^ "Stockport town centre shuttle gets Metroshuttle branding". Manchester Buses. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- ^ "Stockport Metroshuttle service extended". Transport Action Group – Manchester. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
- ^ "Notices and Proceedings – North West – Publication Number 2575" (PDF). VOSA. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
- ^ "TfGM – Buses – Latest Changes". TfGM. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- ^ "All aboard the Metro shuttle bus". Oldham Chronicle. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ "Metro shuttle-bus launches in Town Centre". Oldham Council. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Metrolink shuttle bus is going green". Oldham Chronicle. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ "Forthcoming Changes to Bus Network – 23 November 2012". Transport for Greater Manchester Committee. Archived from the original on 19 January 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ^ "Free Metroshuttle bus to continue | Oldham Council". Archived from the original on 3 May 2013.
- ^ "GMPTA Policy Priorities for 2008 / 09" (PDF). GMPTA. Retrieved 17 November 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Metroshuttle set for expansion". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- Ogden, Eric; Senior, John (1992). Metrolink. Glossop, Derbyshire: Transport Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86317-155-9.
- Williams, Gwyndaf (2003). The Enterprising City Centre: Manchester's Development Challenge. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-25262-1.