Graham presses TfGM on Cheadle shuttle-bus

by Lib Dem team on 25 February, 2019

The Lib Dem campaign to get a shuttle bus to run from Cheadle to East Didsbury Metrolink and train station continues. The idea is to improve the public transport links from Cheadle to the train and tram networks. We would like to see a train or tram stop in Cheadle village, but a shuttle bus would be a good interim measure.

Cllr Graham Greenhalgh has written to TfGM and Stagecoach to ask – again – for a bus service. He has previously had discussions with Bullocks and some local employers.

Graham has now had a response from TfGM (see below). It isn’t a complete “no” but it’s not far off.

“Thousands of people work in Cheadle – we have some of the biggest employers in Stockport, including the Alexandra Hospital and AA,” said Cllr Graham Greenhalgh. “A shuttle bus would not only help residents, it would also make it easier for workers to get to Cheadle without driving. That would take cars off our roads and improve the parking problems.”

The shuttle bus and train/tram station are part of a strategy to reduce cars and pollution which includes making it easier and safer to cycle and walk in and around Cheadle.

“It’s disappointing that TfGM is not willing to look at a shuttle bus. We will carry on making the case.” said Graham.

   9 Comments

9 Responses

  1. Kate says:

    I’d like to know how and why they think running more buses (any bus, after 6.30pm) from East Didsbury to Cheadle village wouldn’t be commercially viable. The 42b is invariably packed, especially in the early mornings and the number of people I see walking up Manchester Road (not the nicest of walks) is pretty high. I also think it really is this route – and not Kingsway – that needs to be prioritised due to the distance of that side of Cheadle village from both Gatley station and East Didsbury Metrolink. A lot of people aren’t able to walk the mile to either of those – or certainly don’t want to if on their own after dark.

    But I suppose TfGM’s response is symptomaric of the situation you end up with when you let market forces dictate infrastructure. The sooner Greater Manchester starts using a similar model to that used by Transport for London the better – because £4.50 for a return to Stockport town centre when I can park for 2 hours at Merseyway for £1.80 isn’t going to get people out of their cars anytime soon. The whole bus network and pricing model is broken.

  2. Bruce says:

    The Kingsway stop outside Barnes would have to be in one direction only – going south. The other side is just not suitable as access is from the other side using the underpass. I have travelled up and down Kingsway hundreds of time over the years and I never saw anyone use these stops.

    I would never use the underpass as in my view it is not safe as muggers and the like could easily conceal themselves. Brick it up.

  3. Michelle says:

    A shuttle bus service is also needed from Gatley to East Didsbury. The train service is unreliable and there is no bus to Manchester. Bus 44 – Gatley to Manchester was under-used because it wasn’t run by Stagecoach. This meant bus passes were invalid on this service. It was also a long journey – 30 minutes in and it was still on Kingsway going around the housing estates.

  4. Roy says:

    I would like to point out that all stage carriage buses (buses on routes with more than 4 bus stops enroute) benefit from paying No Fuel Duty therefore it follows that these so called commercial operators are subsidied at the tax payers expense on all routes. On top of this subsidy they also receive extra payments (subsidy’s) for operating on so called uneconomic routes. The owners of Stagecoach are multiple millionaires. These operators need to be reminded where there profits are derived from, and we need to start marking them work for Public who provide the funds.we could start by enforcing no waiting on Kingsway of Buses waiting to enter the Terminus at Parr’s Wood, in doing this the Bus Operators would have the choice of reducing the number of buses runing to the Terminus or as I have previously suggested of routing some of the current buses using the a Terminus should terminate at Kingsway but instead do a loop either up through Cheadle or up to Joh Lewis and then continue back into Manchester.

  5. Kevin says:

    In tfgm response there’s no mention of the shuttle you asked about. I would imagine that the response is a well drafted off the shelf little number to keep the annoying constituents at bay and is full of excuses for providing a poorly funded inadequate public transport system for Cheadle and Gatley.

  6. robert cohen says:

    1. what about a footbridge linking the railway station and metro at Parrs Wood? 2. tickets purchased to use the railway and connect to a Parrs Wood tram could be tranferable. 3. the same ticket would allow access to a from the footbridge ensuring that a small percentage of the ticket price would contribute tot he cost and maintenance of the footbridge.

  7. Bruce says:

    Iain – can you explain how the carriers/bus companies get reimbursed for OAPs like me who use their free pass?

    I have been on some buses where hardly anyone pays as it is full of people like me.

    • Iain Roberts says:

      Hi Bruce – not 100% sure, but I believe that the number of people who use passes (OAPs, students etc.) are recorded and then money is distributed in proportion. No doubt it’s a bit more complex than that, and I don’t know how much revenue Stagecoach get for an OAP travelling on a pass versus a paying customer.

  8. Trevor Gaunt says:

    After reading Mr Dyball’s letter, I wonder whether he has understood what Councillor Greenhalgh has asked for. Mr Dyball seems to believe the issue is wholly concerned with the new development of the Barnes Hospital site. I suggest he be disabused as soon as possible.
    A shuttle ‘bus between Cheadle and the East Didsbury metro station and/or the Parrs Wood ‘bus terminus would certainly be useful to me. Before moving to Cheadle, I lived in Chadderton. I still travel to that area frequently. By car it takes approximately 25 minutes, whilst by public transport the journey takes about two hours. One of the reasons for this discrepancy is that whether I change to the tram or complete the trip using two ‘buses makes no difference to the overall time taken. Why? Because, for example, if on my return leg I choose to use the tram, I still have to wait at Parrs Wood or Didsbury Village to board exactly the same 42B I would have boarded at Piccadilly. Admittedly, the tram is slightly more comfortable – though only if one can get a seat. However, waiting for the 42B at Didsbury or Parrs Wood is not at all pleasant. It depends upon my ultimate destination, but a similar situation – having to wait to board the same ‘bus I would have caught from the city centre had I opted not to use the tram – usually applies in the case of the outbound leg of my trips to the Oldham area.
    A huge amount of money has been invested to provide the Greater Manchester Metrolink system yet in my experience, away from the city centre, it fails to link up successfully with the ‘bus or train. Worse still perhaps, if the intention was to persuade drivers, particularly commuters, to use the tram in preference to their cars, the provision of parking spaces at Metrolink stations fails to meet demand and in most cases is far from secure.
    My trips from Cheadle to Chadderton are but a single example. The fact is that owing to the “commercial model” of Britain’s public transport system outside London, it does not provide an adequate service for the taxpayers and fare-paying passengers who fund it.

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