(01 May 2017, 8:05 am)Andreos1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-man...r-39709700
Manchester focus, within Buses Bill feature
Well, no one can accuse the BBC of being either punctual or integrated! This item dated today, states the Bus Services Bill is still awaiting Royal Assent. That happened 4 days ago! Also, there was absolutely no mention of this on the Regional News this lunchtime, and indeed BBC's coverage of the Mayoral Elections has been poor compared to Granada. Meanwhile, there was an interesting piece on the BBC National News about continued cuts in subsidised services. The example used was First's route 267 from Bath to Frome, used by Shift workers and Students alike needing to catch the last bus of the night at 2310. From First's own publicity, it is a single bus/driver running a two hourly service on the 14 mile each way route, with Day tickets costing £6 (mticket) or £6.50 (paper). Now, there could be some element of stage management, but it looked like a good dozen or more passengers were on the bus, which at the time of filming would translate to at least £72 revenue*. That alone would surely pay the Drivers wage for the back "half" of his/her duty, and surely the earlier journeys will be picking up some passengers, even if few would board the last bus after leaving Bath behind. Equally, even if it wasn't quite breaking even, then the subsidy should not be that high. We are not talking a couple of blokes who like to go into town for a drink twice a week here; its a reasonable number of passengers making essential trips.
What I would say about the enclosed article is that Monton is (comparatively) well off in the context of being near Eccles - and is barely a mile from the town centre. Whilst, subsidised local services have been changed and cut regularly in recent years, the "village" does still have a bus through Eccles into Piccadilly every 15 minutes (M-Sa) daytime, as well as connections in either Eccles or at Salford Royal to a combined 8 buses an hour to Shudehill.
All these services are run by First, so no financial penalty is incurred. Reliability/Punctuality is a whole seperate argument though!
The article also reveals a wider worry about just how devolved, Devolution will be; Just as London and the South East dominate the UK Economy and democratic access to media and influential politicians, it is increasingly looking like the three most politically correct districts of GM are dominating this election; that is Salford (where Monton is), Trafford and Manchester (and specifically South M'cr).
*If there is no bus home, they are not going to be buying a DayTicket. In fact, from what the passengers were saying, they would not be travelling at all!
