SF07
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Post by SF07 on Mar 21, 2023 20:35:54 GMT 1
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mattb7tl
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Post by mattb7tl on Jun 23, 2023 13:37:26 GMT 1
First has apparently lost almost all of the routes in Oldham to… Stagecoach! Completely understandable, the vehicles from the depot in Oldham are absolutely dreadfully maintained. I guess we now know where we’re getting the vehicles from for the increase in frequency for the 503/501/X3. First is apparently taking over some of the routes in Rochdale. Which almost certainly need singles over deckers.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2023 14:31:54 GMT 1
First has apparently lost almost all of the routes in Oldham to… Stagecoach! Completely understandable, the vehicles from the depot in Oldham are absolutely dreadfully maintained. I guess we now know where we’re getting the vehicles from for the increase in frequency for the 503/501/X3. First is apparently taking over some of the routes in Rochdale. Which almost certainly need singles over deckers. These contracts won't be starting until next year so the extra Halifax vehicles won't be from here First have won the smaller franchise for Rochdale & Bury what is expected to include the Rosso depot in Rochdale. Stagecoach have won the Middleton/Oldham/North Manchester (Queens Road & new Queens Park depots) Large franchises then Diamond have won the smaller Oldham franchise ( some are saying they've gained the old MCT Depot in Chadderton, others are saying they will be sharing Oldham depot with Stagecoach Diamonds now confirmed it's 2 routes to operate out of their Eccles depot)
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mattb7tl
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Post by mattb7tl on Jun 23, 2023 14:44:19 GMT 1
First has apparently lost almost all of the routes in Oldham to… Stagecoach! Completely understandable, the vehicles from the depot in Oldham are absolutely dreadfully maintained. I guess we now know where we’re getting the vehicles from for the increase in frequency for the 503/501/X3. First is apparently taking over some of the routes in Rochdale. Which almost certainly need singles over deckers. These contracts won't be starting until next year so the extra Halifax vehicles won't be from here First have won the smaller franchise for Rochdale & Bury what is expected to include the Rosso depot in Rochdale. Stagecoach have won the Middleton/Oldham/North Manchester (Queens Road & new Queens Park depots) Large franchises then Diamond have won the smaller Oldham franchise (some are saying they've gained the old MCT Depot in Chadderton, others are saying they will be sharing Oldham depot with Stagecoach) Thanks everything seems to be scrambled across different pages and websites.
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SF07
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Post by SF07 on Jun 23, 2023 16:53:03 GMT 1
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Post by steve440 on Jun 23, 2023 18:01:14 GMT 1
Isn't that a bit like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted?
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Username
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Post by Username on Jun 23, 2023 19:56:48 GMT 1
First has apparently lost almost all of the routes in Oldham to… Stagecoach! Completely understandable, the vehicles from the depot in Oldham are absolutely dreadfully maintained. I guess we now know where we’re getting the vehicles from for the increase in frequency for the 503/501/X3. First is apparently taking over some of the routes in Rochdale. Which almost certainly need singles over deckers. Definitely not for 501/3/X3. Franchising for Oldham is next year and those services are coming this year. Plus most likely Bee Network are keeping the Enviro 400s whereas the B9s will probably go down Cornwall, Eastern Counties or somewhere where B9s won't become the scrapline anytime soon because they are getting old. The average Manchester B9s are 58 plates which means they are pushing 16 years, which is withdrawal age in the eyes of First bus.
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Jun 23, 2023 23:40:22 GMT 1
First has apparently lost almost all of the routes in Oldham to… Stagecoach! Completely understandable, the vehicles from the depot in Oldham are absolutely dreadfully maintained. Is that taken into account when TfGM decides who has won the contracts for the Bee Network?
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mattb7tl
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Post by mattb7tl on Jun 24, 2023 0:29:09 GMT 1
First has apparently lost almost all of the routes in Oldham to… Stagecoach! Completely understandable, the vehicles from the depot in Oldham are absolutely dreadfully maintained. Is that taken into account when TfGM decides who has won the contracts for the Bee Network? I don’t think handing out these contracts would be a random selection. I would imagine they judge companies based on the factors they can control. Like vehicle maintenance, fleet age, communication, and general effort. Compared to the rest of the main players, they simply underperform.
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Jun 24, 2023 6:54:59 GMT 1
So, First Manchester Vantage services are taken over by Go North West in September and Oldham services by Stagecoach next March.
The rump of First Manchester - the small Rochdale franchised operation - may as well join First West Yorkshire.
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joseph
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Post by joseph on Jun 24, 2023 8:33:43 GMT 1
So, First Manchester Vantage services are taken over by Go North West in September and Oldham services by Stagecoach next March. The rump of First Manchester - the small Rochdale franchised operation - may as well join First West Yorkshire. That wouldn't be a bad idea given the strike action and small size of the Rochdale operation, would only need a small outstation somewhere with maintenance done at Halifax. They could then fully close the Manchester operation without having to worry about the strike, give them a bit of redundancy money and away they all go.
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Post by humberside on Jun 24, 2023 12:46:22 GMT 1
Plus most likely Bee Network are keeping the Enviro 400s Isn't it entirely down to the incumbent operator as to whether they sell their vehicles to the new operator or not? So First can retain anything they want, and likewise have a buyer for anything at Oldham they don't want? And the same with depots?
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Post by westyorkshirebus1 on Jun 24, 2023 13:36:12 GMT 1
Isn't that a bit like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted? Would First even be allowed to give them a pay rise considering they will be TUPEing to Stagecoach next year First could offer them £50 an hour as it wouldn’t be their problem
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Post by westyorkshirebus1 on Jun 24, 2023 13:38:05 GMT 1
So, First Manchester Vantage services are taken over by Go North West in September and Oldham services by Stagecoach next March. The rump of First Manchester - the small Rochdale franchised operation - may as well join First West Yorkshire. I would have thought they’d want the franchised operation in a separate company considering it would be a completely different way of working. Won’t TfGM be technically paying the overheads anyway
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2023 13:48:31 GMT 1
So, First Manchester Vantage services are taken over by Go North West in September and Oldham services by Stagecoach next March. The rump of First Manchester - the small Rochdale franchised operation - may as well join First West Yorkshire. That wouldn't be a bad idea given the strike action and small size of the Rochdale operation, would only need a small outstation somewhere with maintenance done at Halifax. They could then fully close the Manchester operation without having to worry about the strike, give them a bit of redundancy money and away they all go. It's been suggested elsewhere that First have gained the Rochdale depot that Rosso currently use (as they've won both the Rochdale & Bury local networks any outstation couldn't be that small). First offloading Oldham just because of a strike would create more problems than it solves, the handover isn't until next year it means having to come up with a short term solution that isn't the best (see GNW covering Diamonds cuts with a collection of EYMS Geminis) plus risks some drivers going elsewhere making shortages even worse. Also whilst it's looking like it's only a small operation there is a chance First could win something in Tameside/Stockport/South Manc when they get awarded next year. Plus most likely Bee Network are keeping the Enviro 400s Isn't it entirely down to the incumbent operator as to whether they sell their vehicles to the new operator or not? So First can retain anything they want, and likewise have a buyer for anything at Oldham they don't want? And the same with depots? Your correct over the fleets being down to the operators choice. Depots are a little more complicated as the operator can refuse to sell with it leading to either GMPTE building their own new depot (like in Wigan) or could go down the compulsory purchase route. As it's been known First have wanted to offload Oldham but couldn't due to the expensive & complicated roof repairs that's needed at the depot I'm guessing they are happy to finally be offloading it to someone.
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Post by SCH117X on Jun 24, 2023 21:04:34 GMT 1
It has been confirmed by Transdev that First will be taking on their Rochdale based operations.
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SF07
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Post by SF07 on Jul 9, 2023 10:44:55 GMT 1
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SF07
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Post by SF07 on Jul 19, 2023 17:35:50 GMT 1
More dates planned for strikes in addition to the six coming up in the second half of July. New dates are 31st July and 2nd, 4th, 7th, 10th and 11th August. Effectively means that First Bus are on strike three days a week for six weeks since beginning of July. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-66242288
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