Update regarding the withdrawal of First Manchester’s daytime services 58 (Rochdale – Milnrow – Oldham).
The key thing since First announced the above is to ensure a service continues this route
Following discussions with local bus operators, regarding potential commercial replacement, then a competitive tender process TfGM are proposing the award of subsidised replacement, as follows:
Service 58 (award to First Manchester – effective 29th April 2019)
- Hourly daytime service (currently half hourly) from Oldham towards Rochdale between 0500 and 1800 (Monday to Friday) & 0600 and 1800 (Saturday)
- Hourly daytime service (currently half hourly) from Rochdale towards Oldham between 0600 and 1900 (Monday to Friday) & 0700 and 1900 (Saturday)
Please note that First will continue to provide a morning peak service on their 182 between Milnrow and Manchester, and TfGM will continue to subsidise the evening and Sunday 181/182 journeys that also continue beyond Shaw to Milnrow and Rochdale.
I travel on this service quite regularly and it always seems busy, sometimes it is hard to find a seat. This is with a half-hourly service – it is going to be even worse when just hourly.
Agree there are a number of issues with this moving to an hourly service. The key was keep a service when First served notice to withdraw it.
Hopefully we can, and need to improve, reliability on this service, something that is easier to monitor now it is a subsidised service and not a commercial one.
As always happy to take up any issues with public transport but I always need specific details, dates, times and locations.