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Author Topic: A6-M60 bypass  (Read 9092 times)

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Dave

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #31 on: April 24, 2018, 07:15:01 PM »
I see little point with a rail link to Stockport, as I see no point in going into Stockport.....

Maybe, but lots of people do, That's why the roads are so congested.

Most people who commute to work by car would not be helped by it.

OK, but many would, and would jump at the chance to avoid the dreaded Offerton crawl every morning and evening.  And then there are those who drive to Stockport to catch a train to London or elsewhere, who would be able to take a train from Marple or Romiley and cross the platform at Stockport to join their main line train.


There is no space on the rails system for more trains between Stockport and Manchester, therefore a new service from Marple to Stockport would have to terminate at Stockport.

Of course it would - no problem. We've already got trains to Manchester.

Meanwhile Carolyn writes:

@amazon
Taking the bus needs to be made a much more attractive option - faster route, more frequent service etc

Faster route = reducing traffic = building the new road. Bluebells are lovely but there are plenty of those!

amazon

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #30 on: April 24, 2018, 02:41:19 PM »
There is space for bus lanes on both sides of the A6 all the way into Stockport, it just needs a willingness to stand up to car drivers.    (It's a real shame that the 2nd half of the new road is so delayed, otherwise they could have been put in with the road opening.)   Enforce the bus line with cameras on the front of each bus, set so they only activate if a bus is going at under 25 mph, this allows car drivers to use the bus line to get past cars turning right etc, provided they don't slow down a bus.

Then a busway would need building from Marple to the A6, maybe next to the old railway line, this would not be cheap, but without it, buses will always be slow.
You did not say how you improve the bus service and which bus service

ringi

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #29 on: April 24, 2018, 01:39:07 PM »
So how do yo improve the current bus sevice and which bus service do you mean .bus lanes no chance no room

There is space for bus lanes on both sides of the A6 all the way into Stockport, it just needs a willingness to stand up to car drivers.    (It's a real shame that the 2nd half of the new road is so delayed, otherwise they could have been put in with the road opening.)   Enforce the bus line with cameras on the front of each bus, set so they only activate if a bus is going at under 25 mph, this allows car drivers to use the bus line to get past cars turning right etc, provided they don't slow down a bus.

Then a busway would need building from Marple to the A6, maybe next to the old railway line, this would not be cheap, but without it, buses will always be slow.

amazon

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #28 on: April 24, 2018, 01:07:33 PM »
But how many of these people are going all the way from Marple to Stockport?    Also if a train service removes some of the bus users, will there be enough people still using the bus to keep the service going.   

If we are not careful, we get a train once an hour (or even once every two hours) and a much-reduced bus service.   (Clearly, if a tram service was introduced from Stockport station to Didsbury etc, then a link to Stockport station will make a lot more sense.)

Overall I much rather the money be spent on improving the current bus service making it more dependable and having a better service at night and on Sundays etc.     Think of what a radical option like bus lanes all along the A6 combined with a busway from Marple to the A6 could do......

Remember that is costs about the same to run a train every 2hr then to run buses every 20 minutes!
So how do yo improve the current bus sevice and which bus service do you mean .bus lanes no chance no room

ringi

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #27 on: April 24, 2018, 12:28:39 PM »
Enough people board the 383 and 384 buses in rush hour to suggest there's a demand for services going to Stockport. 

But how many of these people are going all the way from Marple to Stockport?    Also if a train service removes some of the bus users, will there be enough people still using the bus to keep the service going.   

If we are not careful, we get a train once an hour (or even once every two hours) and a much-reduced bus service.   (Clearly, if a tram service was introduced from Stockport station to Didsbury etc, then a link to Stockport station will make a lot more sense.)

Overall I much rather the money be spent on improving the current bus service making it more dependable and having a better service at night and on Sundays etc.     Think of what a radical option like bus lanes all along the A6 combined with a busway from Marple to the A6 could do......

Remember that is costs about the same to run a train every 2hr then to run buses every 20 minutes!

Newbie1

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #26 on: April 24, 2018, 12:05:02 PM »
@amazon

Yes, exactly.  It took 30 mins for me to park a few weeks ago and that was with a blue badge holder on board.  I'm sure it took longer than 12 mins to drive there as well. 

Taking the bus needs to be made a much more attractive option - faster route, more frequent service etc so that those who must drive can park when they get there.


andrewbowden

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #25 on: April 24, 2018, 11:55:42 AM »
If we want people to get out of their car, we do have to provide a good alternative.  Rail is ideal as roads can get clogged through no fault of the operator.  @ringi - there are train paths from Stockport - Manchester but I agree it'd be tight.  @andrewbowden - full conversion to Metrolink is a bit Marple-centrist - there are also Hope Valley trains and freight trains to consider.  As you say dual running does work in the rest of Europe, especially NL and Germany.   

You're right Geoff, full conversion to Metrolink wouldn't work - as it stands.  Indeed one thing I wasn't clear about what that the Stockport Council strategy document said Marple - Bredbury - Manchester for a train tram, but by Marple it meant Rose Hill (this is clarified in the appendix.)   I lazily copied that without making that clear :)

That would make things easier as essentially the Manchester-Sheffield stopping trains that call at Marple would (presumably) get re-routed via Hyde taking over the existing paths used by the Rose Hill trains.  There are a pretty small number of freight trains that go through line through Bredbury (I see two in each direction running today) and such services would also probably have to be re-routed through Hyde in order not to impact a Metrolink style frequency. 

Doing so would mean that the stretch from Romiley to Belle Vue could be pretty much dedicated to Metrolink. And then it would need some approach to Manchester to join the rest of the Metrolink network at Piccadilly.

A fully isolated network would be ideal.  But tram-train could be done.

Saus Andrew, the armchair public transport network planner ;)

amazon

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #24 on: April 24, 2018, 11:50:59 AM »
Yes, that would certainly be a good option.

(I've just checked the bus timetable and it takes almost an hour by bus to get to Stepping Hill from Marple.  Google maps says it takes 12 mins by car.)
Then the prob is no ware to park when you get there

amazon

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #23 on: April 24, 2018, 11:47:35 AM »
The annual bluebell walk through the threatened Goyt and Poise Valleys is on 6th May.  People are meeting at 2.15pm outside Bredbury Hall.  Please come along and see what we risk allowing to be destroyed.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=925556440947471&id=544896215680164
Blue bells before an  esential road ...   

Newbie1

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #22 on: April 24, 2018, 11:38:06 AM »
The annual bluebell walk through the threatened Goyt and Poise Valleys is on 6th May.  People are meeting at 2.15pm outside Bredbury Hall.  Please come along and see what we risk allowing to be destroyed.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=925556440947471&id=544896215680164

CllrGeoffAbell

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #21 on: April 24, 2018, 11:27:21 AM »
If we want people to get out of their car, we do have to provide a good alternative.  Rail is ideal as roads can get clogged through no fault of the operator.  @ringi - there are train paths from Stockport - Manchester but I agree it'd be tight.  @andrewbowden - full conversion to Metrolink is a bit Marple-centrist - there are also Hope Valley trains and freight trains to consider.  As you say dual running does work in the rest of Europe, especially NL and Germany.   

Stockport's "offer" has been poor, but is improving with Red Rock and Foodie Friday being two recent changes.  When I go to the town hall, cycling is about 30 mins, and I leave 60 mins for buses (in case one is cancelled / late, especially in rush hour).  Cars typically take 20 mins in busy periods but parking is poor.

Parking also poor in Marple.  Cons are suggesting 30 mins free parking, which is laudable.  Until you ask, where is the financial shortfall going to be made up from, when Con government is starving local authorities?  (Remember the big recent debate about station car parks)  And Marple car parks are already full.  Are we building more?

In conclusion, cars are definitely not the answer to all transport problems, especially in crowded urban areas.

andrewbowden

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #20 on: April 24, 2018, 07:01:33 AM »
Yes, that would certainly be a good option.

(I've just checked the bus timetable and it takes almost an hour by bus to get to Stepping Hill from Marple.  Google maps says it takes 12 mins by car.)

Marple has two services to Stepping Hill.

The 394 does it in 25 minutes.  Bit longer than the car as it goes via High Lane so less direct.  the 394 runs every two hours, Monday to Friday. 

The 375 runs hourly and does the journey in 45 minutes because it goes round the houses.  It runs Monday to Saturday.

Times for both are from Navigation Hotel but both services also call at Marple Bridge. 

Newbie1

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #19 on: April 23, 2018, 11:58:22 PM »
Yes, that would certainly be a good option.

(I've just checked the bus timetable and it takes almost an hour by bus to get to Stepping Hill from Marple.  Google maps says it takes 12 mins by car.)


ringi

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #18 on: April 23, 2018, 11:13:45 PM »
@ringi An efficient bus service to Stepping Hill is something that I would certainly press for if elected.  Car parking at the hospital appears to be getting far more difficult each time we go.  I talked to staff in the clinic about this and they confirmed they were getting more and more complaints all the time about parking issues.

A direct bus service would encourage people to leave their cars at home, which in turn would free up parking spaces for those who need to drive.

One option would be a direct FAST bus service to the park and ride site, as I expect there will be a fast bus to the airport from their once the new road opens.   Hence having a bus going there from Marple would help both people getting to Stepping Hill and people getting to the Airport.

andrewbowden

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Re: A6-M60 bypass
« Reply #17 on: April 23, 2018, 11:10:50 PM »
I see little point with a rail link to Stockport, as I see no point in going into Stockport.....   Most people who commute to work by car would not be helped by it.   I would much rather the  money be spent on having trains every 15 minutes into Manchester, along with a better bus network, and bus lanes all along the A6.

(There is no space on the rails system for more trains between Stockport and Manchester, therefore a new service from Marple to Stockport would have to terminate at Stockport.)

Enough people board the 383 and 384 buses in rush hour to suggest there's a demand for services going to Stockport.  You may not want to go there, but some do.  I go there regularly to catch trains or go swimming myself.  The Stockport Exchange complex around the station is introducing more high quality office space in that area over the next few years.

Anyway, in 2015 Stockport Council published it's rail strategy.  You can read it online
http://www.mcrua.org.uk/chairmansblog/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Stockport-Rail-Strategy-January-2015.pdf

Train-tram running Manchester - Bredbury - Marple was their big local item, taking over the railway line and replacing with Metrolink.  Such a proposal would give a 12 minute service assuming the standard Metrolink service patterns are applied.  Longer term they stated there should be a rail link between Stockport and Marple as well.  Maybe that could be an extension of the train tram.

The problem with train trams is that - despite the fact they happily get used across the world - the Department for Transport's insisted on doing a trial in Sheffield that's had cost and delivery issues due to complexity.  A trial with Metrolink would have been easier due to differences in design.  But hey, that's central government for you.  It's almost like they want it to fail...