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Archive => Archived Boards => Local Issues => Topic started by: andrewbowden on February 14, 2020, 02:40:47 PM

Title: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 14, 2020, 02:40:47 PM
Tucked away in the agenda for Greater Manchester Transport Committee on 21 February, is this about the 375:
https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=193&MId=3858&Ver=4
https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/documents/s5929/08%2020200221%20Forthcoming%20Changes%20to%20Bus%20Network%20-%20Part%20A.pdf

Quote
Service 375 provides an hourly Monday to Saturday daytime service between Mellor and Stockport, operating as a TfGM subsidised service between Mellor and Marple then extending commercially to Stockport since 2014.

The current contracts for the operation of this service end in April 2020. Officers recently issued tenders for the continued operation of this service, with a revised route operating between Mellor, Marple and Hyde, and unfortunately the best prices received represented a significant increase over the expiring contract which would have proved unsustainable due to the extremely high cost per passenger.

Consequently, Officers reissued the contracts, reducing the service to operate between Marple and Mellor only, in the hope this would bring costs within an acceptable level. Unfortunately, while this action did result in a lower price than the initial tender and marginally lower than the expiring contract, it still resulted in an extremely high cost per passenger which would make the service unsustainable.

Subsequently a Demand Responsive Local Link service will be introduced to offer access to the network where there are no alternatives (see Marple, Mellor and Hawk Green Local Link below)Members are asked to approve the above recommendation to withdraw subsidised service 375, to be partly replaced by a new Local Link service, with effect from Sunday 19th April 2020.

The financial implications of this proposal are shown in Part B.

The sketchy details of the replacement are:

Quote
This service will serve Marple centre and railway station, Mellor and Hawk Green. The service will run 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday but not on Bank Holidays. Customers can use concessionary passes (half fares for regular concessions and free for concession plus) and System One bus products. We are introducing this service to partially address the gap left by the withdrawal of service 375.  Members are asked to approve the introduction of the Marple, Mellor and Hawk Green Local Link from Monday 20th of April, 2020

Given few people ever seem to be on the 375, no doubt this will follow in a few years time by the proposed withdrawl of the Local Link service  :-\
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Dave on February 14, 2020, 10:00:52 PM
Thanks for spotting this Andrew. It’s extraordinary coming at a time when the talk at government level is of improving local transport, not making yet more cuts.

It may be that few people use the 375, but those who do use it really need it - it provides a vital service for residents of Hawk Green and Mellor who don’t (or prefer not to) drive. Are we serious about tackling climate change or not?
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 15, 2020, 10:51:11 AM
As an occasional user based on my observations I would say it would cut off a lifeline for many local pensioners to get to the shops, let alone Stepping Hill...when it bothers to turn up. Thanks for highlighting this though
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: amazon on February 15, 2020, 10:54:32 AM
As an occasional user based on my observations I would say it would cut off a lifeline for many local pensioners to get to the shops, let alone Stepping Hill...when it bothers to turn up. Thanks for highlighting this though
Does the ring and ride service not run anymore .
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 15, 2020, 11:09:41 AM
Ring and Ride does still run.

Note that the proposed LocalLink replacement is basically Ring and Ride but for everyone.  You have to ring up at least an hour before hand and book yourself on to it.  LocalLink runs in several places across Greater Manchester, but obviously doesn't run to a timetable.  For some this may be better.  But not for everyone.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Steve Gribbon on February 16, 2020, 05:38:02 PM
Hello fellow site members, I have just posted this on several social media sites.

***375 Bus***

Good afternoon. Many people are now aware of the proposed cutting of the 375 bus service running through our area, notably Hawk Green and onto Mellor. My fellow Councillors and I oppose this strongly,

I have booked us a meeting with our Council Transport Strategy Officer tomorrow, a statement is being prepared to be read out at the TfGM meeting on Friday and I am due to attend a meeting in March where Mayor Burnham will be present and I will endeavour to raise this very important local issue.

We will do everything we can to keep this service running.

Kind regards

Steve


Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Dave on February 17, 2020, 12:36:14 AM
Thanks Steve - much appreciated.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 17, 2020, 11:22:08 AM
Does the ring and ride service not run anymore .

Amazon I can't comment accurately re R & R as I don't use it but a quick glance at the website suggests that many currently free journeys would have to be paid for, and that access to the service is quite restricted so for instance it will be no use to college students at the top end of Mellor.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 17, 2020, 01:41:19 PM
Amazon I can't comment accurately re R & R as I don't use it but a quick glance at the website suggests that many currently free journeys would have to be paid for, and that access to the service is quite restricted so for instance it will be no use to college students at the top end of Mellor.

Note that the proposed replacement service is NOT Ring and Ride. It is a Local Link service
https://tfgm.com/public-transport/bus/local-link

Fares are detailed on the above page.  As it states in my original post, System One bus tickets would be accepted.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 17, 2020, 04:01:14 PM
Despite obviously getting the wrong end of the stick of an array of local options, local link do not guarantee they will be available, seems to be more of a first come first served. More to the point the 375 is under threat, the 383/384 evening services have already been reduced, the train is pretty unreliable and yet we wonder why the traffic increases.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Steve Gribbon on February 17, 2020, 05:36:44 PM

Good afternoon fellow site members

I have just posted the following on social media sites.

I hope you will consider signing and sharing the petition.

Kind regards

Steve

***375 Bus***

Good afternoon

Thanks to so many who supported my comments yesterday regarding the potential removal of this vital service. I have met with the Council Transport strategy Officer today, he is in agreement that this cutback will be of significance to the area. I have a further meeting tomorrow with a TfGM representative and have contacted Mayor Burnham to find out why this wasn’t mentioned on his visit to Marple 4 weeks ago.
Your local Councillors will do all they can to fight this but your help would be very welcome. A petition has been set up to show our rejection of this proposal. Please sign it and share with as many people as possible. The last bus petition had just over 1000 signatures, I would like far more than that for this incredibly valuable local service.

The link is:

https://www.lisasmart.org.uk/save_the_375_bus
Thanks in anticipation for your support

Steve
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Steve Gribbon on February 18, 2020, 04:54:09 PM
We’ve hit 1,000 signatures already, thanks for all those who have got involved and for those who intend to do so.

A tremendous community effort.

Kind regards

Steve
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: marplerambler on February 19, 2020, 05:46:40 PM
The 375 is not only a service to link Mellor and Hawk Green to Marple and Marple/Rose Hill station: since the reduction of the 394 service to every two hours Monday to Friday the 375 has become our main link to Stepping Hill Hospital every hour including Saturdays and is the only link from Bosden Farm to Hazel Grove and Stepping Hill Hospital. Don't forget that many people visiting the hospital may not be able to drive for health reasons: many may receive treatment which would make driving home unsafe. Finding somewhere to park at Stepping Hill hospital is horrendous and is a horrendously expensive. There is a proposal that a replacement service could link Mellor, Marple and Hyde. This proposal really makes me question whether anyone on this committee has any knowledge of the transport needs of people in Marple. We used to have a bus link to Hyde, the 389 service and this was withdrawn a few years ago due to low passenger numbers which was hardly surprising. Who on earth wants to go from Marple to Hyde in the first place and much more importantly, if you did, who on earth would catch an infrequent bus service to Hyde which would take you all of the way around the houses when there is a train every half an hour from Rose Hill which only takes eleven minutes. No-one wants to ride all of the way around the mulberry bush on a 375 from Mellor/Marple all the way to Stockport but the service to the hospital is vital to the community: it is there that a replacement service should terminate. The Conservatives promised massive improvements in bus services as part of their election pledge - this is William Wragg's opportunity to demonstrate that Boris's pledge to improve vital bus services is not yet another expulsion of worthless hot air. We need a 375 bus from Mellor and Marple to Stepping Hill: our local politicians and MP have a duty to subsidize this service.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: amazon on February 19, 2020, 09:41:32 PM
The 375 is not only a service to link Mellor and Hawk Green to Marple and Marple/Rose Hill station: since the reduction of the 394 service to every two hours Monday to Friday the 375 has become our main link to Stepping Hill Hospital every hour including Saturdays and is the only link from Bosden Farm to Hazel Grove and Stepping Hill Hospital. Don't forget that many people visiting the hospital may not be able to drive for health reasons: many may receive treatment which would make driving home unsafe. Finding somewhere to park at Stepping Hill hospital is horrendous and is a horrendously expensive. There is a proposal that a replacement service could link Mellor, Marple and Hyde. This proposal really makes me question whether anyone on this committee has any knowledge of the transport needs of people in Marple. We used to have a bus link to Hyde, the 389 service and this was withdrawn a few years ago due to low passenger numbers which was hardly surprising. Who on earth wants to go from Marple to Hyde in the first place and much more importantly, if you did, who on earth would catch an infrequent bus service to Hyde which would take you all of the way around the houses when there is a train every half an hour from Rose Hill which only takes eleven minutes. No-one wants to ride all of the way around the mulberry bush on a 375 from Mellor/Marple all the way to Stockport but the service to the hospital is vital to the community: it is there that a replacement service should terminate. The Conservatives promised massive improvements in bus services as part of their election pledge - this is William Wragg's opportunity to demonstrate that Boris's pledge to improve vital bus services is not yet another expulsion of worthless hot air. We need a 375 bus from Mellor and Marple to Stepping Hill: our local politicians and MP have a duty to subsidize this service.
Let me just correct you the 389 service used to run a good while ago from stalybrige to marple i used to use when was working marple to woodley down george lane then to hyde going nott lane way then on to stalybridge it was a very good service left Marple 7 in a morning well used by work people .
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 21, 2020, 03:34:55 PM
Well from what I read on Twitter, the Marple to Mellor section of the 375 will soon be dead. 
https://twitter.com/cllrdavidm/status/1230847331110653954?s=19

Hope everyone in Mellor and Hawk Green is looking forward to having to book their travel at least an hour in advance, and make sure they get to the stop at least ten minutes before hand, and be hanging around for up to 20 minutes for the vehicle to turn up, because the joys of demand responsive travel are what is coming.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 21, 2020, 04:17:28 PM
Well from what I read on Twitter, the Marple to Mellor section of the 375 will soon be dead. 
https://twitter.com/cllrdavidm/status/1230847331110653954?s=19

Hope everyone in Mellor and Hawk Green is looking forward to having to book their travel at least an hour in advance, and make sure they get to the stop at least ten minutes before hand, and be hanging around for up to 20 minutes for the vehicle to turn up, because the joys of demand responsive travel are what is coming.

Can't actually see where it says it the Marple- Mellor section - is there some extra info somewhere? You may be right but the statements I can currently see are v general.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Dave on February 21, 2020, 04:18:12 PM
Another major drawback of Local Link is that it is, er, local.  The 375 has a vital role taking patients and hospital visitors to Stepping Hill. I know the 394 goes there too, but it only runs every two hours and it doesn’t serve Mellor.  This cut makes a mockery of the current government’s hollow claims about improving transport in the north and investing £5 million on new bus services 🙄
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 21, 2020, 04:23:58 PM
Can't actually see where it says it the Marple- Mellor section - is there some extra info somewhere? You may be right but the statements I can currently see are v general.

It's in the text of the first post in this thread.

The 375 is only subsidised between Marple and Mellor.  The Marple to Stockport section is commercially run by Stagecoach.  The assumption presumably is that they will continue to run that section after these changes.  Although whether anyone has asked them that is another matter.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: wheels on February 22, 2020, 10:46:15 AM
It would be interesting to know what the actual amount of money we are talking about being saved by the transport authority is. Perhaps Steve has that information?
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 22, 2020, 10:55:30 AM
It's in the text of the first post in this thread.

The 375 is only subsidised between Marple and Mellor.  The Marple to Stockport section is commercially run by Stagecoach.  The assumption presumably is that they will continue to run that section after these changes.  Although whether anyone has asked them that is another matter.

Interesting. Some time ago (& I can't recall where) I read it was the section between the turning near the Devonshire arms and Shiloh Road that was subsidised, not the bit up to the Devvie. But things might have changed.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: alfred on February 22, 2020, 11:47:48 PM
So the important council meeting has been and gone. I am confused have we and our representatives saved the 375 not?
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: admin on February 23, 2020, 11:52:04 AM
So the important council meeting has been and gone. I am confused have we and our representatives saved the 375 not?

I'm a little unclear too but our MP Tweeted the following on Friday so I assume the withdrawal is going ahead despite opposition:

Quote from: William Wragg MP on Twitter
Despite best efforts, Labour Councillors from across Greater Manchester have voted to scrap the 375 bus.
I sent a petition against plans to scrap the 375 to the meeting, but unfortunately the views of local residents were ignored.

Can local councillors clarify the situation please? @Steve Gribbon
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 24, 2020, 06:16:33 PM
Just had an email from the Lib dems confirming the whole route will go, not just Mellor to Marple.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: marplerambler on February 24, 2020, 07:39:48 PM


Quote from: William Wragg MP on Twitter
Despite best efforts, Labour Councillors from across Greater Manchester have voted to scrap the 375 bus.
I sent a petition against plans to scrap the 375 to the meeting, but unfortunately the views of local residents were ignored.

What about the views of William Wragg MP????? Boris Johnson said that the Tory Party would invest massively in local bus services in return for re-election. William Wragg should be not just be telling us that he handed in a petition. He should be making public statements reminding Boris Johnson of his pledge and asking that the residents of Mellor and Marple that this bus service to Stepping Hill Hospital should be protected and subsidised.
 
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 24, 2020, 07:57:05 PM
If it is indeed the whole route then it becomes a Stockport matter rather than a purely Mellor Hawk Green and Marple one given it would affect areas of Offerton & Hazel Grove  perhaps any campaign needs to be organised more on these lines. I don't know the ward boundaries with accuracy but am going to guess the route passes through the routes of representatives of all the main parties and I suspect having Labour councillors challenging the decision as well might carry more weight. I also wonder whether people on say the Bean Leach & Offerton park estates realise that they are about to lose this service. Whilst I think they may have some alternatives, I suspect they won't be happy.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 24, 2020, 10:23:04 PM
As I mentioned earlier, the section between Marple and Stockport is run commercially by Stagecoach.  It is not in the power of Transport for Greater Manchester to scrap that section - that decision can only be made by Stagecoach.

So unless Stagecoach have decided to withdraw it at, then that section will remain.

If for some reason they did decide they no longer wanted to run the Stockport to Marple section them Transport for Greater Manchester would have to review it and determine if they wanted to subsidise that service to keep it running.

Basically nothing happened on Friday that meant the whole of the 375 would be axed.  Just the Mellor/Marple section.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 25, 2020, 10:04:51 AM
Andrew I think the problem is that lots of slightly different versions of information is leaching out with no definitive statement from anyone. It may be the Lib Dems have got it wrong as well but everyone who is actually interested in using the service seem to be the last to know anything. Lets see what Steve G posts on here in due course. Nothing wrong with planning for the worst case scenario though as on my observations/ experience the Mellor/ Marple section is generally used as much/ little as all the other sections so if this is uneconomic even with a subsidy I would still have worries in the longer term
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 25, 2020, 10:33:28 AM
Andrew I think the problem is that lots of slightly different versions of information is leaching out with no definitive statement from anyone. It may be the Lib Dems have got it wrong as well but everyone who is actually interested in using the service seem to be the last to know anything. Lets see what Steve G posts on here in due course. Nothing wrong with planning for the worst case scenario though as on my observations/ experience the Mellor/ Marple section is generally used as much/ little as all the other sections so if this is uneconomic even with a subsidy I would still have worries in the longer term

Ultimately the route's status of part-subsidised, part-commercial does make things more more confusing.  And whilst I am not saying don't worry, it's important to consider the split of responsibilities

I do have concerns about the rest of the route myself - does lobbing off the Mellor section make it less economic to run the commercial section?  But the way our deregulated bus system works means that is a decision for Stagecoach and Stagecoach alone.  And until they announce revised timetables for the 375, we have absolutely no evidence they plan to withdraw the service.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on March 02, 2020, 06:31:19 PM
According to an email from the Lib Dems today:

"...We have heard this morning that the decision has been 'called in' and will be discussed again at a future meeting of the Greater Manchester Planning & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee..."

Not sure how significant this is or whether the original decision is been delayed.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Dave on March 03, 2020, 11:01:41 AM
I'm no expert on local authority jargon, but I think that being 'called in' means that elected councillors want to review a decision taken by officers.  So tfgm did take a decision, but there is now a glimmer of hope that it might be overturned.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on March 04, 2020, 03:48:10 PM
According to the Manchester Evening News, it's going to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's "Housing Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny" committee.  The MEN says "Although the committee cannot overturn resolutions made by the panel, it can make strong recommendations."
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/our-world-shrink-tremendously-those-17856818

There's no date for the next meeting of the committee listed on the Combined Authority's website but based on previous months, they happen in the middle of the month.
https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=247
Our very own Steve Gribbon is Deputy Chair according to the Combined Authority website, so it looks like the 375 will have a strong advocate when that meeting does happen.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Steve Gribbon on March 06, 2020, 04:16:31 PM
Good Afternoon

My apologies for the delay in replying I have just returned from being away but have been keeping a watch on happenings. I will do my best to clarify the situation and offer my own view (bear with me please).

The TfGM ruling on February was exactly as stated, the vote was passed to start proceedings to cut the whole service. There was no mention of it being altered or for some of it to remain. We started a petition to get local support as soon as we were aware of the situation. We got nearly 2000 signatures before the meeting, which was fantastic. I contacted William Wragg as he started a petition the day before the meeting, I thought a united front would be good for our community. William didn’t respond to my contact and a Stalybridge Councillor presented his petition. I have since tried to contact him but as yet no response.

Since the meeting we have been working at a strategy to present our case to retain the service. @andrewbowden is correct that I am deputy chair of the forthcoming scrutiny meeting but I will actually be chairing it. Mayor Burnham will be present at the meeting also. Some may be aware that he was invited to Marple 4 weeks before the meeting and no mention of this cut was made. Of course it may have not been decided then but what was mentioned was the need for improved public transport.

Whilst trying not to be overly political or point fingers I want to stress everything will be done to retain the service, the amount of people who have emailed and phoned us in support of the service has been overwhelming, letters from school head teachers and local business owners have added more weight to our case.

The scrutiny meeting will be on 19th March, I will ascertain if it will be on webcast and will update on here accordingly.

I hope this provides a suitable update for those who read.

Kind regards

Steve
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: amazon on March 06, 2020, 05:04:59 PM
Good Afternoon

My apologies for the delay in replying I have just returned from being away but have been keeping a watch on happenings. I will do my best to clarify the situation and offer my own view (bear with me please).

The TfGM ruling on February was exactly as stated, the vote was passed to start proceedings to cut the whole service. There was no mention of it being altered or for some of it to remain. We started a petition to get local support as soon as we were aware of the situation. We got nearly 2000 signatures before the meeting, which was fantastic. I contacted William Wragg as he started a petition the day before the meeting, I thought a united front would be good for our community. William didn’t respond to my contact and a Stalybridge Councillor presented his petition. I have since tried to contact him but as yet no response.

Since the meeting we have been working at a strategy to present our case to retain the service. @andrewbowden is correct that I am deputy chair of the forthcoming scrutiny meeting but I will actually be chairing it. Mayor Burnham will be present at the meeting also. Some may be aware that he was invited to Marple 4 weeks before the meeting and no mention of this cut was made. Of course it may have not been decided then but what was mentioned was the need for improved public transport.

Whilst trying not to be overly political or point fingers I want to stress everything will be done to retain the service, the amount of people who have emailed and phoned us in support of the service has been overwhelming, letters from school head teachers and local business owners have added more weight to our case.

The scrutiny meeting will be on 19th March, I will ascertain if it will be on webcast and will update on here accordingly.

I hope this provides a suitable update for those who read.

Kind regards

Steve 
Thanks for info
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Dave on March 06, 2020, 05:21:38 PM
Thanks for the update Steve. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.  :)
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: My login is Henrietta on March 06, 2020, 06:05:15 PM
What can I do to help?

I live on Buxton Lane and (due to severe arthritis which stops me driving and also makes walking any distance extremely difficult.) I use this bus regularly to get into Marple and do my shopping. It's bad enough that there isn't a regular service now but if "they" get rid of this service there will be only one service (394) to get into Marple, and to Stepping Hill and that is only a 2 hourly service. (and they wanted to axe that a while back!)

And heaven help people who live in Mellor and can't drive or don't have access to a car in the day time. I'm fed up with people assuming that everyone can drive and has a car. Mind you,  in Mellor you can buy your horse a new rug and a bottle of wine for yourself but as far as I can see by looking on line, there isn't anywhere that sells essential food for humans. Ok, there are taxis -but how long does it take for the nearest taxi to get to someone in Mellor and can they afford the regular fees?

And don't say "There's always Ocado". Which old lady or gentleman can store a large order of food and necessaries and if they don't have a car they probably can't afford an Ocado order anyway
As I mentioned earlier, the section between Marple and Stockport is run commercially by Stagecoach.  It is not in the power of Transport for Greater Manchester to scrap that section - that decision can only be made by Stagecoach.

So unless Stagecoach have decided to withdraw it at, then that section will remain.

If for some reason they did decide they no longer wanted to run the Stockport to Marple section them Transport for Greater Manchester would have to review it and determine if they wanted to subsidise that service to keep it running.

Basically nothing happened on Friday that meant the whole of the 375 would be axed.  Just the Mellor/Marple section.
.

As I say, what can I do to help?
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: amazon on March 06, 2020, 08:19:47 PM
What can I do to help?

I live on Buxton Lane and (due to severe arthritis which stops me driving and also makes walking any distance extremely difficult.) I use this bus regularly to get into Marple and do my shopping. It's bad enough that there isn't a regular service now but if "they" get rid of this service there will be only one service (394) to get into Marple, and to Stepping Hill and that is only a 2 hourly service. (and they wanted to axe that a while back!)

And heaven help people who live in Mellor and can't drive or don't have access to a car in the day time. I'm fed up with people assuming that everyone can drive and has a car. Mind you,  in Mellor you can buy your horse a new rug and a bottle of wine for yourself but as far as I can see by looking on line, there isn't anywhere that sells essential food for humans. Ok, there are taxis -but how long does it take for the nearest taxi to get to someone in Mellor and can they afford the regular fees?

And don't say "There's always Ocado". Which old lady or gentleman can store a large order of food and necessaries and if they don't have a car they probably can't afford an Ocado order anyway.

As I say, what can I do to help?
Have you signed the petition .
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Dave on March 07, 2020, 08:58:27 AM
Not sure what you can do to help, Henrietta, apart from sign the petition. But there is a meeting about the proposed cut at Mellor Primary School next Saturday at 10 am - you can still get there on the bus!

Amazon, do you mind if I make a suggestion? It really isn’t necessary to clog up the forum by quoting everyone else’s post in full. Just saying.... 😏
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: amazon on March 07, 2020, 05:08:50 PM
Not sure what you can do to help, Henrietta, apart from sign the petition. But there is a meeting about the proposed cut at Mellor Primary School next Saturday at 10 am - you can still get there on the bus!

Amazon, do you mind if I make a suggestion? It really isn’t necessary to clog up the forum by quoting everyone else’s post in full. Just saying.... 😏
Ok would you like me to leave the forum .
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on March 09, 2020, 10:43:18 AM
Bus companies have to formally register changers to their services in advance of implementing them.  As part of their April timetable change, Stagecoach have now formally submitted the paperwork for withdrawing the whole of the 375 - including the commercial section between Stockport and Marple.  So obviously they've made their decision not to keep any part of the route running.

Sources here:
https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-registered-local-bus-services/details/544904/
https://bustimes.org/registrations/PC0003681/90

Has to be stressed, this is just Stagecoach going through the proper process and making its own commercial decisions. 
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Steve Gribbon on April 08, 2020, 10:07:26 AM
***375 Bus***

Good morning

I am delighted to say that the 375 bus will be continued following a reversal in decision by TfGM. This has come large in part because of the weight of support our fantastic local community provided. Thank you very much to all who helped by petition signing, sending messages of support and providing evidence of why the service was so badly needed. Our petition is closing in on 4000 which is an incredible effort.

When travels restrictions are lifted lets do our best to use our local public services to ensure this sort of situation doesn’t happen for us again.

Kind regards and stay safe

Steve
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Dave on April 08, 2020, 10:16:11 AM
That’s great news Steve - thank you and well done to you and other councillors who worked hard to get the original decision reversed 👏👏
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on April 08, 2020, 10:23:48 AM
Great news!  I look forward to being able to use it again!
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 10, 2021, 02:31:01 PM
Appears Stagecoach will no longer be running the 375 route - being transferred to  little gem (@littlegembus). I guess,  but don't know,  tickets will not be transferable so probably no hopping onto faster buses in Marple neither do I know implications for schoolchildren using 375. Perhaps one of the councillors could let us know whether interchangeable tickets with Stagecoach will be issued, ditto whether the route will be unchanged
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 10, 2021, 02:57:26 PM
PS Would also be useful to know if concessionary passes will also be valid. Doesn't affect me but will many in Mellor.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: amazon on February 10, 2021, 03:05:10 PM
Appears Stagecoach will no longer be running the 375 route - being transferred to  little gem (@littlegembus). I guess,  but don't know,  tickets will not be transferable so probably no hopping onto faster buses in Marple neither do I know implications for schoolchildren using 375. Perhaps one of the councillors could let us know whether interchangeable tickets with Stagecoach will be issued, ditto whether the route will be unchanged
Has the 394 changed changed operaters  different busses on that route at the moment .
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 10, 2021, 04:50:12 PM
Appears Stagecoach will no longer be running the 375 route - being transferred to  little gem (@littlegembus). I guess,  but don't know,  tickets will not be transferable so probably no hopping onto faster buses in Marple neither do I know implications for schoolchildren using 375. Perhaps one of the councillors could let us know whether interchangeable tickets with Stagecoach will be issued, ditto whether the route will be unchanged

System One Travelcards allow you to use one ticket on multiple operators.  Bit more expensive, and obviously not pushed strongly by operators as they'll get a bigger cut selling you their own ticket.
https://systemonetravel.co.uk

Little Gem isn't listed clearly on the System One website, but they're part of Go Goodwins who are.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: andrewbowden on February 10, 2021, 04:52:57 PM
Has the 394 changed changed operaters  different busses on that route at the moment .

High Peak had "staffing issues as a result of the Covid emergency" so they were temporarily run by another company on behalf of High Peak.  Caused a lot of problems - they had to cut a lot of services.  At one point the 394 wasn't going to run at all.  In the end another company stood in.  Should be back to normal now - I saw a High Peak bus on Monday.
Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: Condate on February 10, 2021, 05:21:34 PM
Has the 394 changed changed operaters  different busses on that route at the moment .

I have noticed the occasional Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 City CV instead of the usual Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 and Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMC.

Stagecoach seem to have introduced a few new models recently.

Title: Re: Proposed withdrawl of the 375 bus route between Marple and Mellor
Post by: corium on February 11, 2021, 10:01:33 AM
Andrew

Thanks, haven't had to use system 1 before but see it would meet my needs and yes , more expensive but not that much.