Bus service from Macclesfield to Didsbury axed

So this means the bus service between Wilmslow and Macclesfield Hospital has gone? Yet another cut of a vital public service.

Careful how you vote today!

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Vince Chadwick, no it hasn't. The 88 does ir, although taking a lot longer via Knutsford and the villages, albeit with only a few journeys per day.
Let's see how the the 'new order' at CEC react. A chance for them to demonstrate commitment to the so called climate emergency they announced and protect/promote public transport over car use.

Hi folks, the advice I have been given from the council is that arriva have deregistered the route. That means that there is a period during which other operators can offer to take it on. If that happens, happy days, the service will continue. That period finishes next wee I believe. If no-one wants to take it on, the council will have to make a decision on whether to support it. The council can't intervene in the process before then though legally. I'll let you all know when I know more.

Thanks for the clarification David Jefferay.

If Arriva were following the correct procedure for cancelling a local bus service on 26 January 2020 then they needed to inform the traffic commissioner 42 days in advance, on 15 December 2019 (so not yet, that's fine), and also inform the "relevant local authority" 28 days prior to that date, so by 17 November 2019. So the response to Lisa's enquiry on 26 November might not have been as frank as it could have been. And if the "relevant local authority" was informed in the middle of November, why has it taken a month for the information to be finally published, given that rumours have been circulating for a number of weeks now? The Cheshire East bus information page is completely quiet on the subject today.

Driving into Wilmslow earlier I saw a number 88 with "Wilmslow, Knutsford, Northwich" on the front. That must be one circuitous route if it also includes Macc Hospital.

Please correct me if I am incorrect, but I understand that the 88 Bus Service is operated by D&G Buses.

The current timetable can be found at https://bit.ly/2spNuSi

This appears to have been published on 27 October 2019.

The number of direct busses and times from WIlmslow (Bank Square) to Macclesfield Hospital

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

My understanding is the 88 is an Altrincham - Knutsford service via Wilmslow, once per hour each way, Monday to Friday, later start and earlier finish on Saturdays, no Sunday service. The service extends alternately from Knutsford to Macclesfield (including the hospital), and Knutsford to Northwich, the latter designated '89'.

Thus there is a Wilmslow to Macclesfield service every two hours each way, and a Wilmslow to Northwich service every two hours each way. The journey takes about two hours, including a lengthy wait at Knutsford bus station (I suppose one could nip into Booths for a coffee...).

So using this service, a visit to Macclesfield hospital from Wilmslow will be the best part of a day out even for a short stay at Macc, and assuming your appointment times fit in even approximately with the every-two-hour bus times.

So for most people it'll be much more convenient to drive even though parking is limited at the hospital. For those without a car, it'll have to be a taxi or train (change at Cheadle Hulme) and bus or taxi from the station to the hospital. And for us senior Cheshire residents (unlike our Greater Manchester neighbours) our free bus pass is not valid on local rail services.

Please ignore my half finished post. Clicked the button too early. The moral of which is don’t try and do things at 3am when you ave very tired.

Currently there are two bus services in operation between Wilmslow and Macclesfield.

The 130 operated by Arriva and the 88 operated b D&G buses.

I’ve reviewed the time tables and confirm the following

The 130 service runs on two different time tables, Monday to Friday (Bank holidays except) and Saturday. There is no service on a Sunday.

A summary of the 130 service.

On a Monday to Friday (except Bank holidays) there are 13 buses which travel towards Macclesfield. The first bus leaves Wilmslow at 7:05am and the last bus leaves at 7:30pm.
The journey time is typically around 36 minutes.

On a Saturday there are 13 buses which travel towards Macclesfield.
The first bus leaves Wilmslow at 7:32am and the last bus leaves at 7:32pm.
The journey time is typically around 35 minutes.

On a Monday to Friday (except Bank holidays) there are 13 buses which travel towards Wilmslow. The first bus leaves Macclesfield at 5:58am and the last bus leaves at 6:53pm.
The journey time is typically around 41 minutes.

On a Saturday there are 12 buses which travel towards Wilmslow.
The first bus leaves Macclesfield at 6:20am and the last bus leaves at 5:56pm.
The journey time is typically around 36 minutes.

There are no buses on a Sunday in either direction.

A summary of the 88 service.

On a Monday to Friday (except Bank holidays) there are 5 buses which travel towards Macclesfield. The first bus leaves Wilmslow at 11:15am and the last bus leaves at 5:35pm.
The journey time is typically around 82 minutes.

On a Saturday there are 4 buses which travel towards Macclesfield.
The first bus leaves Wilmslow at 9:18am and the last bus leaves at 3:18pm.
The journey time is typically around 82 minutes.

On a Monday to Friday (except Bank holidays) there are 6 buses which travel towards Wilmslow. The first bus leaves Macclesfield at 8:35am and the last bus leaves at 6:54pm.
The journey time is typically around 74 minutes.

On a Saturday there are 12 buses which travel towards Wilmslow.
The first bus leaves Macclesfield at 6:20am and the last bus leaves at 5:56pm.
The journey time is typically around 75 minutes.

There are no buses on a Sunday in either direction.

During the 25 years that I have lived in Wilmslow I recall there being different bus services running. The most at any one time being four different routes

88 - Circular route between Knutsford, Wilmslow & Altrincham
130 - Wilmslow to Macclesfield & Manchester
200(?) - Wilmslow to airport airport via Styal
276 - Wilmslow to Stockport

Two off these have gone completely, (22&276) If the 130 service is not taken over by another operator then that will go as well.

Christmas is the time when followers of Jesus celebrate his birth. They call him their Saviour.
Bus routes in Cheshire need a saviour.

D&G buses saved the 88 route from extinction a few years ago when Arriva pulled out of operating this route. Will D&G buses act as a saviour again?

We can only hope.

Some corrections to Stuart Redguard's post.

Mon - Fri the first 88 leaves Bank Square at 06:20, not 11:15. It arrives at Macc hospital at 08:06.

The last bus back leaves the hospital at 18:25 (not 5:35). It arrives at Bank Square at 19:39.

The full timetable can be seen here:

https://assets.ctfassets.net/nv7y93idf4jq/1QfURtXGDvd34dbboDj0M0/2a4c4c6751eae52f7759366930c99695/88_271019.pdf

I haven't checked any other buses / bus times he quotes, but the 200 service from Wilmslow to Styal and the Airport ceased operation in March 2018.

#Vince Chadwick

Thanks for the comment. You're are correct about the 06:20 service being the first, but it is not a direct service. I was just focusing on direct service only.

Your second comment is totally correct. My apologises.

Re: Stuart Redgard. D&G didn't 'save the 88.' It was operated by GHA Coaches who Cheshire East had awarded a contract to. When GHA Coaches when out of business an emergency tender was given to Arriva - who had buses and drivers available straight away. When the contract was awarded properly D&G Bus won it.

Anyway, D&G Bus will be running some form of service on the 130 route from January. However, the frequency and where buses will go after they reach Handforth in the northbound direction is TBC - D&G are looking at the option of running services to Stockport instead of East Didsbury.

I have a memory, which may be faulty, of the 19 bus service which ran from Macclesfield to Wilmslow via Prestbury, if so I'm referring to the early 1980s.

Arriva has now informed the Traffic Commissioner of its intent in line with the notice requirements:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/853966/np-2894-18-december-2019.pdf..pdf

Section 3.5 – Cancellations of Existing Services

PC0002598/290 ARRIVA NORTH WEST LTD, 73 ORMSKIRK ROAD, LIVERPOOL, L9 5AE
Operating between Macclesfield Bus Station and East Didsbury given service number 130 / 130 effective from 26 January 2020.

The deputy leader of the council confirmed today that the route is being taken over by another operator. He didn't say who but it seems to be common knowledge now that it is D&G. My understanding is that that it will only be weekdays and will terminate at Handforth instead of going through to East didsbury as said by Gemma Evans above.

Why can't we have a "park and ride" in Macclesfield and Wilmslow ( and/or Handforth) enabling a regular 130 (as per the very regular 192 from/to Hazel Grove) into Manchester which, if regular, should attract many more paying passengers and resolve very many of the traffic/commuting issues in the area?