Council announces replacement services after coach firm collapses

by Lisa Reeves

Friday 15^th July 2016

Fri 15^th Jul 2016

Following the collapse of GHA coaches on Thursday, 14th July, Cheshire East Council has been working with operators to provide cover for bus services across the Borough to replace services formerly operated by the coach company.

Amongst the 25 routes affected is the Connect 88 service from Knutsford to Wilmslow, Morley Green and Altrincham which will now be operated by Arriva from Monday, 18th July. However, the service will now run on an hourly basis starting at 6.40am, rather than half hourly.

Other local routes includes the Service 200 from Wilmslow to the Runway Viewing Park via Styal and Manchester Airport will be operated by Howards from Saturday, 16th July.

Also, the 130 from Macclesfield to Manchester, via East Didsbury, Cheadle Hulme, Wilmslow, Alderley will be operated by Stagecoach from Sunday, 17th July.

Speaking about pupils travelling on local buses a spokesperson for Cheshire East Council, said "The majority of pupils will be able to travel as normal on local services as we have secured contracts with operators, the majority of which have commenced today.

"The 200 service, which transports pupils to Wilmslow, will be operated from Monday by D&G."

They added "Cheshire East Council wishes to assure residents and schools that we are doing all we can to mitigate the impact of the sudden loss of services by providing alternative transport where possible. Unfortunately we may not be able to cover all services affected.

"We would ask our residents to bear with us during this difficult period."

Tags:: Cheshire East Council, GHA Coaches

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Dave Cash

Friday 15^th July 2016 at 8:50 pm

Departure times for the new Arriva 88 Connect service please?
Knutsford Bus Station <> Wilmslow (Green Lane) <> Altrincham Interchange.
I assume Senior Citizen bus passes will still be valid?

DELETED ACCOUNT

Saturday 16^th July 2016 at 5:40 pm

Wasn't there an Alternative Service Delivery Vehicle which put contracts for bus services out to tender and aren't these supposed to check that the price in tendering holds up to rigorous scrutiny?

Bob Bracegirdle

Wednesday 20^th July 2016 at 9:53 am

An indictment of the mish mash of privatised bus services. North Western Road Car didn't just stop a whole operation like this. Neither did Crosville.

Vince Fogharty

Wednesday 20^th July 2016 at 10:40 am

That's because they were heavily subsidised by the tax payer, GHA had to be commercial and couldn't make a profit. Quite rightly only a very small % of bus services across the country are now subsidised and this is falling. I dont get subsidised petrol so why should I pay for someones bus?

Andrew Backhouse

Wednesday 20^th July 2016 at 3:26 pm

It's interesting to see that London, where public transport of all sorts is integrated, has cut car use and pollution in the centre and increased usage of buses and trains. When the government privatised bus services and management, they excluded London. Why, when we all need it to reduce climate change, and road congestion? On the other hand, places like Cheshire East ,which have nothing integrated at all, and apparently no strategy for the future, are losing bus services. Those who are pensioners and get free travel, and the poor and unable to drive suffer, but those of us rich enough and able to drive don't seem to help plan ahead. So we get new housing developments for Handforth East with only vehicle links and more road trouble. What about extending GMPTE - who at least are developing some strategic future ideas?

Wednesday 20^th July 2016 at 5:30 pm

Fogharty is totally wrong. North Western was a private BET Company. It received no subsidy whatsoever. They also used to pay for their new vehicles without grants. All that and regulated by the Traffic Commisioners too. What is certain is that no company ever failed overnight.

I was told today that other Councils prepared for GHA going out of business 12-24 hours before Cheshire East. Thus Cheshire East was part of the problem.

The comments above about London are correct.

Thursday 21^st July 2016 at 2:35 pm

Actually Bracegirdle I am not, the bus subsidiaries of BET were all part owned by The British Transport Commission who ploughed a lot of government money into them, and in the late part of the 60's BET sold all their stakes in all their bus companies to them and they went on to form part of the National Bus Company, which is why nothing went bump overnight, government was paying for it.

And London is a success again due to the subsidies, it gets 23% of its income from the DFT, (last year that was £2.6bn) which is why no other city has been able to replicate it anywhere else in the UK, the Bus Bill will allow the likes of TfGM to try, but the best they can hope for is more of a partnership with the bus co's, as there will not be 23% of government money to use, so the Bus Co's will only bid for routes if its commerically viable.