Council reveals cost of subsidising Saturday bus service

by Lisa Reeves

Monday 10^th February 2020

Mon 10^th Feb 2020

Last month Cheshire East Council announced that it will be supplementing a recently launched commercial bus service.

Following Arriva North West's withdrawal from running the 130 bus between Macclesfield and East Didsbury, via Alderley Edge, Wilmslow and Handforth, D&G Bus stepped in to run a reduced service from Monday 27th January - which no longer continues to East Didsbury, or operates on Saturdays.

The Council subsequently confirmed that it had decided to subsidise an hourly service on Saturdays, starting on 1st February and running, like the weekday service, from Macclesfield to Handforth (via Alderley Edge and Wilmslow) and back to Macclesfield.

Following an FOI request from one of our readers, Cheshire East Council has confirmed that the cost of supporting the Saturday operation of the 130 bus service is £22,360 per annum.

Tags:: 130 Bus Service

Comments

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

Diana Jennings

Monday 10^th February 2020 at 4:13 pm

How many care calls would that provide for the elderly? I think that is too much for a bus.

Ellie Jackson

Monday 10^th February 2020 at 4:49 pm

And how many would be isolated without the bus service? I am glad they have agreed to sub it.

Janet Taylor

Monday 10^th February 2020 at 5:40 pm

You'd have to know how many were using it to value it's worth, I'm not sure Handforth to Macclesfield is a particularly sought after route

Birgitta Hoffmann

Monday 10^th February 2020 at 6:55 pm

£430 per Saturday. That is about what you get quoted to hire a bus for a day (at least it was last time I had to organise a trip). So that sounds not unreasonable.

And this is not just a bus for the elderly, but for anybody who needs or wants to get to Macclesfield and all the stops in between.
In the interest of being a bit more climate-conscious, it will save you the eternal search for that last parking space in Macc, and allows you more than one glass of wine in the town.

It will allow people to get to the hospital to visit people and to get to the Edge for a walk or to Nether Alderley for a day out. It will allow you to get to the Sports Centre in Mac to play hockey or lots of other stuff.

Thank you for providing the service, I look forward to using it.

Pat Langan

Monday 10^th February 2020 at 7:19 pm

This bus route provides a service to and from Macclesfield Hospital for people who don't drive. For a lot of elderly people the service is essential.

Gillian Slater

Monday 10^th February 2020 at 9:29 pm

And also wheelchair users some are not elderly. Please don't let's forget them. Often they can't drive. As well as previously mentioned this appears to be a great service.

Julie Green

Tuesday 11^th February 2020 at 1:05 pm

If the train to Manchester doesn't run (strikes etc...), there's no reasonable public transport alternative...

Paul Maddock

Tuesday 11^th February 2020 at 8:14 pm

The most sensible £22.5k spent by CEC in many years. linking 2 towns, many small communities and a vital link to the area hospital - especially essential for those without access to carbon choking cars.

Andrew Backhouse

Wednesday 12^th February 2020 at 3:56 pm

I am pleased about this initiative - we need to stop using cars and try buses and trains - particularly all those who already have free travel passes. Perhaps we could have surveyed how many people would have appreciated the bus continuing to the airport, as many Handforth residents work there and it could aid the links to more trains too.

Clive Cooksey

Wednesday 12^th February 2020 at 4:36 pm

How does one get from Handforth to connect with the Greater Manchester tram system. Limited thinking methinks.

Pete Taylor

Wednesday 12^th February 2020 at 9:18 pm

I have today had a response from Transport for Greater Manchester; they will NOT be replacing the Manchester leg of the 130.

Chris Wigley

Wednesday 12^th February 2020 at 9:36 pm

If the Saturday and weekday service had been Macclesfield to Manchester Airport via Handforth it would have connected with a mainline rail station with trains going north of Manchster without changing at Piccadilly, it would have also given access to the Metrolink tram system and also a decent bus station. As Clive Cooksey says there is a lack of joined up thinking.