(01 Feb 2019, 12:38 am)James101 wrote It's been proven time over that passengers will walk further from their origin to reach a tram than they would tolerate walking to a bus stop. Of course there is a legitimate concern about passengers with mobility restrictions, in this situation I think the fairest use of resources is a limited mini-bus or local-link feeder service into Metrolink. 

> Have you got evidence for this? Specifically, in low car ownership areas, or is this "proof" based on middle income, physically fit, 21-35 year olds travelling in areas that get the most political/media attention?


The expansion of Metrolink seems to be the best way to please the majority of the people. Public transport passengers may have to walk a but further, but they get a more consistent (if not always faster) journey time to the city. This can be achieved with less visible impact to the road network for the motorist, keeping that lobby happy. I'd love to see greater bus priority in the city, but realistically what can be done?

> I would also question this - both from the point of view of the public transport user and the tax-payer in general. Metrolink is nowhere near as popular with the GM public as is painted and if you dig beneath the headlines made by the most populist and vociferous of (mainly Labour) politicians, the "quieter" MPs are also concerned that it is being seen as a panacea. It won't surprise you to know that I don't use Metrolink; except occasionally within the city centre (using a Rail ticket). Based on those journeys, I'm not convinced they do get a more consistent journey time. If that was the case, why aren't trams across the city much more evenly spaced and why is RTI usually wildly optimistic?
As for "bus priority..n the city". Again, you would need to be more specific. What form of bus priority, and (yawn) where do you mean by "in the city"? 


I think Stagecoach can see this coming and this is demonstrated by the recent 168/150 changes. They're trying to remove the necessity for a city centre change (and a temptation to switch to tram over the X50) from the east of GM to Trafford on this new direct route before Metrolink Trafford Park opens, to hell with the local links provided by the previous set-up.

> The 168/150 change is weird. Yes, intu want better bus services for their staff, especially, and this might slightly help there. However, the idea of removing the necessity of changing contradicts not only the argument for multi-modal integration itself, but the fact that its one of the few things GMBOA & GMCA supposedly agree on. "On paper", the 150 is slower than X50/201* at all times of day, based
on Stagecoach's own Journey Planner. There is then the question of vehicle type and routing. Again, the "perception" argument is being thrown at me all the time, but the 150 is 70, 80 or even 90 minutes winding your way through less than scenic south Manchester wheras the X50 is Limited Stop on does feel like it in comparison to virtually every other Stagecoach Manchester service. Obviously, Hyde Road in general is not fast in any way, shape or form, but the 150 covers the slowest, most frustrating section of the corridor. 
Perhaps the strangest thing of all, is indeed the decision to run the 150 all the way to Hyde, costing 2 peak buses compared to terminating in Gorton (a bit unweildy, but 168/9 shorts have done it in the recent past). Maintaining headways on long established, hevavily loaded, Hyde Road services seemingly hasn't justified 2 PVR in the last decade or two. Similarly, and more pertinently, the 7 which has supposedly been "enhanced" to slightly mitigate headway/capacity between Droylsden and Gorton. Yes, two am peak round trips have been introduced, but nothing has been done in the afternoon where (incl. Sats)  the 7 has been reduced from a straight 30 minute service to a dog's breakfast of a 40/50 minute service. There was also a suggestion that the service would be converted to 100% decker operation - aided by the transfer of three E400s to Stockport depot - but the only pm peak journey I've come across was the usual E200, running 10 mins late on Friday when earlier Snow/Ice had meant many motorists not going to work and so lighter than normal peak traffic.

*201 is generally every 10 minutes running parallel with 150 from Hyde through Denton to Gorton and on to Piccadilly (Portland Street). Other services have shorter parallel sections.