tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810004648766820675.post3352928514201861295..comments2024-03-28T14:10:58.998+00:00Comments on Robert Schwandl's Urban Rail Blog: MANCHESTER MetrolinkRobert Schwandlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156288779783738076noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810004648766820675.post-8915881164162809512015-08-27T13:19:10.046+01:002015-08-27T13:19:10.046+01:00Great, seems that my pleas have been heard... They...Great, seems that my pleas have been heard... They could still leave the thin coloured lines, though. Let's see if the new system will be properly implemented.Robert Schwandlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13156288779783738076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810004648766820675.post-86662956749018554512015-08-27T11:48:55.139+01:002015-08-27T11:48:55.139+01:00The official map of the services from the reopenin...The official map of the services from the reopening of the link through St Peter's Square on 28th August shows them lettered A to G. I am not sure if these designations will be shown on the cars or the passenger displays.Geoffrey Tribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06702979409967874268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810004648766820675.post-50259649474824167342015-07-24T07:33:31.510+01:002015-07-24T07:33:31.510+01:00Alan Robinson,
Very much enjoyed your observations...Alan Robinson,<br />Very much enjoyed your observations of Manchester-Metrolink, and commend you for<br />presenting an excellent "fair" account.<br />Please note that UK legislation regarding public transport provision is unique in the <br />developed world (as far as I know) in that transport integration is actually discouraged (made<br />impossible in fact) by presumption in favour of "free competition" inherent in the 1985<br />act of parliament (which has not been repealed). This means that bus operators have the freedom to devise their own timetables and set their own fares. I am sure that this must seem<br />extraordinary to German observers. Subsidies are only available for "non-commercial" bus<br />journeys. These are by specific contract and in major urban areas such as Manchester,<br />are usually only for Evening and Sunday.<br />This does mean that the proper integrated and uniform fare structures that apply in the rest<br />of Europe are impossible to devise in the UK.<br />The local authority can devise multi-modal fares (as in Greater Manchester) but these are<br />always at a premium price.<br />In reality, bus operators openly compete with light rail/tram systems, and this can include<br />offering cheaper fares for same journey, as is the case with the 216 bus, and especially<br />with South Manchester, where First Group buses have introduced a competing South Manchester day (bus only) pass for only £3.00 (very cheap by UK standards) and half the<br />price of some Metrolink peak fares.<br />You would be forgiven for stating that this is totally mad!<br />There is an Exception to this transport de-regulation;- LONDON!<br />For reasons never fully explained, transport integration was held to be desirable in LONDON<br />ONLY! (Therefore the 1985 act competition requirement does not apply).<br />I have written extensively about this to TRAMWAYS AND URBAN TRANSIT magazine during<br />the last year. Rather to my surprise, although most readers were supportive of Integration,<br />there were many favouring the continuation of competition, which I think is an expression<br />of a peculiarly British fear and contempt for government.<br />Regarding Route numbers;-<br />Manchester is extraordinary in that many present day Bus route numbers are descended<br />from tram routes (Manchester numbering started just after World War 1), not just the trolleybus<br />routes, which I remember well, having been a user from 1951!<br />transport Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810004648766820675.post-17936005564692777692015-07-19T19:42:08.326+01:002015-07-19T19:42:08.326+01:00As a Mancunian, I would like to state that you hav...As a Mancunian, I would like to state that you have given a fair view of the system, and I would agree with a number of the criticisms that you have made. However, it is now a real network and Manchester has achieved much more than any other city in the UK in terms of light rail development. A further line to the Trafford Centre is being planned and conversion of the heavy rail route to Marple Rose Hill is being considered. There was a proposal in the 1970s for a heavy rail tunnel between the 2 main railway stations (the Picc-Vic project); this was abandoned not only because of the cost but also because the soil was apparently difficult for tunnelling. <br /><br />Much of the route to Ashton is identical to the original Manchester Corporation Tramways line 26, which was converted to a trolleybus (Obus in German parlance) in 1938. This was renumbered as 216 later (all the trolleybus lines were renumbered 210-219 inclusive) and then converted to a motor bus on 1st January 1967. Competition in public transport was introduced in the UK in 1986 and persists on some busy urban corridors, e.g. Manchester to Didsbury via Wilmslow Road. Hence the retention of bus route 216, despite re-introduction of a tram service on Ashton New Road. The outer part of the Eccles line along Eccles New Road was also originally a Salford Corporation Tramways route, and passes the former tram depot at Weaste. The section of the Airport line along Mauldeth Road West and Hardy Lane is built along wide roads designed for an express tramway to Sale in the late 1920s, but never constructed because Manchester decided in 1930 to abandon its first generation tramways. It was planned to build an express tramway to Wythenshawe then as well, but this was also cancelled in 1930 with the line built half way as far as Southern Cemetery; this section was abandoned by 1947.David Oleeskynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810004648766820675.post-91277911742653586592015-07-19T11:18:27.099+01:002015-07-19T11:18:27.099+01:00Just to clarify a couple of things.
The single nl...Just to clarify a couple of things.<br /><br />The single nline section in Rochdale centre is due to the fact that a river runs under the street at this point. It was decided that the existing structure was too weak for double track and replacing it was too expensive.<br /><br />The electronic ticketing 'Get Me There' will eventually cover all forms of transport ( as with Oyster ) but this is going to take a couple of years to implement.<br /><br />Akso, given that most of the places when trams cross roads are 'Yellow Box' junctions the other vehicles must leave space for the trams whatever the level of traffic.Martyn Claphamhttp://pendlesider.me.uk/noreply@blogger.com