394 bus service

[John Ellis]

My very sincere personal thanks to all those who have lobbied hard, in the end with greater success than I feared might be the case, to keep the 394 going in some form, even though the service we'll be getting from the end of this month will be considerably reduced. The outcome shows that a combination of pressure from the public and cross-party lobbying from councillors and activists can still have an impact, even when local authority finances are squeezed as severely as they currently are. Particular thanks to "marplerambler" who has publicized the campaign to retain the 394 so comprehensively and energetically at the Marple and High Lane end of the route, and to Cllr Anthony McKeown who has clearly put so much effort in at the Gamesley and Glossop end.

Unfortunately it's not a total victory, with the weekday service cut by half and the Saturday service lost completely. But that's still better than nowt, and better than I'd feared! Unfortunately this may turn out to ber a temporary reprieve. Given that Derbyshire County Council is currently putting out for consultation a proposal which includes the ending of all financial assistance to loss-making rural bus services from October of next year, we may well find that the 394 is once again facing the axe in eighteen months' time.

[JohnBates]

Thank you to all involved in helping to retain the 394 from those of us in Glossopdale.

Regards

Anthony.

And many thanks to you to 

[AnthonyMck]

Thank you to all involved in helping to retain the 394 from those of us in Glossopdale.

Regards

Anthony.

[JohnBates]

Provisional Timetable attached.

Lots of effort to get this, not least from @marplerambler and many others, plus lobbying across the political spectrum.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[JMC]

It is mostly good news as the morning services look similar as it was only possible to be at SHH from Marple for either 7.30 or 9.30. However the 4.38 from SHH to Marple will be missed with people finishing work about that time having to get the 375 or 2 buses home. Still it is better than the aternative. Well done to everyone that made a difference in this.

[admin]

According to the LibDems' web site the "394 is Saved!"

Quoting @CllrGeoffAbell on 9 March, 2016:

I am very happy to report that a funding arrangement has allowed the 394 service to continue as a subsidised service.

We as councillors have worked with officers behind the scenes to preserve what will be a 2-hourly Mon-Fri service run by High Peak to start on 29 March.  There is a provisional timetable.

Many thanks to all those that filled out petitions, proving this is a service that we care about!

[marplerambler]

08.03.2016 and 310 signatures on the online petition for the continuation of the hourly 394 bus Monday to Friday service with a request for an appropriate subsidy. If you want to see the service continue and haven't signed yet could you sign please?

The petition is at  https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-our-394-glossop-marple-stepping-hill-hospital-bus-1  ?

I shall be presenting this petition to Transport for Greater Manchester within the next few days (and also sending a copy to our MP William Wragg, Andrew Bingham MP and Marple/Hazel Grove councillors).

Thank you to Marple LibDems for the support they have given to this 38degrees petition in addition to the LibDems petition supporting continuation of this service and also to Conservatives William Wragg MP and John Bate's petition for continuation of the service

Recent reasons for signing the petition include:-

'The service is used by students travelling to Marple Ridge College at various times of the day: withdrawal will restrict students to travel on the peak time college services only. '

'Daughter uses this service everyday to travel too and from college'

'People use this service to travel to College/Hospital why not make cut backs on a service that runs every 10min instead of one that runs every hour '

'stop people driving '

'I use this bus regularly to travel between Marple and Stepping Hill Hospital because this is where I work.'

'I have used this service for shopping in Marple & Stockport'

'I am the caretaker of Charlesworth school and need to be onsite at 7am the 394 is the only bus that takes me there, without this I lose my job.'

'So this is an example of the Northern Powerhouse ? Pathetic decision if this goes ahead '

'i need this service to shop in marple also i work weekends so cannot do my shopping then we need this service if anything it should be more frequent '

'I visit Stepping Hill about twice a month and use this service. '

'I've no transport and rely on this service for my shopping as do many elderly residents of High Lane. '

'I work for Marple Sixth Form College and lots of our students rely on this service'

'It is an important bus service, that if removed will have a negative impact on the travel of students, people visiting family and friends in hospital, commuters who use this service between Chisworth and Glossop/Marple. It just does not make any sense for this service to be stopped '

'I frequently use 394 bus for commuting and hospital appointment as I don't drive a car. Without 394, going to hospital and work would take much longer than now. Would you please reconsider withdrawn the services.'

'I use this service several times a week, primarily because I use a bank in Marple and visit a housebound elderly friend who lives on the route. There is no readily accessible public transport alternative into Marple from where I live in Hazel Grove'

[John Ellis]

Councillor Anthony McKeown of Gamesley has today put an update on his website in which, as well as letting his readers know about the "save the 394" petitions in Marple, he says:

"In terms of what’s happening with regards to 394 - the news is encouraging and, we are hoping to have additional information, toward the middle to the end of next week."

More positive than the impression that I got from TfGM, and for that matter those of other recent posters on this thread. Still, he's a High Peak borough councillor and therefore more likely to be "in the loop" as to what's going on than I am, so I'm daring to hope for the best ... !

[marpleexile]

But if the Glossop tip was closed why would you think or be advised to use the Marple facilities for which you as a Derbyshire Council tax payer had made no contribution.

Spectacularly missing my point there.

I was illustrating how daft it is that High Peak in particular (but the whole of Derbyshire really) is in a separate County.

Of course Derbyshire Council aren't going to tell Derbyshire residents to use Stockport or Tameside tips - although a sensible solution would have been to redirect the money saved whilst the glossop tip was inaccessible to either Tameside or Stockport so residents could legitimately do what they were almost certainly going to do anyway. But as a rule, councils tend not to do the sensible thing, especially if it means playing nicely with the other children.

[wheels]

But if the Glossop tip was closed why would you think or be advised to use the Marple facilities for which you as a Derbyshire Council tax payer had made no contribution. 

[marpleexile]

Its an issue for the people in the High Peak but I've always felt that Glossop and New Mills would be better off in Greater Manchester as we have more links with them than Derby.

Derbyshire is a very oddly shaped county. Most of it would benefit from being absorbed into the bordering local authorities.

I used to live across the border in Glossop for a short while and the correspondence you would get from the council, or read in the local paper was quite funny.
When the tip was closed we were advised that the nearest one we could use in the meantime was in Buxton (not Marple or StalyVegas)
Anyone local up before the beak gets dragged to the Magistrates court in, Chesterfield.
Because of my postcode at the time I was always enrolled into the Derbyshire branch of organisations (whose activities were always centred around Derby) rather than more local branches in Greater Manchester or Cheshire.

[hatter76]

I understand Derbyshire County Council will be making a decision next week. I also understand they are less disposed to funding the service than Transport for Greater Manchester.

We should know what is proposed by end of next week.

Yes I think you are right here John, they are less keen on public transport. I remember reading an article about 20 years ago where they were considering removing the subsidy for trains from Glossop to Broadbottom. Gladly this didn't happen.

Its an issue for the people in the High Peak but I've always felt that Glossop and New Mills would be better off in Greater Manchester as we have more links with them than Derby.

[JohnBates]

I understand Derbyshire County Council will be making a decision next week. I also understand they are less disposed to funding the service than Transport for Greater Manchester.

We should know what is proposed by end of next week.

[John Ellis]

I've had a response from Transport for Greater Manchester to my recent e-mail asking whether they've reached any conclusion as to what their response to High Peak's decision to "pull" the Monday - Friday 394 is going to be. I'm reproducing their reply below:

 
Dear Mr Ellis 
   
RE: 394 Bus Service 
   
Thank you for contacting Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) in relation to the
withdrawal of the 394 bus service. I was sorry to read of your concerns caused by the
announcement of this service withdrawal.
 
As you may be aware, during weekdays, service 394 is operated a commercial basis
by High Peak Buses. The Saturday service is subsidised by Derbyshire County Council
with TfGM contributing to the service along routes within the Greater Manchester
boundary.
 
From 25 March 2016, High Peak Buses has made the decision to withdraw the
weekday journeys; however, this is not a result of TfGM reducing subsidy. Given
TfGM’s and Derbyshire’s current funding concerns, TfGM officers are currently
working with Derbyshire Country Council to determine if it is possible to use funding
already used for the Saturday service in order to provide a limited weekday service.   
 
TfGM are aware that Derbyshire County Council have issued a tender to seek a form
of replacement of the 394 service and upon analysis of the bids a decision will be
made on what replacement service can be funded. 
 
I hope that this information proves useful to you and if there is anything further I can
help you with, please do not hesitate to contact me or another member of our
Customer Relations team at customer.relations@tfgm.com.
 
Yours Sincerely
 
Anthony Kelly
Customer Engagement Officer

On the basis of this, it looks like the best we can hope for is something, but not much. The 394 might just survive in some vestigial form, but if - as it sounds - they're thinking essentially of stretching the subsidy they're already putting in to maintain the Saturday service so that it also covers the other six days of the week, the resultant service looks likely to be very thin indeed!

[marplerambler]

TravelWatch NorthWest was originally formed as  the North West Public Transport Users Forum in October 2003, and was renamed TravelWatch NorthWest (TWNW) in 2006. It is an independent Community Interest Company representing all users of public transport in the North West of England. .. Issues of concern to public transport users are debated and users have the opportunity to contribute and raise their own concerns.

TWNW's chief purpose is to influence, by research and campaigning, public transport policy in the NW always with the passengers' interests foremost.

TWNW works closely with Local Authorities and Transport Operators and other stakeholders to help maintain a high profile for public transport in the quest for investment and improvements for passengers.


My Email to BusUsersUK/Travelwatch North West.

I am attempting to gain support for a fight against withdrawal of the service through a local community website Marple Community Forum (Topic; 394 bus service). Any advice relating to fighting an effective campaign in a period of only five weeks would be appreciated.
Many thanks,

Response:

'My apologies for not replying to you sooner.

I do share your concerns about High Peak Buses' planned withdrawal of the 394 bus service. Unfortunately, as matters stand it is entirely up to the operator to determine which commercial services it wishes to operate and the local authority has no statutory powers to change such decisions.

Notwithstanding this I am copying in local Councillors, High Peak buses and Transport for Greater Manchester so they are aware of your valid arguments and to consider whether anything can be done.'

There is not much evidence in this reply of attempting to implement their primary aims ie 'to influence, by research and campaigning, public transport policy in the NW always with the passengers' interests foremost'  or to 'maintain a high profile for public transport in the quest for investment and improvements for passengers.'

TFNW incorporates a special section dedicated to news releases yet there has been no comment on the swingeing cuts highlighted by rsh even though cross-county services into Derbyshire may well result in a significant reduction in services in Greater Manchester and what seems to be devastation of the bus network in Derbyshire.