Stagecoach Manchester

[Brickmill]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(07/03/2019 10:02)Southernsofty Wrote:  Some thoughts on Manchesters proposed CAZ and funding.

The TfGM funding for 2017/18 = £1.5m
The TfGM funding for 2018/19 = £1.5m
The combined £3m is for 170 buses to be upgraded, I don't know the make up of the vehicles but this works out at an average of £17,647 per vehicle.

New proposal is that £29m is to be made available for the 'Clean Bus Fund' (Note, excludes coaches which are covered by a separate 'Clean Freight' fund).
Allowing for inflation, so 'rounding up' to an average of £18000 per bus, £29m would allow for @1611 buses to be upgraded.

I did a crude 'back of a fag packet' calculation (and my figures may be wrong/out of date):

Non Euro 6 bus fleets in Manchester: -
563 - Stagecoach
565 - First/Go Ahead - whoever buys Bolton & Oldham.
76 - Arriva Wythenshawe & Bolton.
105 - Rotala
18 - Selwyns - buses only, to expand?
105 - Rosso
12 - Jim Stones
39 - Stotts
Total = 1483
My figures will have missed some other fleets (very happy if someone can provide more accurate update)
Press release talks about upgrading Euro 4 & 5 vehicles, so Euro 3 buses have to be replaced?

If your one of those operators, why (euro 3 excepted) would you invest in new vehicles knowing that your existing fleet is going to upgraded with public funding?

You really figures may well be accurate although it means you have answered the question nobody else could in that Hybrid Euro5s are deemed as filthy as diesel Euro4/5 s so someone has been conned there. As regards Euro3s, I don't know how many such buses First have but it must be at least 141 B7RLEs as well as a couple of dozen smaller batches. Stagecoach had 14 this time last year but if another forum is correct - and it usually is - this will have increased to 23 by Easter. Not directly answering your question but there is still no guarantee that the £29 million will be made available and the clock is ticking. Finally, the lack of investment predates GMCA plans to ban Euro3s from specific corridors. Now that Whitehall have hijacked the entire agenda the problem has become far bigger.