Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

[dounowhoiam]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

(16/12/2019 21:48)M60lad Wrote:  A bit overkill on 130 tonight as SAPPHIRE 38 branded Gemini was in use on the route according to a driver I know at D&G who saw it in Wilmslow at about 18:05 heading towards Macclesfield.

Before the acceleration of the 130 demise (and when it was shared with the Wythenshawe depot) it held the status of Sapphire, was lovely buses and did well despite heavy competition in the Manchester - Parrs Wood corridor. It would have been ideal to run it on a tender agreement for the 44-style route instead of directly competing with the 50, but it's axe to East Didsbury influenced more passengers to go on the train or drive instead.

I do hope that D&G look into the 130 again. Despite the routes (Handforth Dean and Airport) they ran not being commercially viable against Arriva, they have an opportunity to take over and combine with the greater network they now hold in this area (in particular the 88) and hopefully reverse this trend.