Press Releases

18 September 2008

Bus boost for Trafford - details released

New details have been released about how Trafford’s bus services would improve if theTransport Innovation Fund (TIF) proposals go ahead.

The proposals include investment of up to £3 billion in Greater Manchester’s transport network and part of this would go on enhancing bus services to, from and around the town.

This would mean extra services at peak times to and from local town centres and Manchester city centre and more services operating during the early morning, the evenings and on Sundays.

Increased bus priority across Greater Manchester would mean faster and more reliable journeys.

Improvements would be funded in part by a weekday, peak time-only congestion charge to be introduced in 2013 at the earliest. At least 80 per cent of the public transport solutions will be in place before a charge is introduced.

Examples of proposed changes to buses in the Trafford district include:

Services every five minutes between the city centre and Stretford along Chester Road on Monday to Saturday daytimes
Nine buses an hour serving Sale along Chester Road Monday to Saturday daytimes

Many more changes are proposed. For more comprehensive information about a range of services see Notes to Editors section below.

Improved bus services will be in addition to improvements to the Metrolink network which will be three times larger than its current size across Greater Manchester by the time the TIF transport solutions have been delivered. The soon-to-be-built Trafford Bar to Chorlton Line will be extended down to East Didsbury and the airport.

Funds have also been earmarked for a new line through Trafford Park to the Trafford Centre.

Commuter trains running through the district will also have extra seats under the proposals.

Cyling is another key element of the proposals. Specific cycle routes planned for Trafford include a new off-road route alongside the Bridgewater canal between Sale and the city centre. There will also be improved secure cycle parking at Altrincham, Brooklands and Sale Metrolink stationsas well as extra cycle parking at Streford shopping centre.

Proposed improvements across Greater Manchester are almost all funded by a Government grant of £1.5 billion and borrowings of £1.2 billion which both depend on congestion charging being introduced. Other contributions will bring in a further £0.1 billion, plus investment in rail from the Department for Transport.

Lord Peter Smith, Leader of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, said: “The TIF proposals promise considerable public transport benefits for Trafford, including new and upgraded bus services. I’d encourage everyone in the area to look at the details of what the proposals would mean for them.”

Anyone who has not yet given their views on the proposals is encouraged to do so before October 10 - the end of the consultation. To find out how to take part in the consultation visit www.gmfuturetransport.com.

A postal referendum on the final proposals, with residents of all 10 districts in Greater Manchester voting, will be held in December.

-End-

Notes to Editors

Examples of how the proposals could change buses in the Trafford district are:

The existing Altrincham – Ashton on Mersey – Sale – Stretford – Chorlton – University – Manchester service will be rerouted to provide a quicker, more direct service to Manchester via Chester Road and Hulme High Street with the Monday to Saturday daytime frequency increased to every 20 minutes. The Sale to Chorlton link will be replaced by a new Altrincham – Brooklands – Sale – Stretford – Chorlton – Manchester service.
A new service linking Altrincham to Manchester, via Timperley, Brooklands, Sale, Stretford and Chorlton, will run every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime, and hourly in the evening and on Sundays.
A new more direct link from Flixton and Davyhulme to Manchester, via Trafford Park and Bridgewater Way, will run every 15 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime.
The existing service from Partington via Urmston and Stretford to Manchester will run every 20 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime. The existing Partington to Sale service will run every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime, with a new hourly evening and Sunday service introduced.
The Altrincham – Sale – Urmston – Trafford General Hospital service will run every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, with a revised route via Winchester Road, Urmston and Church Road. (Urmston Road and Stretford Road linked to Trafford General Hospital by new service 69). The existing Trafford General Hospital – Stretford – Chorlton – Northenden – Wythenshawe service will be rerouted to include Gorse Hill and Humphrey Park, Firswood and will run every 30 minutes between Trafford General Hospital and Chorlton.
New evening journeys will run every 30 minutes on the Altrincham – Broomwood – Wythenshawe service.
The existing Bowdon Vale – Altrincham – Timperley Grange – Broomwood service and the Altrincham – Oldfield Brow service will run every 20 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime, and every 30 minutes on Sundays. The Bowdon Vale – Broomwood service will run every 30 minutes in the evening.
Alternate trips on the Altrincham – Broomwood – Wythenshawe service will be diverted to provide a new link to Manchester Airport, every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, and hourly on Sundays, with a new hourly evening service introduced.
The existing Altrincham – Halebarns – Manchester Airport service will additionally serve Well Green and will run every 20 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime, and every half hour on Sundays.
The existing Stockport – Chorlton – Stretford – Urmston – Trafford Centre – Eccles – Bolton service will be increased to every 20 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime.
The existing Stockport – Chorlton – Stretford – Trafford Centre services will be combined into one route (via Lostock) to run every 15 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime, and every half hour in the evening and on Sundays.
The existing Wythenshawe – Sale Moor – Sale – Stretford – Trafford Centre service will run every 20 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime, and every 30 minutes on Sundays.
The existing Trafford General Hospital – Stretford – Chorlton – Northenden – Wythenshawe service will be extended to include The Trafford Centre, via Shetland Way, and will run every 30 minutes between the Trafford Centre and Chorlton, Monday to Saturday daytime.
Along the A56 Chester Road, there will be a service every five minutes Monday to Saturday in the daytime between Manchester City Centre and Stretford, with nine buses an hour serving Sale.
Services between Sale and Wilmslow Road/Manchester Royal Infirmary will run every 20 minutes from Altrincham, Monday – Saturday daytime, increasing to every ten minutes from Sale Station through Sale Moor to Northenden and Wilmslow Road.
A new hourly service will run in the evenings and on Sundays on the existing route between Altrincham and Warrington, via Warburton and Lymm.
The existing Flixton – Davyhulme – Urmston – Stretford – Whalley Range – Manchester service will run every half-hour in the evenings and on Sundays.