New firm takes over troubled bus route
THE new firm to take over the 130 bus route has been confirmed and the matter of its reduced service will be tackled.
D&G will take over the route from Arriva North West on January 27 but only run it from Macclesfield to Handforth - not as far as East Didsbury.
It will also not run on Saturdays and there have been complaints at this reduction - including from one woman who needs it to get to the Christie Hospital for treatment.
And those fighting for the service to continue in its entirety have found allies over the border in Stockport.
Councillor David Meller, a member for Cheadle Hulme North, a ward through which the service runs until January 26, intends to raise the matter at the next meeting of the Transport for Greater Manchester committee.
He says buses need ‘to operate for the public good rather than being based on what is profitable’.
Coun Meller said: “One of the reasons this is due to be cut is apparently it’s no longer commercially viable.
”For me this strikes at the heart of why I believe we need to move into bus franchising and to have a system that runs for the benefit of the public and not for the benefit of bus providers who simply want to make profit from running bus services.”
Claire Vibert, a Cheadle resident, has also started an online petition about the loss of service, which has attracted more than 250 signatures. This is in addition to an online petition campaigning against bus service cuts that uses the 130 as its focal point and has more than 1,300 signatures.
Arriva has now provided a statement on its decision to axe the 130 service.
A spokesman said: “Passenger numbers have been falling for a number of years and Arriva have made several changes to attempt to make the service sustainable.
”Unfortunately passenger numbers have continued to decrease. Therefore, the 130 is no longer commercially viable.
”Low passenger numbers and increasing running costs means that this service will be withdrawn.
“Passengers will still be able to travel via D&G buses as they have registered to operate an alternative 130 service from the date that Arriva have de-registered from.”