Ever since 26th of October 1986 the bus network around Greater Manchester and across the country became a free for all when the buses was deregulated from public bus company’s to private bus company’s., the operator would no longer need to have road service licensing to run bus service they would just need to apply to the traffic commissioner to register any changes to a bus service and give 56 days notice before changes can take place.

Which led to influx of new operators to bus scene and all fighting for the bus passengers and this was typically bad in Manchester during the periods of 1986 and 1999 when the bus war was rift with competition services being created left right and centre. there where three bus corridors that competition was rift was Oxford Road, Cheetham Hill Road and Rochdale Road all leading out of Manchester.

Along one corridor in particular was Oxford Road which served the University District of Manchester and you had GM Buses Providing the main services and the comptetors was mainly over time was Mersey Bus, UK North, MLT Manchester and Finglands.

This sense of disorganisation and competition led to decline in Passengers numbers and eventually loss of services. was all caused by the private operators chasing profit not passengers.

Passengers there self was feeling over whelmed and confused at the same time with up 2 plus operators operating the same route but with varying quality of service and vehicles standards, also the terminus could be different depending on the operator, operating that particular journey.

Over the last 33 years the network of services around Greater Manchester have been messed around with that much it like patch quilt of services now and the most of original 1986 routes have since disappeared along with all the post deregulation routes and connections. making the current network seem more confusing and not making any sense and the lack of connections is rift too which is leading to more passengers lost and services disappearing to because other modes of transport are far better than the Greater Manchester Bus Network

I believe that ever local area should have a town to town service, a connection to other transportion modes and connections retail, leisure and healthcare without having to do marathon for a stroll.

TFGM, Andy Burnham the mayor of Manchester and the current operators are blinded by the pound sterling symbol flashing in there eyes and there nice cosy state of the art cars with heated seats and convenience but while they are enjoying the high life of luxury and convenience, the general public across Greater Manchester dred service change day as they take more and more freedom away from the people who need the services but don’t need to pay for the services because they are holders of a bus pass which the operators don’t like because in there luxury life they are providing a expensive service for free.

When they try a new service or a new routing for existing service they only think 56 days of operating the service until the next window opens to submit a change to the traffic commissioner is acceptable period of time for the service bed in and passengers to get used to change. or they create a ridiculous route which doesn’t make for any kind of common sense or withdraw a prefectaly good service and replacing in whole with a similar new service or make another good service worst by rerouting it cover the withdrawn route.

While the Mayor of Manchester has the breath to speak about Greater Manchester Crippling congestion problem is answer that problem is right underneath noise or right in front of him when he driving his luxury car to get to a meeting somewhere in Manchester. It called a Bus which is under funded and broken mayor and we need you to fix it or resign for you post and elect me as a Mayor of Manchester and I will have the network working for folk of Manchester once again.

If you are annoyed with you bus service or the approach that TFGM, Local Operator and Mayor are taking with the services and you would love to vent your frustration out, this post is for you.

If could kindly share this post with fellow annoyed folk out there, it be kindly appreciated.

Thanks for riding with Mike on the Buses.