Three local bus contracts operated by Little Gem until that bus company’s demise in late April will see no immediate replacement owing to what Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) describes as an “unjustifiably high” cost of doing so.
Continuing former Little Gem journeys on routes 44, 84 and 217 for a 13-week emergency period would have come in at “more than £500,000” above the cost of the previous contracts, TfGM claims. As alternatives are available to affected users, no awards have been made for the three services. Evening and Sunday journeys on route 217 operated by Stagecoach Manchester continue as normal.
Operators involved in the emergency contracts for other former Little Gem routes include Belle Vue, Centrebus subsidiary D&G Bus, and First Manchester. Such a period will allow options for more permanent solutions to be explored, TfGM says.
As a further indication of the difficult tendered bus service market in Greater Manchester as franchising approaches, no bidder came forward for the former Little Gem journeys on route 375 between Mellor and Stockport.
However, TfGM has since reached agreement with D&G Bus to provide some cover, albeit over only part of the route and with a single vehicle. Stagecoach evening and Sunday journeys on route 375 are running as normal.
In addition to public routes, some changes will be made to home-to-school services in Greater Manchester from 9 May. TfGM says that they are necessary to enable all former Little Gem school routes to be covered. They involve some withdrawals where alternatives are in place and extend as far as Oldham, although all schools continue to be served.
Deputy Director of Bus Services Alison Chew adds that TfGM “has worked hard” to provide continuity in the short- and medium-term.
Ms Chew says those that will not be immediately replaced are in limbo “either because we have not had any bids from operators, or the cost to run them is unjustifiably high.”
