GM Buses on track to be brought back under public control

 

As a pensioner, I use the bus on a regular basis. The bus service in Greater Manchester is not that reliable and they often don't turn up on time. Even the last bus service is known not to turn up or even the one before that. 

On Sunday's it's advisable not to travel far, if at all. In the evenings some services run one bus an hour just to travel a couple of miles. On bank holidays, when people have time on their hands, and might want to go out, they often run a Sunday service. Over the Christmas holidays,  bus services in Greater Manchester are atrocious. You either stay at home, walk, or pay for a taxi, if you haven't got a car. 

When the pandemic was on, it wasn't unknown for bus drivers to berate passengers for travelling about if they thought you were joyriding, and you might even be asked if your journey was essential travelling. If city planners really think that people are going to give up their cars for a bus service like this, they must be deluding themselves. 

Good luck to Andy Burnham in his quest to bring the bus service back under public control in Greater Manchester. He promised us a London style bus system and I hope he keeps to his word. The bus service was never deregulated in London. Today, a standard single bus fare in London is £1.65 and under the 'hopper' scheme, you can use that ticket on any bus for one hour from purchase and you can also use it on the tram network. If you live in Greater London you will also get a free bus pass at 60, which can be used to travel throughout Greater London.