All aboard for extra free buses

Oldham-based First has won a six-month extension to its contract to run Manchester’s pioneering free city centre buses as workers, shoppers, and tourists flock to use the service.

The contract with Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive was due for renewal in September but has been extended until March, 2010, because of its success.

The number of people using the three Manchester “Metroshuttle” services which link principal rail stations and commercial and tourism centres increased between April and August this year by 19 per cent over the same period last year.

The newest, which runs between Manchester Piccadilly rail station and Salford Central station through the city’s redeveloped Spinningfields business district carried 30 per cent more people the last five months.

GMPTE director Michael Renshaw said: “This is a tremendous result, given the disruption to services that have arisen as a result of the water main replacement works taking place in the city.”

The cost per passenger per trip decreased from 57p to 51p this year despite an increase in costs associated with introducing evening journeys on Metroshuttle 1 through the main shopping areas in July.

The three routes operated by First carry almost 60,000 passengers a week and are paid for by Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority, Manchester City Council, NCP Manchester and Allied London Properties.

GMPTE has plans to introduce similar services to Oldham and other districts of Greater Manchester and the first two, which were introduced a year ago in Bolton and Stockport, are also increasing passenger numbers.

Bluebird has won a two-month extension to its contract in Bolton after the number of passengers increased from 1,300 a week in March to more than 2,100 a week in August.

Stockport’s service is operated by the council-owned Solutions SK which has shown a passenger increase from 2,438 per week in March to more than 3,600 in August.