Oldhamers quick to go off the rails

Oldhamers complain about their public transport more than almost anyone else in Greater Manchester while neighbours in Rochdale are happiest with their services.

Only Mancunians themselves register more complaints about buses, trains, and trams with Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive who monitor the performance of operators.

Oldham’s 243 complaints in the first half of this year represent more than 10 per cent of the 2337 total. Manchester topped the league table with 574 — almost a quarter of the total while at the bottom, Rochdale’s 132 complaints were just over five per cent.

Although buses were the subject of 60 per cent of all transport complaints across Greater Manchester, they carry more than 226m passengers a year —10 times as many as either rail or Metrolink. When the figures are calculated as complaints per passenger journey, trams attract more than twice the complaints as buses.

Bus drivers who fail to stop are the biggest cause for protest. And drivers who are “unhelpful, abusive, rude, or argumentative” and moving off before passengers find their seats together with failing to help travellers in need are also big concerns.

Susan Wildman, GMPTE’s communications and customer services director said: “Complaints regarding bus services have remained consistent, with the exception of the rise in complaints about buses failing to stop.

“This increase has been reported to the major operators and they are aware of the issue.“

Passengers apparently forgave the operators during the travel chaos caused by the winter’s heavy snow with no increase in complaints.

GMPTE owns 20 bus stations including Oldham’s and hired contractors to carry out four series of mystery shopping inspections this year.

Two have been done so far and each time assessors make 12 visits to each bus station.

The mystery shoppers assess seven areas —environment, signage and customer information, staff availability and customer service, Travelshop facilities, and staff, public toilets, and safety and security.

The overall satisfaction with bus stations was 73 per cent in the first visits and 74 per cent in the second.

Over the past six years funds have been invested to increase the number of bus shelters throughout Greater Manchester and there are now 4,399 shelters provided at 11,796 bus stops.