Press Releases

18 September 2008

Bus boost for Oldham - details released

New details have been released about how Oldham bus services would improve if the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) proposals go ahead.

The proposals include investment of up to £3 billion in Greater Manchester’s transport network and part of this would go on enhancing bus services to, from and around the town.

This would mean extra services at peak times to and from local district centres and Manchester city centre and more services operating during the early morning, the evenings and on Sundays.

Improvements would be funded in part by a weekday, peak time-only congestion charge to be introduced in 2013 at the earliest. At least 80 per cent of the public transport solutions will be in place before a charge is introduced.

Examples of proposed changes to buses in the Oldham district include:

Services between Oldham and Middleton on a Sunday will run every 20 minutes during the day – a huge improvement on the current service.
The existing Shaw-Oldham-Middleton-Manchester service will increase to every seven or eight minutes during the day (every 20 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays)
The existing Oldham-Moston-Manchester service will increase to run every 30 minutes in the evenings and every 20 minutes on Sunday daytimes.

For more detailed information about services see Notes to Editors section below.

Improved bus services would complement improvements to the Metrolink network, which is set to treble in size.

Separate Government funding is already in place to bring Metrolink to Oldham along the current railway line.

However, the TIF proposals would bring the tram into the heart of Oldham town centre with new stops at Westwood, Oldham King Street, Oldham Central (Union Street) with a relocated stop at Oldham Mumps. On weekdays trams will run every six minutes between Shaw and Manchester city centre.

Extra carriages will be added on peak times trains through Mills Hill and Greenfield stations.

Proposed improvements across Greater Manchester are almost all funded by a Government grant of £1.5 billion and borrowings of £1.2 billion which both depend on congestion charging being introduced. Other contributions will bring in a further £0.1 billion, plus investment in rail from the Department for Transport.

Lord Peter Smith, Leader of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, said: “The TIF proposals promise considerable public transport benefits for Oldham, including new and upgraded bus services. I’d encourage everyone in the area to look at the details of what the proposals would mean for them.”

Anyone who has not yet given their views on the proposals is encouraged to do so before October 10 – the end of the consultation. To find out how to take part in the consultation visit www.gmfuturetransport.com.

A postal referendum on the final proposals, with residents of all 10 districts in Greater Manchester voting, will be held in December.

-End-

Notes to Editors

The proposals for buses in Oldham will mean:

Extra services operating at peak times into local town centres and to Manchester city centre.
More services operating during the early morning, in the evening and on Sundays.
Bus priority will be enhanced throughout Greater Manchester, providing faster journeys with increased reliability on high quality bus services, making buses a much more attractive alternative to the car.

Examples of how this could change buses in the borough are:

The existing Shaw – Rushcroft – Buckstones circular service will run every 20 minutes (rather than every half hour), Mondays to Saturdays. The service will start earlier, finish later and will also operate every 30 minutes on Sunday daytimes to provide a local feeder service to Metrolink at Shaw & Crompton station.
The existing Greenfield – Oldham – Manchester service will increase from 2 to 4 buses per hour, during Monday to Saturday daytimes, it will link to the Huddersfield/Diggle/Uppermill service at Grasscroft to 8 buses per hour to Oldham, continuing via Copster Hill to Manchester. Evening and Sunday services are also increased to every 30 minutes.
The existing Oldham – Limeside – Failsworth – Manchester service will increase to operate every 10 minutes during the day, every 30 minutes in the evenings and every 20 minutes on Sundays, with extra peak journeys operating between Woodhouses, Newton Heath and Manchester.
The existing Sholver – Oldham – Manchester service will increase to run every 7/8 minutes during the day, every 20 minutes in the evenings and every 15 minutes on Sundays, to provide 16 buses per hour on Oldham Road between Hollinwood and Manchester in conjunction with the Uppermill – Greenfield – Manchester service.
The existing Shaw – Oldham - Middleton – Manchester service will increase to run every 7/8 minutes Monday to Saturday during the day, every 20 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays
The existing West Chadderton – Oldham service will increase from hourly to every 30 minutes during the day, Monday to Saturday. It will start earlier and will be re-routed to serve Royal Oldham Hospital.
The frequency of the existing Oldham – Chadderton – Alkrington – Middleton service will increase to every 10 minutes between Oldham and Chadderton, during the day, Monday to Saturday. Evening and Sunday frequency will be increased to every 30 minutes between Oldham and Middleton.
The existing Stalybridge – Grotton - Oldham service will be diverted to serve Huddersfield Road, Waterhead, and increased to run every 30 minutes, with alternate journeys extending to Ashton.
The existing Denshaw/Carrcote – Uppermill – Mossley – Ashton services will be combined to operate as a single service running hourly throughout the week.
The existing Oldham – Moston – Manchester service will increase to run every 30 minutes in the evenings and every 20 minutes on Sunday daytimes.
The frequency of the existing Rochdale – Shaw – Royton – Chadderton – Manchester service will increase to run every 30 minutes on Sundays.
The frequency of the existing Holts – Oldham – Fitton Hill service will increase to operate every 20 minutes on Sunday daytimes