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| Image: TfGM |
Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I've a feeling that when TfGM and the GMCA were setting dates for the implementation of the three tranches of the Bee Network they weren't banking on the first week of implementation for tranche three being marred by snow and ice.
But, needless to say, that's exactly what happened when buses across South Manchester (including Stockport) joined the Bee Network on the 5th January.
Monday 6th January was the first day back at work for many after Christmas, meaning that they had finished their commutes to work back in December under the old system of chaos and multi coloured buses, and were beginning the new year with shiny new yellow buses and hopefully more order.
The snow hadn't arrived on Monday as I set out for work, and I was feeling a bit nervous and apprehensive as I headed for the bus stop to hopefully await the arrival of the newly franchised 385. The route which was only established in the summer of 2023 had been saved by the Bee Network while its parent route, the increasingly useless 375, had been ruthlessly binned. Unfortunately, D&G were no longer running the 385 route.
It was late to arrive and when it came around the corner we weren't sure at first if it was a bus. It was so small it looked more like a minibus. But no, it was the 385. It was tiny and yellow, with only 16 seats, and a very fancy sliding automatic door that beeped alarmingly whenever it was opening and shutting, but it was here. "Well, this is going to be a problem at 4:30 when the college kids get on." I thought to myself as we bounced over the speed bumps. Time to get out the Rate Your Journey questionnaire on the Bee Network site...
At 4:30pm, I waited at the bus stop for the 385 along with a crowd of about 15 other people, almost all students from the college. Since September 2024, the 385 has become a firm favourite with the college kids: They can catch it from opposite the college and, unlike the other buses heading in the same direction, it could be relied on to turn up.
Well, until the 6th January it could anyway.
The bus was due to arrive at 27 minutes past 4pm and when it hadn't arrived by 4:35pm, people were a little worried but not entirely surprised: It has been known to not turn up until 4:40pm before now.
When it got to 4:50pm, some of us headed down the road to the 383 bus stop, but many people stayed at the 385 stop. Unable to comprehend that the bus was not coming. The Bee Network app hadn't been any help in this regard: It wasn't showing any 385 service coming, in real time, until after 6pm. Clearly stuff had gone wrong.
Most of us ended up on the 358 (not to be confused with the 385...) at just after 5:30pm. How the population of Mellor (who have no other service apart from the 385) got home remains uncertain.
Snow was due over night and day one of the Bee Network had been a mixed bag. Clearly I was going to have to tweak my commuting plans...
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