239 / 392 Service

As recently flagged up, there are big changes coming to two local bus services.

First the simple part of the change – the 392 Service which runs a Glossop to Gamesley circular will be withdrawn from the 25^th July.

Now for the 239 (Glossop to Ashton via Tameside Hospital) things are not straight forward.

First details of what the change is – for a copy of the expected new time table click here – for the existing time table click here

As you can see from the new timetable in the direction of Ashton Under Lyne, the current first journey at 6.42 (from Glossop to Ashton Under Lyne) no longer runs, and the rest of service is vastly reduced with no buses through to Ashton Under Lyne after the 2.03pm journey in the afternoon.

Heading to Glossop, the first journey back from Ashton Under Lyne is now the 9.59am journey, and the last bus back from Ashton Under Lyne is 2.59 in the afternoon as opposed to the 6.29pm it currently is.

Why’s this is happening ?

Well according to Speedwell the current operators of the service, they advise that the amount of subsidy they get isn’t enough to keep running the service as it has not being reviewed in 5 years and is less than what is received for other local services, and that the buses they use on the route are coming to the end of their lives, so they either need more subsidy or failing that they will reduce the service to what is detailed in the new timetable.

However when talking to the County Council, they advise that the subsidy contract for the current service is mid life and has a number of years to run before it is due to end and it is not policy of the county council to renegotiate contracts mid life.

There is a process with the County Council for operators to flag up additional costs and end the contract that way, however Speedwell haven’t done that and instead have decided to start running the service with no subsidy from July when the timetable changes.

What’s next ?

To try and combat this change we need your help, and information on what journeys you make on the service and how you will be affected by the change, please get in touch either by leaving a comment below, emailing buswatch@anthonymckeown.info with your details, or call in at the GRA and leave your details on a contact sheet that is available there.