Now that the initial series of strikes by First, Stagecoach and Metroline have ended, I've had time to reflect on both the sheer level of disruption caused and some of the wider issues raised. It seems easiest to present these in a list:
1) Traffic congestion on strike days was awful:
Conclusion: On Monday, the final day of the strikes, I'd estimate the number of cars on the road at 4pm to be about three times the volume that would normally be on the road at that time. Faced with no other way of getting to work, or to education, people clearly opted for lifts or taxi's as their only way of getting where they needed to go. With this in mind, it would interesting to see what footfall was like in major shopping areas around Greater Manchester over the two strike days at the weekend.
2) This made what few buses were running very late indeed.
Conclusion: The number of cars on the road slowed down the smaller number of buses on the road. To give an example of this, the 4:30pm 385 didn't arrive until 5pm on Monday. OK, it didn't arrive until 4:55pm on Friday either - when the buses weren't on strike - but I think that was a weird coincidence and doesn't entirely undermine my point.
3) People have no idea who is running their buses and how they are run
Conclusion: Not a surprise as, pre Bee Network, no one had a clue how their buses were being run either. This sense that the average passenger has no idea of the ins and outs of bus franchising (and why would they unless they are a bus geek and/or campaigned for public control in 2019...) was reinforced by overhearing a passenger on the 385 on Monday telling someone on her phone that the 385 was running because it was a "private" bus and wasn't part of the Bee Network. As opposed to the truth of the matter, ie that it's run by Diamond, who do operate buses as part of the Bee Network, but who - unlike First, Stagecoach and Metroline - haven't voted for strike action.
4) A lot of kids didn't make it to class on Friday and Monday
Conclusion: Expect more of this. If there aren't back channel communications going on within Greater Manchester between schools and colleges and various high ups in transport and the Mayors office, I will be amazed. While schools and colleges can offer advice to students and their families about alternative ways to get their kids in, there isn't a lot that they can do if parents and carers can't drop the kids off themselves, can't afford taxi's, and there is literally no other way to get their kid in that doesn't involve a lengthy walk. I mean, you could walk from Heaton Norris to Heaviley if you got up at stupid o'clock in the morning, but there sure as hell isn't going to be a bus or a train service running that you could catch. And, of course, we do not have a tram network in Stockport so that isn't an option either. Also, speaking as someone who did occasionally walk from the Heatons to Stockport during Covid, and who wasn't 16 at the time, even if students were prepared to walk from Heaton Norris to Heaviley to get into school/college... they'd be too exhausted to learn anything once they arrived.
5) Bikes aren't going to be a viable strike busting option when it comes to the next run of strikes
Conclusion: Because cyclists will just be stuck in the same traffic jams as everyone else.
Overall thoughts?
While I feel that my journey to work is secure next week (because the 385 is running on strike days and I get up horrifically early...), I am fully expecting to be walking home at least once on Tuesday, Wednesday and/or Thursday. I honestly think it will be quicker than any road based method of transport.
Future strike dates:
- Tuesday 30th September
- Wednesday 1st October
- Thursday 2nd October
- Friday 10th October
- Saturday 11th October
- Monday 13th October
- Saturday 18th October
- Thursday 23rd October
- Friday 24th October
(Source: Unite)
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