In message , Richard J.
writes

extending Hammersmith Bus Station

When are they due to start work?

Work has apparently already started on the temporary (single-story)
extension (although I can't say I noticed last time I went past) with a
view to opening by the end of the year:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/ini-hammersmith.asp

Do you have an online reference?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-cent...t.asp?prID=319

There's a site plan on page 11 of (excuse the long URL!):

http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Have_your_say...AC20040216.pdf

Are they going to extend over the tube station (which always seemed
to me what they should have done in the first place)?

The extension involves the entire NE quadrant of the Broadway Centre
(where the Emerald Hall is/was sited). The area is almost the size as
the existing bus station, but it doesn't cross the railway - I think the
temporary extension will be connected with the rest only by a pedestrian
bridge - in most respects is looks as though it will operate fairly
independently of the existing facility, mainly as a base for services
that currently terminate at The Grove (266, 267, H91).

I have no idea what they will do in the longer term, except that I'm
sure the plan will involve offices above the new site in order to try to
recoup some of the cost (£21M is a lot for half a bus station - and
that's just the cost of the site, I believe

In the longer term the two sites will need to be better integrated, and
that can only really be done by building over the railway, I would guess
- effectively combining the two sites will need some very clever design
and engineering (unless it was something that was always intended -
although that I very much doubt).

--
Paul Terry

In message , Richard J.
writes
When are they due to start work? Do you have an online reference? Are
they going to extend over the tube station (which always seemed to me
what they should have done in the first place)?

I seem to remember reading that the reason the LU station is as it is,
is so that it doesn't fall foul of S12 requirements which it would if
covered over completely. Therefore, I wouldn't expect it to be covered
up any time soon.
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)

On 15 Aug 2005 21:58:30 -0700, "Paul Weaver"
wrote:

I take it you went nowhere near either Piccadilly Gardens or Oxford
Road, then?

Was hinting more at the pollution than pedestrianisation there

Picc. Gardens is pretty pedestrianised (the bit leading down to the
arndale anyway). I don't count oxford road as the middle of manchester
as it's south of the A57M. The only reason you'd go down there is to
rip some students off or visit the BBC

I was thinking of the area around exchange square really.


I can't gripe about the squares - Exchange/Albert/St Annes/Great
Northern etc but the problem is that the centre is, that with the
exception of Market Street you're always having to cross pretty busy
roads when out and about in Manc. Cross Street near M&S being
particularly lethal...

On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 21:51:39 GMT, (Neil
Williams) wrote:

On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 22:32:46 +0100, Cheeky wrote:

No doubt there'll be some worthy words about it in LTP2. Lets see if
the PTE do anything although as it isn't a tram they probably don't
give a crap...

M(cynical)X is that they generally ignore it because it requires no
subsidy despite running very nearly[1] 24 hours a day.

[1] Just try to get a 42 early on a Sunday morning...

Neil

Well judging from the condition of the road pavement in places they
certainly seem to be ignoring it!

Never had the pleasure of an early sunday morning 42. If I need to do
anything outside of the peak I tend to rely on my bike as I certainly
can't rely on Souter's mob!

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 22:34:03 +0100, Cheeky wrote:

Never had the pleasure of an early sunday morning 42.

Quite difficult to find. Nothing at all between about 4am and 8am,
then something like hourly (or half-hourly at best) until 10. Or
that's what it was like 5 or so years ago, anyway...

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 20:19:13 GMT, "Richard J."
wrote:

Paul Terry wrote:
In message , Dave Arquati
writes

Hammersmith is an excellent example.

Except, of course, it was too small from the outset - hence the
reason why it is now having to be extended at enormous cost.

When are they due to start work? Do you have an online reference? Are
they going to extend over the tube station (which always seemed to me
what they should have done in the first place)?

What I've managed to find is this:

http://www.apps.lbhf.gov.uk/planning...2003/01801/FUL

Which shows that the bus station extension is on the opposite (north
east) side of the station to the existing bus station.

--
Thomas Covenant
Please observe Reply-to address.

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:59:48 GMT, (Neil
Williams) wrote:

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 22:34:03 +0100, Cheeky wrote:

Never had the pleasure of an early sunday morning 42.

Quite difficult to find. Nothing at all between about 4am and 8am,
then something like hourly (or half-hourly at best) until 10. Or
that's what it was like 5 or so years ago, anyway...

Neil

I was gobsmacked looking at the timetable at our local bus stop. If I
read it correctly it seems that Stagecoach has decided we need no
buses at all on bank holidays!

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 22:18:02 +0100, Cheeky wrote:

I was gobsmacked looking at the timetable at our local bus stop. If I
read it correctly it seems that Stagecoach has decided we need no
buses at all on bank holidays!

GMPTE's fault. Most other locations (including Milton Keynes) run a
subsidised Sunday service on a Bank Holiday, because demand patterns
on such days (and shopping hours etc) are typically similar to a
Sunday. For some reason, GMPTE seem to refuse to cough up so you end
up with a lesser-than-Sunday service.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 21:40:09 GMT, (Neil
Williams) wrote:

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 22:18:02 +0100, Cheeky wrote:

I was gobsmacked looking at the timetable at our local bus stop. If I
read it correctly it seems that Stagecoach has decided we need no
buses at all on bank holidays!

GMPTE's fault. Most other locations (including Milton Keynes) run a
subsidised Sunday service on a Bank Holiday, because demand patterns
on such days (and shopping hours etc) are typically similar to a
Sunday. For some reason, GMPTE seem to refuse to cough up so you end
up with a lesser-than-Sunday service.

Neil

But it's OK because the trams are still running :-(

Is it just me or have GMPTE totally lost the plot? Was looking at LTT
the other day and it seems that, in their infinite wisdom, they've
decided to can the direct metrolink line from Chorlton, via Withington
Hospital to the Airport and have retained the tortuous route via
Wythenshawe (all on-street therefore slow). So to get to the airport
you'll have to travel three sides of a square through dodgeville....
That'll have them flocking to PT!

On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 23:54:06 +0100, Cheeky wrote:

But it's OK because the trams are still running :-(

GMPTE's little baby, quite possibly because of the lack of operating
subsidy.

Is it just me or have GMPTE totally lost the plot? Was looking at LTT
the other day and it seems that, in their infinite wisdom, they've
decided to can the direct metrolink line from Chorlton, via Withington
Hospital to the Airport and have retained the tortuous route via
Wythenshawe (all on-street therefore slow). So to get to the airport
you'll have to travel three sides of a square through dodgeville....

This strikes me as sensible, because the Airport is already very well
served by heavy rail, and anyone with any sense will use that, and not
a tram, from the city centre.

The only concern with Wythenshawe is that, because of the nature of
some of its inhabitants, travelling by tram there may become quite
dangerous. I can see conductors in pairs, or at the very least
security guards, being necessary at times.

As regards bus operations, GMPTE have never *had* the plot.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.