I so agree about Stagecoach. Round my way, they are,unfortunately the only bus co and
so everyone is stuck with old and clapped out busses (they leak when it's raining,are
very uncomfortable and have a tendency to not turn up). There is only one low floor
bus and that thewy got from a small co that went bust recently.
Also,they only run evening services if subsidised by local council,otherwise,as happened
last year they stopped running them until Council stumped up more.

Brian Souter,the founder of the co is an outspoken homophobe and alround utter shite.

Many areas with other companies have lower charges and some town centre ones are half the
price of stagecoach (20p instead of 40p a ride).
Where stagecoach runs with other co's-it's usually the other company that forces
stagecoach to at least match their lower prices.
That's not to say other companies cant be just as bad in some areas though.

And lets not forget that Bus drivers are amongst the worst off in terms of having
bad work contracts (long hours-little breaks) and get a lot of hassle.
See bus drivers union info.

Point is, what can we do about it ????

There's this lovely collective "do summat" that im sure if u email them they can email a poster raising issues relating to stagecoach! You could use it to decorate the city and make it all beautiful. Here's the info:

e-mail:  dosummat@shortcutz.org.uk
Homepage:  http://www.dosummat.org.uk

Ho ho ho

Subvertising about Stagecoach would be awesome, we could go upstairs and put loads of stickers on saying how evil and wrong they are. Personally, I think we should break into the bus depot, and drive all their busses into the canal. HAHAHAHA!!!! Failing that, we can promote bikes more. I have a bike, and I normally ride it, but just this once I decided to take stagecoach because I had a bikeless friend with me. Actually, my first few years in Manchester I used to get a Megarider, and I must have given them hundreds of pounds of my money. I can't believe how much of a mug I was...

I think mass bike promotion is the way forward, in combination with a tactic of pointing out with subverts exactly how much people are being cheated when they catch the bus. And maybe when the time is right, we can do the whole bus/canal thing. But you know, in my opinion, they're much worse than McDonalds, because at least people can choose not to eat that crap. Stagecoach really have the monopoly on some of the bus routes in Manchester, and can get away with totally ripping us all off.

After Christmas, you may see me at the DoSummat meeting. You most likely know me anyway.

...is that in many areas, Stagecoach is the only show in town, leaving people with no bus service at all!

Maybe it's time to start creating our own alternatives... local biodiesel bus co-ops anyone? :)

also its tricky to fit your kids on your bike (unless you can afford the expensive stuff you can bolt onto bikes - or whatever), also its not good to pedal if your knees don't work too good.. bikes don't work for everyone.
stagecoach are absolute shit..
biodiesel bus cooperatives. sounds good. where do you start to make it happen?
or are there other less big things people could do..
there must be a lot of people who are pissed off with stagecoach..
heather

I've heard that MERCi www.bridge-5.org has a biodiesel thing going on. May be they can support a biodiesel bus project. Anyway when are we getting the tram to run to chorlton?

the chorlton line is an "optional part of the Phase 3 Single Contract Extentions -

The winner from a shortlist of tenders was expected to be announced in Autumn 2003".

no update from that.. don't hold your breath. This was a press release in 2002. I can't find much more but i haven't looked that hard so its probably out there.

"Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for Transport, announced the single contract deal - worth £520m - in the House of Commons today during Parliamentary questions. Whilst the scheme will cost some £820 million, there will also be a private sector contribution of £300 million. Four consortia are currently being considered for the 'single contract' to design, build, operate and maintain the three extensions to Rochdale and Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Airport. Tender prices have also been requested for the extensions to East Didsbury and Stockport and The Lowry, following which, further Government support may be sought. Subject to private sector funding, the contract may also include an extension to the Trafford Centre. The consortium that is awarded the contract will also take over the operation of the existing Metrolink lines to Bury, Altrincham and Eccles.

With funding now secured, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) expects to announce the preferred bidders - a shortlist of two - within the next two weeks. The contract is likely to be awarded by late 2003, with construction planned to start in Spring 2004. It is expected that all the lines included in the single contract will all be complete by 2010.

Anyone wishing to know more about the Metrolink 'single contract' can contact the Metrolink hotline Monday to Friday between 9.00am and 4.30pm on 0161-242 6789.

Press contact:
Manchester City City Council: Janine Watson on 0161 234 3337

GMPTE Press Office: Becky Marr or Anthony Hobbs on 0161-242 6245.

alternative, my arse! - Metrolink are run by Serco (as are most of our swimming pools, traffic lights.......), who also manage Trident, Britain's nuke 'deterrent', private prisons and hospitals, plus the asylum seeker voucher scheme. They were, I think, running Cornerhouse's upstairs cafe - if I'm right, then Manchester Earth First! have a leaflet about them (226 6814, mancefATnematode.freeserve.co.uk, www.earthfirst.org.uk/manchester)

Stagecoach were targetted a while back in Manc, a bus painted pink at the time of a Mardi Gras parade, and also on the 'Challenge Anarchy' Mayday events a couple of people in wheelchairs repeatedly rolled under the wheels of stationary buses whilst people on foot leafletted.

Stagecoach Manchester, Head Office, Hyde Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 6JS
0161 276 2540

Stagecoach Manchester
Head Office, Daw Bank, Stockport SK3 0DU
0161-228 7811
Main Switchboard
(0161) 273 3377

plus they own half of Virgin Trains
....if you want to find more office/depot etc addresses, search the web, try the business library, go to Companies House, etc.
For info on how to research companies, go to the Corporate Watch link off the following website.
There is also a link on how to occupy offices if you want to try out that kind of direct action, plus legal support etc, all from www.eco-action.org/blinc
If you need contact with people who've done this kind of thing before, try Manc EF! as above.

Oh no, is EVERYTHING owned by someone who elsewhere is perpetrating terrible evils. Well, what to do. I have a bike, so I'm OK, but for people with kids, or who are terrified to cycle because the bus drivers are bastards who cut off cyclists down Oxford road, then it will be good to have an alternative evil company to give money to. Sometimes its just unavoidable. I tried finding fair-trade vegan not-related-to-evil-company everything for a while, and it drove me crazy. I think its possible, but it takes a step at a time. I may just move to the forests, except they're cutting them down, so we're kind of compelled to stay here and fight the system from within. Starting with stagecoach. Damn you stagecoach, thou shalt pay in blood and oil for your evil ways.