Agree to some extent, but one thing that is totally underpublicised is the £5 Wayfarer, great value for those holding English Nat Concession cards. Problem is, where do they buy them? Obviously we know, but they don't.
My view is they should at least be offered off-peak pensioner/disabled concession 50% fares on the machines as things used to be.
The Wayfarer is not a solution for all over 60s journeys from outside GM.
Example:
Cheapest railcard discounted London-Rochdale advance single £9.25
Cheapest railcard discounted London-Manchester advance single £8.25
So £1 extra for the Manchester-Rochdale leg and would have been the same for Oldham prior to Metrolink conversion. Now it's £2.50 extra for Metrolink to Oldham.
Both the Merseytravel and TfGM tickets need to be put on to the online rail booking sites so that people from outside the area are aware of them.
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I've dug out the 'bible' for October 1990-May 1991 (the line closed to BR services in December 1991), and it shows a 15 minute frequency service on weekdays and Saturdays, the general pattern being:
xx.10 to Alderley Edge (via Styal)
xx.25 to Alderley Edge (via Stockport)
xx.40 to Wilmslow (via Styal)
xx.55 to Crewe (via Stockport)
On Sundays it was roughly a 30 min service but not starting till the afternoon.
Can you find a late 1980s timetable? I think the service on the Sale line started to be reduced from 1989 onwards when Chester services were diverted.
An historic peak service was more frequent than Metrolink is now (as well as providing more capacity through trains being longer than trams):
07:45 Altrincham-Manchester (all stops)
07:49 Altrincham-Manchester (all stops)
07:54 Altrincham-Manchester (most stops)
08:00 Sale-Manchester (all stops)
07:58 Altrincham-Manchester (express)
08:00 Altrincham-Manchester (all stops)
08:07 Altrincham-Manchester (all stops)
http://www.timetableworld.com/image_viewer.php?id=7§ion_id=1505
In comparison Metrolink runs to the following (plus or minus two minutes to allow trams to be evenly spaced out.)
07:42 Altrincham-Bury
07:48 Altrincham-Piccadilly
07:54 Altrincham-Bury
08:00 Altrincham-Piccadilly
08:06 Altrincham-Bury