Bus operator Little Gem have now stopped running contracted bus services.

The operator ran several school and local bus services.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has arranged emergency cover for several bus routes set to be withdrawn.

In arranging emergency cover, priority was given to school services and those routes where passengers have fewer travel options.

Full details of the current provision and new operators, following the tender process, is below.

Following the tender process, on Wednesday 26 April, cover has been found for most services affected by the closure of Little Gem.

Below is the outcome of this process and updates on the affected services.

  • 260 - will be operated by D&G from Tuesday 2 May 2023
  • 261 - will be operated by D&G from Tuesday 2 May 2023
  • 262 - will be operated by D&G from Tuesday 2 May 2023
  • 280 - will be operated by Belle Vue from Monday 8 May 2023
  • 288 - will be operated by Belle Vue from Monday 8 May 2023
  • 336 - will continue to be operated by First (as is currently the case)
  • 337 - will continue to be operated by First (as is currently the case)
  • 389 - will continue to be operated by First (as is currently the case)
  • 375 - From Monday 8 May 2023 D&G will operate a bus to cover the unserved area on the 375 route from Mellor to Stepping Hill. However, this is a single vehicle and will therefore operate on a limited timetable.
  • 44 - no replacement operator was found and no immediate replacement is planned
  • 84 - no replacement operator was found and no immediate replacement is planned
  • 217 - no replacement operator was found and no immediate replacement is planned

Where cover was found, services will operate to existing timetables as shown on-stop.

TfGM is continuing to explore options relating to the 375 service after no operator bid for it and is working to limit the impact on residents in Upper Hazel Grove, Hawk Green and Mellor in particular, as they are most affected due to a lack of alternative bus or other public transport services.

Due to the short notice and very limited driving staff availability, no suitable emergency cover has been found at the present time for the 44, 84 or 217 services.

However, there are several alternative services which operate across part of the affected routes and are within a five-minute walking distance:

44 - Manchester – MRI – Moss Side – East Didsbury – Wythenshawe Hospital – Altrincham

  • 19 - Wythenshawe - Northern Moor - Sale Moor - Sale - Altrincham
  • 23 - Stockport - Stretford - Urmston - The Trafford Centre
  • 25 - Stockport - Heaton Moor - Stretford - The Trafford Centre
  • 41 - Middleton - Higher Blackley - Bowker Vale - Didsbury - Sale
  • 43 - Manchester Airport - Wythenshawe - Piccadilly Gardens
  • 101 - Piccadilly Gardens - Moss Side - Baguley - Wythenshawe
  • 111 - Chorlton - Withington - Moss Side - Piccadilly Gardens
  • 171 - Newton Heath - Droylsden - Gorton - Burnage - East Didsbury
  • 370 - Altrincham - Gatley - Cheadle - Cheadle Heath - Stockport
  • 371 - Altrincham - Gatley - Cheadle - Heaton Mersey - Stockport

84 - Withington – Merseybank – Chorlton

  • 23 - Stockport - Stretford - Urmston - The Trafford Centre
  • 25 - Stockport - Heaton Moor - Stretford - The Trafford Centre
  • 85A - Piccadilly Gardens - Hulme - Chorlton - Arrowfield Estate
  • 101 - Piccadilly Gardens - Moss Side - Baguley - Wythenshawe
  • 103 - Piccadilly Gardens - Wythenshawe - Manchester Airport
  • 111 - Chorlton - Withington - Moss Side - Piccadilly Gardens

217 - Manchester – Beswick – Clayton – Droylsden – Ashton

  • 7 - Ashton-under-Lyne - Reddish - Heaton Chapel - Stockport
  • 171 - Newton Heath - Droylsden - Gorton - Burnage - East Didsbury
  • 172 - Chorlton - Didsbury - Gorton - Droylsden - Newton Heath
  • 216 - Stalybridge - Ashton-under-Lyne - Piccadilly Gardens
  • 219 - Manchester City Centre - Stalybridge - Hadfield - Glossop
  • Ashton Metrolink line

From Tuesday 8 May, a number of changes will be made to school bus services across Greater Manchester. This is in order for all schools to be covered, following the closure of Little Gem.

Updated timetables are now available on TfGM's school webpages.

Manchester

Barlow High

The morning journey on 719 from Baguley, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Belle Vue. There is no change to the route or times.

The afternoon journey on 719 to Baguley, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Stagecoach. There is no change to the route or times.

Oldham

Newman College

The morning only journey on 882 from Shaw, currently run by First, is withdrawn. Alternative journeys can be made by interchanging in Oldham.

Waterhead Academy

The morning journey on 839 from Sholver, currently run by Stotts, will be run by First. There is no change to the route or times.

Stockport

Bramhall

The morning and afternoon journeys on 877 from/to Stockport, currently run by Stagecoach, will be run by Belle Vue. There is no change to the route or times.

Cheadle Hulme High / Laurus Cheadle Hulme

The morning only journey on 860 from Bridge Hall, currently run by Belle Vue, is withdrawn. Alternative journeys can be made on services 863 or 864.

The morning journey on 864 from Adswood, currently run by Stagecoach, will be run by Belle Vue. The service will be extended to start at Bridge Hall to replace service 860, starting at Bridge Hall at 0735 and running 7 minutes later throughout.

Kingsway

The second morning journey on the 758 from Heald Green, currently run by Belle Vue, will be withdrawn. The service operated by Stagecoach, to the same route, will be unchanged.

The morning journey on the 810 from Northern Moor, currently run by Belle Vue, will now start at 0712 instead of 0727 and run 15 minutes earlier throughout. There is no change to the route.

Marple Hall

The morning and afternoon journeys on 800 from/to Hyde, currently run by Belle Vue, are withdrawn. Alternative direct journeys can be made on services 801 or 806.

The morning and afternoon journeys on service 802 from/to Mellor will be extended to run from/to Hazel Grove, replacing service 809. The service will start at the Royal Oak in Hazel Grove, running via the current 809 route to Hibbert Lane, then Stockport Road, Oldknow Road, Arkwright Road, Brabyns Brow, Town Street, Longhurst Lane to Devonshire Arms, Longhurst Lane, Town Street, Brabyns Brow, Station Road and Stockport Road to School. Students are advised to check the new timetable.

The morning and afternoon journeys on 809 from/to Hazel Grove, currently run by Belle Vue, are withdrawn. Alternative direct journeys can be made on service 802.

Tameside

Audenshaw

The afternoon journey on 791 to Dane Bank, currently run by Stotts, will be run by Belle Vue. There is no change to the route or times.

Denton

The morning journey on 701 from Dane Bank, currently run by Stagecoach, will be run by Transdev. There is no change to the route, but the journey will now start at 0806 instead of 0752 and run 14 minutes later throughout.

The afternoon journey on 701 to Dane Bank, currently run by Stagecoach, will be run by First. There is no change to the route or times.

Fairfield High

The morning journey on 747 from Haughton Green, will be retimed to start 5 minutes earlier at 0655 instead of 0700.

Longdendale

The morning and afternoon journeys on 817 from/to Stalybridge, currently run by Stagecoach, will be run by Stotts. There is no change to the route or times.

St Damian’s

The morning journey on 770 from Waterhead, currently run by Stotts, will be run by First. There is no change to the route or times.

The second afternoon journey on the 775 to Fitton Hill, currently run by First, will be withdrawn. The service operated by Stotts, to the same route, will be unchanged.

Trafford

Altrincham College

The morning and afternoon journeys on 772 from/to Sale, currently run by Diamond, will be run by Belle Vue. There is no change to the route or times of this, or the journeys run by Stagecoach.

The morning journey on 773 from Oldfield Brow, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Diamond. There is no change to the route or times.

The morning and afternoon journeys on 774 from/to Wythenshawe, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Stagecoach. There is no change to the route or times.

Altrincham Grammar School for Boys / Altrincham Grammar School for Girls / Loreto Grammar School

The morning and afternoon journeys on service 44 from/to Manchester, previously run by Little Gem, will be replaced by journeys on new service 754, run by Stagecoach, between East Didsbury and Altrincham.
The route will be changed to run direct at Baguley, i.e. not via Wythenshawe Hospital, and buses will run 5 minutes later in the morning and 5 minutes earlier in the afternoon between East Didsbury and Baguley.

The morning and afternoon journeys on 755 from/to Northern Moor, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Stagecoach. The route will be changed to run direct between Timperley and Altrincham and not via Timperley Grange, which will be served only by service 760. This bus will now formally run as one double deck bus service, serving all three schools. Students are advised to check the new timetable.

The morning and afternoon journeys on 758 from/to Moss Side, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Belle Vue. There is no change to the route or times.

The morning and afternoon journeys on 760 from/to Warburton, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Stagecoach. There is no change to the route or times.

Blessed Thomas Holford

Service 789 will be rerouted to replace service 790.
Morning buses will start at Lostock Circle and run via Lostock Road and Barton Road to then join the existing route.
At Cross Street, buses will run via Glebelands Road, Grosvenor Road, Ashton Lane, Carrington Lane, Firs Road, Firsway, Cherry Lane, Manor Road, Woodhouse Lane, Washway Road and then as current route.
Students on Cross Street or Washway Road can use service 263 to/from Altrincham Interchange.
Students are advised to check the new timetable. Between Lostock and Sale, buses will run up to 10 minutes earlier in a morning and up to 10 minutes later in an evening.
Both morning journeys and the 1510/1540 afternoon journeys will be run by Stagecoach, whilst the 1615 journey will continue to be run by Belle Vue.

Service 790 will be withdrawn, and replaced by changes to service 789 as detailed above. These changes mean the reinstatement of a 1540 journey to Ashton and Sale West.

Flixton Girls

The morning and afternoon journeys on 795 from/to Cadishead, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Diamond. There is no change to the route or the times of the morning journey but the afternoon journey will now start at 1505 instead of 1507; between Urmston and Cadishead, buses will run 11 minutes earlier throughout.

St Ambrose College

The morning and afternoon journeys on 761 from Heaton Mersey, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Belle Vue. There is no change to the route or times.

Urmston Academy

The morning and afternoon journeys on 795 from/to Cadishead, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Diamond. There is no change to the route or the times of the morning journey but the afternoon journey will now start at 1525 instead of 1536 and run 11 minutes earlier throughout.

Wellacre

The morning and afternoon journeys on 795 from/to Cadishead, previously run by Little Gem, will be run by Diamond. There is no change to the route or the times of the morning journey but the afternoon journey will now start at 1510 instead of 1515; between Urmston and Cadishead, buses will run 11 minutes earlier throughout.

Local Link

Local Link offers a flexible transport service for local journeys in areas where public transport services are limited. Book a shared minibuses to travel anywhere within a Local Link service area.

You can book your journey between 1 hour and 7 days before you want to travel. You will be picked up within ten minutes either side of the agreed pick up time. You must let us know if you need to cancel your journey as far in advance as possible.

Further information

Ring & Ride accessible minibuses

Ring & Ride provide accessible, low cost transport to disabled people and older people with walking difficulties. If you qualify, you can book a Ring & Ride accessible minibus to take you, and an accompanying adult, door to door for journeys of up to 6 miles in Greater Manchester.

There are some exceptions where registered users may travel more than 6 miles from their home address as long as the destination is within Greater Manchester.
Trips which may be considered include:

  • Travel to the nearest local hospital
  • Travel to the nearest town centre or accessible transport facility

Ring & Ride minibuses are suitable for taking wheelchairs, and all drivers have had special accessibility and disability-awareness training.

This service operates between 8am to 10.45pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 10.25pm on Sundays.

Further information