27^th November 2020

Every parent worries about getting the correct fare together every morning. They have concerns about their child losing the money or spending it on something else and then being left short for the journey home. Our Educational Termly Season Ticket allows you to save up to 40% off the cost of travel and helps to calm those worries. What’s more, if your child loses their season ticket we’ll replace it for a small administration fee.

The season ticket carries no restrictions, which means that your child can travel worry free on the designated route during evenings and weekends too. The new Spring Term Season Ticket is available to purchase throughout December  and will be valid from 1^st January 2021 to 2^nd April 2021. Full details of the origin stations available for your school can be found at https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/educational-season

We know that safety will continue to be a priority for the new school year and Northern is committed to making sure that all passengers can travel safely on our trains.  From December we are running more trains and increasing the number of services. Our trains and stations are being cleaned daily and we are using industry leading sanatising products such as Zoono, an antimicrobial coating that bonds to surfaces.  In addition, we need your help to ensure your child is wearing a facemask when they travel (unless they are exempt). 

The pass can be purchased online until the 30^th of December 2020. Educational Season Tickets for the rest of the year may also be purchased during December. Ordering your pass online makes it easier (and safer) to purchase –  Please visit https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/educational-season and complete the form. Your order will then be processed quickly and efficiently and the ticket(s) posted out the same working day.

Should you have any questions about the scheme please contact education@northernrailway.co.uk

2nd November 2020

Last term, duplicate bus journeys exclusively for school and college students were introduced to run behind the original scheduled service at set times where pre-lockdown passenger data showed the highest number of school and college students travelling and where bus seats were expected to be in high demand as a result. The usual route number starts in ‘S’ to show they are school services.

Please be aware that funding has been secured to continue to operate the duplicate ‘S’ services after half term. Details of which can be found here: https://tfgm.com/public-transport/schools/duplicate-school-bus-services

Capacity on the commercial bus network continues to be significantly reduced due to coronavirus social distancing measures. Where they can, we’re encouraging children to walk, cycle or scoot to school, 

It’s been advised that students sit in their school bubbles whilst using school buses with Go Goodwins and Belle Vue – who operate school buses that serve Altrincham Grammar Schools and Loreto Grammar. These notices are also diplayed on the bus.

• School transport bubbles

23^rd September

Bus services 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760

• AGSG AGSB Loreto 23 Sept 2020

14th September 2020

D & G have been unable to re-instate their school journeys on Service 288 as from 07/09/2020.
Therefore they will be operated by Selwyns Coaches from the afternoon of Monday 07/09/2020 and a morning and afternoon trip from Tuesday 08/09/2020.

Destinations will be ‘S288 Altrincham/Loreto Schools Only’ and ‘S288 East Didsbury Schools Only’.

Further details are available on TFGM website: https://tfgm.com/public-transport/schools

• 288 School Bus Services 7th September 2020

3rd September 2020

Greater Manchester secures £2m for thousands of extra bus seats to support safe return to school

Read more on the below document:

• News release – Duplicate bus journeys to support return to school 030920 FINAL

• Trafford Schools 2020-2021 Regular Timetables
• Bus Times 288

Please find attached details of dedicated schools services in your area effective from September; these services will operate at the capacity noted on the timetables (i.e. there is no requirement for social distancing restrictions)

• Belle Vue Covid-19 Bus Travel Risk Assesment
• Diamond Bus COVID 19 RISK ASSESSMENT CLEANING
• Diamond Bus COVID 19 RISK ASSESSMENT DRIVING
• Driver Risk Assessment Go Goodwins Coaches August 2020
• Stagecoach Manchester COVID-19 RA Bus drivers on vehicle 1
• Stagecoach Manchester COVID-19 RA Customer on board Bus – England only 2

13th January 2020

Operational Bus Planning is using a new complaints system. This will allow TfGM’s  Customer Relations Department to log and forward it to the correct departments (including ourselves Operational Bus Planning). The benefit of this is it will leave an audit trail, identify who is dealing with what in which department and will provide a better service for our customers. Often a lot of comments, require an answer from just one department but sometime a comment may require various sections of TfGM to work together to provide an answer as well as contacting third parties; such as Bus Operators, Schools, Local Council Officers and outside agencies. This process ensures that comments are dealt with more effectively and efficiently as well as meeting legal guidelines.

Therefore, going forward please send emails (unless immediate urgent action is required) direct to our Customer Relations Department at customer.relations@tfgm.com – this enables it to be logged, assigned a case number and also be covered by TfGM data protection. Otherwise we will be unable to process it.

6th December 2019

From the start of the 2019/2020 academic year, school bus fares will increase in line with inflation. We would be grateful if you could distribute this information to parents via your usual channels.

The changes:

An IGO card costs £10 and lasts until 31^st August after your 16th birthday. The card allows 11-16 year olds to travel using child tickets on buses and trams in Greater Manchester.