Belle Vue Coaches

[plaxtonpointer11]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches
All being well - the 391’s will just be operated by all Mellors from this Saturday with Optare Versa YJ14 BPK as spare (once fixed) YJ14 BPO is the spare Versa for now.

Tomorrow will be officially the last day for the rental Enviro 200’s SK24 CTY and SK24 CUA before they get returned

[knutstransport]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches

(27/03/2025 12:08)plaxtonpointer11 Wrote:  Hi,

That was me this morning heading back from Middlewich for an MOT. It’s my preserved bus and not owned by Belle Vue.

I only ever added it onto ticketer by the off chance that it might have done it whilst on a class 6 MOT.

I notice it's tracking on Treacle Market Free Bus in the Macclesfield area today. Unknown operator and saying it's in Cheshire Connect livery.

[knutstransport]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches
Interesting:
https://bustimes.org/services/188-mobber...rd-academy

It looks like D&G 521 and Belle Vue 731 are both tracking on 188s this week. Is it some strange anomaly or is there now a duplicate service?

[plaxtonpointer11]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches

(28/01/2026 15:17)knutstransport Wrote:  Interesting:
https://bustimes.org/services/188-mobber...rd-academy

It looks like D&G 521 and Belle Vue 731 are both tracking on 188s this week. Is it some strange anomaly or is there now a duplicate service?

Hi,

The 188 is an extremely busy service. D&G’s 188 is often full and standing so Cheshire East have put additional funding for a dedicated duplicate 188 service (pass holders only). The duplicate bus serves more rural areas of Mobberley. That’s carrying roughly 20-35 pupils on it. Double deckers can’t be used due to the nature of the route (low hanging trees) and also a 13ft bridge on Small Lane.

[knutstransport]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches
I've seen the D&G 188 before. They don't always comply with the minimum 35 seat capacity. Then there's the 88 journeys which run at similar times that were standing room only due to the Knutsford Academy pupils.

Obviously the 88 will still be the service pupils living on the Longridge estate use, with both 188s routed via the B road.

[plaxtonpointer11]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches
From 5th April service 391 will run 7 days a week. A new Sunday and Bank Holiday contract for this service has been awarded by Cheshire East. It will run limited journeys and connect the places currently without a Sunday / Bank Holiday service. I have stopped my Treacle Market Free Bus now in preparation for this.

The timetable is as follows:
08:45, 12:45 Stockport to Macclesfield
10:15, 14:25 Macclesfield to Stockport
15:55 Stockport to Middlewood
16:43 Middlewood to Stockport

This will enable passengers 4 hours in Macclesfield (often needed when Treacle Market is on), either 1 or 4 hours in Stockport for Poynton passengers.

Hopefully my Treacle Market Bus has set it off to a good start - and fingers crossed the new contract becomes busy.

[knutstransport]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches
It's a shame the council haven't done the same with the 87/88. (Unless there's another announcement due). The car parks on market Sundays in Knutsford are always full and people try parking in stupid places. Knutsford has an unreliable train service on Sundays and no bus services at all. Given the 391 will serve Poynton, I think Knutsford may be the largest place in the council district without a Sunday service.

[knutstransport]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches
Also with Sundays in general it's worth noting some people still go to church on Sundays (sometimes elderly people who no longer drive). Due to a reduction in clergy number Poynton's Catholic church shares a priest with Whaley Bridge, so a short bus ride up to Hazel Grove gives more choice of service times.

[iMarkeh]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches

(25/02/2026 18:27)plaxtonpointer11 Wrote:  From 5th April service 391 will run 7 days a week. A new Sunday and Bank Holiday contract for this service has been awarded by Cheshire East. It will run limited journeys and connect the places currently without a Sunday / Bank Holiday service. I have stopped my Treacle Market Free Bus now in preparation for this.

What an absolute waste of money. If Cheshire East transport officers had even just half a braincell, they would be dangerous people. Sooner they get locked up for mismanagement of public funds, the better.

The funds would be far better spent on something logical which has half a chance at being successful. The 391 is not that sadly. Needlessly slow, zig-zagging around the county, and spends so much time duplicating over other bus routes. I do wonder how much money Cheshire East taxpayers are subsidising the route for mileage ran in Manchester following behind the 192. The figures will be staggering.

[plaxtonpointer11]

RE: Belle Vue Coaches
The 391 very much has its purpose, and under Belle Vue’s operation - has become a roaring success. Passenger numbers have been rising constantly in our years of operation and this additional service is more than justified.

It’s disheartening to see negative comments about the service that we are passionate about.

What people don’t realise is, Cheshire East residents use this service to travel to Stockport and its amenities. Taking away a link just because it looks like it duplicates another service would have a detrimental impact on the people that rely on it and makes it look unattractive. That would (in effect) be enough to finish the 391 for good.