Has anyone been using it? I saw it this morning pulling up at the middlewood park and ride and it was packed!

What a fabulous idea :thumbsup:

Its a terrific little service. I used to shop at Stocksbridge but as the First buses became less and less frequent (and now at the moment we have none at all) I stopped going because it could mean up to a 30 minute wait (which isn't good). This new STL is frequent and quick and even when First put the 57's back on their usual route I WON'T be using them. I will stay with STL.

Also for all the people in Stocksbridge who would have had to buy a weekly for the 57 and then a separate weekly for the tram now only have to buy one ticket and from what I heard one woman happily say at tram stop she saves about £9.

Supertram 1 - First 0. And a very big :thumbsup: for Supertram for providing this SERVICE. :D

BTW Foxy have noticed you have titled the thread from Outibridge to Supertram......have I misunderstood......is there another little bus?????

Can you provide more details/who is the provider/link? Thanks.

Another BIG plus with stagecoach is the fact that they have sent out a voucher for a free weekly saver ticket to encourage people onto the tramlink !

You'd never get first mainline giving a weekly saver away!!

It's a cracking little bus service. The drivers are great, the buses are new, fast and spacious and it knocks spots off the crappy 58 buses!

Long live Stagecoach!!

By the way, after talking to a tram ticket inspector he told me Stannington will be getting Supertram Link buses to take them down to Malin Bridge so they will soon be able to benefit from a bus service every 10 minutes.

BTW Foxy have noticed you have titled the thread from Outibridge to Supertram......have I misunderstood......is there another little bus?????

Can you provide more details/who is the provider/link? Thanks.

:huh: I get confused about that end of town.. :P anything up middlewood road way to me is on the way to Outi.. :P

You'd never get first mainline giving a weekly saver away!!



I think First gave out a few promotional free tickets for their 'new' X78. I only think it was a single fare though.

I don't live up Stockers anymore but i've heard quite a few people up there commenting on the new Supertram link bus. What a great idea, its about time there was a decent transprot link to Stockers, first they cut the night buses, then messed about with the bus routes and timetables. At last something positive.

The only reason I queried about a second shuttle bus link was because, by a very strange coincidence, whilst walking down to Netto yesterday a bus passed on Middlewood Road, just before the Beeley Wood....it was a little bus, I think it was a Community Transport, No 199 - got in touch with CT but they have no knowledge of this.

And just when I was thinking that the people of Winn Gardens and the bit up to Middlewood Tavern hadn't been forgotton about when it comes to a bus service. Silly of me to even think it.....:hihi:

Yes, it has changed my life! I know that might sound a bit dramatic but it's true. I live in Stocksbridge and the buses here are far too unpredictable (as well as being very old and stinky).

It's fantastic to have such a frequent and fast service to Middlewood. I don't think I'll be getting a 57 or 58 again. :)

whats the pricing on this?. i have a appointment at hallamshire next week. was going to leave car at middlewood, but might use the ST shuttle from stockers instaid

£2.70 all day rider is valid on both bus and tram.

The only reason I queried about a second shuttle bus link was because, by a very strange coincidence, whilst walking down to Netto yesterday a bus passed on Middlewood Road, just before the Beeley Wood....it was a little bus, I think it was a Community Transport, No 199 - got in touch with CT but they have no knowledge of this.

And just when I was thinking that the people of Winn Gardens and the bit up to Middlewood Tavern hadn't been forgotton about when it comes to a bus service. Silly of me to even think it.....:hihi:

Are you thinking of this one? http://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/NR/rdonlyres/2783D16B-D1DA-4B9B-AEDC-7ABEAEAA95AD/0/266267SheffieldValidFrom31stOctober2005.pdf

http://www.supertram.com/latestfromsupertram_3356.html

Great idea. Instead of talking about extending the tram network (which will not happen soon, if ever) we need to get more of these buses connecting key bits of the city with the tram. We can do this right away.

I use it from Oughtibridge to town for return journeys because the vehicles themselves are nicer (including the tram) and a £2.70 Day Rider is much cheaper than 2 x £1.90 tickets with First. And of course having a bus every 10 minutes is a lot handier than waiting to see if the 57/58 will turn up! :P

I'm not sure if it's any cheaper for one-way journeys though. :confused:

But if this service does so well that the 57/8 is scrapped how would everyone feel about that? It's still just profit-seeking multinationals running things, not a true public service at all. Stagecoach are only doing this because they also run the tram, not for any altruistic reason.

If we re-regulated the buses (the London system - they chose never to mess it up down there, I wonder why?) then as a city/region we could decide to have loads of useful services like this all over.

£2.70 all day rider is valid on both bus and tram.

thats sold it to me!. far cheaper than taking the car :thumbsup:

and people won't clog up middlewood road with their cars, much nicer for everyone :D

I've seen these pootling about quite alot - unfortunately not useful for me - I still get my walk from the top of WPV (and yes, some days I am lazy enough to want a bus instead!).

Didn't realise you could do it for the price of your normal tram ticket though - that's really good!

But if this service does so well that the 57/8 is scrapped how would everyone feel about that? It's still just profit-seeking multinationals running things, not a true public service at all. Stagecoach are only doing this because they also run the tram, not for any altruistic reason..

The reason bothers me not.......and I don't care if this new service is run by Stagecoach or anyone else....it is just that Stagecoach are.....and it is going remarkably well.

This bit of town - upwards from Hillsborough to Stocksbridge has long been on the forgotten end of First's list....it annoys me immensly that the "service" has be cut and cut and cut.....with it only running now every 30 minutes during the day and every hour evenings and Sundays. This route doesn't make First the profit as some other routes do and therefore they choose give the poor "service" they have done......for First it is simply the equation of PROFIT BEFORE PASSENGERS....and considering that this is the country's 4th largest city the 57 route - its frequency, its shabby buses, the unreliability - is UNACCCEPTABLE. And rather than do something about it First choose to ignore it....I have lost count the times I have contacted First saying the "service" is inadequate. Nothing changes because they are complacent and don't care about passengers, only about how much money they can make.

And now they have met their match.....Stagecoach are running the STL with new clean efficient buses, with happy drivers, with speed and efficiency.

So if First choose never to run the 57 again on Middlewood Road will we notice....I for one will not be using it again.

SHAME ON YOU FIRST.....Stagecoach have now proved that an efficient service can be run.....and as a result you will have lost customers, including me!

Correct me if im wrong but I was lead to believe it is SYPTE that do the bus routes and the bus companys just are contracted to run those services?

If First choose never to run the 57 again on Middlewood Road will we notice....I for one will not be using it again.

SHAME ON YOU FIRST.....Stagecoach have now proved that an efficient service can be run.....and as a result you will have lost customers, including me!

I'm with you Julado! However, I don't think the people living in between Oughtibridge and Middlewood (where the tram bus doesn't stop at all) would be very happy if the 57 and 58 services were taken off.

The reason bothers me not.......and I don't care if this new service is run by Stagecoach or anyone else....it is just that Stagecoach are.....and it is going remarkably well.

This bit of town - upwards from Hillsborough to Stocksbridge has long been on the forgotten end of First's list....it annoys me immensly that the "service" has be cut and cut and cut.....with it only running now every 30 minutes during the day and every hour evenings and Sundays. This route doesn't make First the profit as some other routes do and therefore they choose give the poor "service" they have done......for First it is simply the equation of PROFIT BEFORE PASSENGERS....and considering that this is the country's 4th largest city the 57 route - its frequency, its shabby buses, the unreliability - is UNACCCEPTABLE. And rather than do something about it First choose to ignore it....I have lost count the times I have contacted First saying the "service" is inadequate. Nothing changes because they are complacent and don't care about passengers, only about how much money they can make.

And now they have met their match.....Stagecoach are running the STL with new clean efficient buses, with happy drivers, with speed and efficiency.

So if First choose never to run the 57 again on Middlewood Road will we notice....I for one will not be using it again.

SHAME ON YOU FIRST.....Stagecoach have now proved that an efficient service can be run.....and as a result you will have lost customers, including me!

I'm not trying to support First or anything, but think of it from their point of view: If a route isn't making them enough money, they won't care about it as much as other, more profitable routes. It seems a bit pointless having a 10-minute frequency when only one person uses the bus.

I know it's silly, but First and all the other companies have to make a profit to survive.

Correct me if im wrong but I was lead to believe it is SYPTE that do the bus routes and the bus companys just are contracted to run those services?

Partly correct, the way I understand it is that bus companies tender for the routes they wish to run .....the undesirable routes I believe have to be run by First if there has been no tender bids put in or if SYPTE and not happy with the bids. The practice is know as CCT....Compulsory Competitive Tendering.

I'm with you Julado! However, I don't think the people living in between Oughtibridge and Middlewood (where the tram bus doesn't stop at all) would be very happy if the 57 and 58 services were taken off.

Whether or not the 57 (the 58 is unaffected, and the 57 at present is running as a 58 up to Outibridge) ever runs again along Middlewood Road all I know is that until the landslip is repaired it won't be. And the landslip is not due to be repaired until 2008, so that means at least another 6 months without a bus on Middlewood Road. It is not without saying that in that time the people who would have relied on the 57 will have made other arrangements. If those arrangements include using the STL - where one Dayrider or Weekly ticket will get you both bus (as far as Stocksbridge) and tram travel, then WHY would those people choose to go back to First?

I'm not trying to support First or anything, but think of it from their point of view: If a route isn't making them enough money, they won't care about it as much as other, more profitable routes. It seems a bit pointless having a 10-minute frequency when only one person uses the bus.

I know it's silly, but First and all the other companies have to make a profit to survive.

It is never a case of one person using the bus. In the mornings buses would pass fully laden and not pick up....even though extra buses were put on for the rush hour both to and from Stocksbridge. The 57 was hardly ever empty. It was an unpopular route with First because it didn't make the profit. Running buses should not be about profit....it should be about service and if First had looked at the overall bigger picture rather than examining each route individually then the 57 may have been better run with a good reliable timetable, and clean and efficient buses. The bus stock used on the 57 was dirty, smelly and old....and I think because of this First now may have lost out.

But the 10 minute frequency, the new buses, the quick service of the STL is a proper service. If you think that people who used the tram before on a dayrider would then have to pay for a First bus to Stocksbridge then they are now quids in just having to pay for the Dayrider as it covers both bus and tram. The SYL is extremely popular and well used and that is how it should be.

The PTE has no control on bus routes and timetables..... that is in the hands of bus companies.The PTE role is to try and fill the gaps when commercial operated routes or no service is provided.
We are still a long way off trying to get the system which operates in London .

We are still a long way off trying to get the system which operates in London .

And the bit that hacks me off is the way that First have the OVERGROUND system (which is a rip-off of London's System). It's even copied the coloured routes and diagrammatic map. Wise up First.....you are not. and will never be. in the same league.

It is never a case of one person using the bus. In the mornings buses would pass fully laden and not pick up....even though extra buses were put on for the rush hour both to and from Stocksbridge. The 57 was hardly ever empty. It was an unpopular route with First because it didn't make the profit. Running buses should not be about profit....it should be about service and if First had looked at the overall bigger picture rather than examining each route individually then the 57 may have been better run with a good reliable timetable, and clean and efficient buses. The bus stock used on the 57 was dirty, smelly and old....and I think because of this First now may have lost out.




I was only exaggerating!

....and I have told you one hundred thousand million times.....not to exaggerate!!!!! Just how childish am I :D