The Greenfield Rail Action Group welcomes the arrival of Metrolink trams to Oldham Mumps but its value to Saddleworth residents is greatly limited by the lack of cross-ticketing between trams, buses and trains.
Mark Ashmore, chair of the group said “We are constantly being urged to use public transport and with the eventual completion of all the planned increase in size of Metrolink few could argue with the benefits it will bring.”He continued ”However why does Greater Manchester not provide a similar system to London’s Oyster Card which is a smartcard pre-loaded with pay as you go credit which you can use to travel on train, bus and underground and top-up as needed.
‘We need to provide an easy way for the residents from say Lees or Grotton, who might want to go to Manchester by bus to Oldham Mumps and transfer to the Metrolink but return by train to Greenfield and then home by bus, to do so.
Again when the trams come to Ashton in about eighteen month time someone wanting to travel to Droyslden or the Manchester City Etihad stadium would likely want to travel by train to Ashton and then travel onwards by tram. They may well then want to visit Manchester city centre with friends and return by train to Greenfield. Cross-ticketing would encourage such travel and discourage car travel.
Mark continued ‘The lack of shuttle-transport from the isolated Oldham Mumps station to the bus station and town centre also does nothing to encourage the use of public transport and once the Metrolink goes via Oldham town centre in 2014 the need for cross-ticketing will become even more necessary.’
Royce Franklyn
The views and opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not represent the views and opinions of the the editor. Letters may be edited.
