Following a Freedom of Information request by local software developer Sam Easterby-Smith, GMPTE has released what amounts to most of the last decade’s worth of Greater Manchester bus fare table data.
Looking through the information, available for download here, it jolted up some memories of bus routes gone by. Remember the 110 (Manchester to Sale via Princess Road, Northern Moor, Brooklands and Sale Moor) , the 106 (an Arriva route between Manchester and the Airport) or the 146 (Manchester – Moston circular)? We’d forgotten about them until we looked through this data.
The information, understood to be in the public domain, will allow developers to build fare information into public transport information apps. However, as we understand it GMPTE isn’t bound to continue releasing updated fare table information in the future.
Manchester Transport blog 
What an excellent resource. 18 for the 343 route alone, mainly due to the number of operators and part routes. I now know why I purchase a System One pass!
Where do you get the timetables from though. Cannot see a link anywhere
Information about the timetable data is here: http://wiki.opendatamanchester.org.uk/index.php/Access_to_ATCO_CIF_Data
A little history regarding the 106 service mentioned.
The 106 was originally a Manchester Corporation route, then SELNEC/GMT. By GM Buses days the route had become that seen in the faretable mentioned from Manchester Piccadilly via High Street, Cannon Street, Cross Street, Albert Square, St. Peters Square, G-Mex and out along the Princess Road Extension when it reached Moss Side in Hulme it followed what is now the 104 route to Wythenshawe via Peel Hall. It was the main service to Wythenshawe via Peel Hall back then and GM Buses interworked it with the 105 (changing routes at Wythenshawe). Later on there were services 104/106 operating a sort of circular service between these points on a limited stop basis with evening variations using numbers 124/126 stopping at all bus stops. Later on becoming what is now todays 104 service.
Thanks Christopher. I vaguely remember the 104/106/124/126 from late 1999, I think. I don’t remember Arriva running the 106 though.
I still don’t understand why operators are unable to provide fare information on their websites. Fares are probably the most desired information a traveller might need.
Its not hard. all the fare tables in the same format the drivers use must be on a pdf somewhere and could easily be uploaded onto the companies website. However there could be some confused as to where a fare stage is and if you charge before or after it. If that makes sense..
Hi Martyn, the Arriva bit regarding the 106 could well be something similar to when Bullocks used to operate the 85, 106 and 108, as well as the 196 which were all just the odd tendered journey. Bullocks used to do something like one round trip on the 85 on a saturday morning, plus the 106 was a journey starting at Oatlands Road into Manchester, and the 108 was one journey into Manchester from Brooklands Briarwood Ave both of which were saturdays only. The 196 of Bullocks was something like one outbound journey from Manchester Mon-Fri mornings.
I am guessing the Arriva 106 was something similar and was just an odd tendered journey for which they still needed a faretable. The faretable lists the 106 Arriva did as Manchester – Airport, but the fare stages only list Manchester – Wythenshawe. Although if you go through a lot of the timetables in the GMPTE releases you will notice many mistakes with the service header listing not matching the farestage details contained in them. Such as a faretable for the Trans Lancs Express but the service details at the top of the fare sheet shows it as the Metrolink Replacement service from 2007 which used the number 400 too.
It’s very interesting stuff – though I don’t envy the developer(s) who have to map the fare tables to the various routes and operators.
I thought it was a legal requirement for Operators (through the bus driver) to provide fare tables on request. Certainly, they should be provided to GMPTE, but few operators do. Tendered services are different as the PTE set fares – but note these are MAXIMUM fares – Operators are allowed to charge less.
The 106 was a tender and in Arriva days did early journey(s) the earlier mainfestation was worked as an evening/weekend tender by “North Western” from Altrincham depot there were three buses on it. It went with us to Hulme Hall Road when “Beeline” went to “NorthWestern- Beeline” and then just became Beeline again!! The evening/ weekend service went before we made it to Arriva Although we did do the 105 evening’s weekend.