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Rail replacement bus breakdown disrupts Manchester travel
A faulty rail replacement bus stranded passengers on the M60 near Manchester Airport amid weekend upgrades, causing delays and missed flights.
A faulty rail replacement bus on the M60 left passengers stranded en route to Manchester Airport during weekend upgrades.
Rail replacement bus breakdown strands passengers near Manchester Airport
On Sunday afternoon, a rail replacement bus operating between Huddersfield and Manchester Airport suffered a fault on the M60 around 4pm. The service runs on weekends while the TransPennine Route Upgrade is under way, affecting travel between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
About 20 passengers were left sitting in the central reservation as a second replacement coach arrived around 5.20pm, roughly an hour after the fault first appeared. The bus was described by a passenger as dilapidated, with uncomfortable seats and no air conditioning. The journey became risky when the vehicle slowed and stopped in a breakdown lane amid busy bidirectional traffic. Some travellers missed check in or their flights; one passenger said staff allowed him to fast track through security but others were forced to discard liquids and expensive items before boarding. TransPennine Express apologized for the disruption, noting that replacements were needed because Network Rail is carrying out upgrades in the Mossley to Ravensthorpe area over weekends.
Key Takeaways
"The bus was in poor condition. The seats were uncomfortable, there was no air conditioning."
Passenger description of the replacement bus
"Passengers were increasingly frustrated, hot, and anxious about missing flights."
Passenger mood during the delay
"We’d like to apologise to customers who were affected by the delay to the rail replacement service between Huddersfield and Manchester Airport on Sunday afternoon."
Statement by TransPennine Express
This incident highlights how weekend rail upgrades push travelers onto replacement buses, sometimes with limited safeguards. The threat to safety grows when a breakdown occurs on a busy motorway, and when communication about replacements is slow or unclear. Passengers bear the cost in time, stress, and even money, as seen in missed flights and luggage constraints. The episode raises questions about contingency planning, fleet readiness, and how operators communicate disruptions to customers. It also underscores a broader trend: travel reliability depends as much on support services as on rail timetables.
Highlights
- Disruption becomes a test of patience in real time
- Upgrade work should not ride on the backs of passengers
- A replacement bus is not a lifeboat when it breaks down
- Reliability is the new measure of public transport success
Transport disruption raises safety and public reaction concerns
A breakdown of a rail replacement bus on a motorway raises questions about safety, contingency planning, and the passenger experience during weekend upgrades.
As upgrades continue, passengers deserve reliable, safe alternatives.
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