X50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator | Diamond Bus North West | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Garage | Eccles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vehicle | Mercedes-Benz Citaro 0.530 Optare Versa V1100 Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 Wright Streetlite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Route | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Start | Piccadilly Gardens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Via | Deansgate Old Trafford Trafford Park Trafford Centre Worsley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
End | RHS Bridgewater | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Level | Daily | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frequency | 23-55 mins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Greater Manchester bus route X50 is a bus route runs between Piccadilly Gardens in the Manchester city centre and RHS Bridgewater. It runs parallel to the Trafford Park Line of Manchester Metrolink and River Irwell. It is operated by Diamond Bus North West.
The X50 has begun operation back in 2009 [1] .It is initially operated by Stagecoach Manchester, which shares the same termini and operator with route 250, but providing less intermediate stops and a more straightforward route in comparison as it is parallel to the River Irwell. The Enviro400, the latest model at that time was deployed on the route. At 2022, the route extended to RHS Bridgewater. At 2023, with the Tranche 1 of Bee Network, the route was handed over to Diamond Bus North West(DNW), but without the contract from Transport for Greater Manchester. DNW introduced some ex-Your Bus Mercedes-Benz Citaro 0.530 on the route, dispatched from its Eccles garage, making the route is mostly operated by single deckered buses due to the reduced demand after COVID-19 on this route. From 30 September 2024, the extension to RHS Bridgewater is withdrawn. [2]
The route begins at Piccadilly Gardens, operate via Deansgate, Old Trafford, Trafford Park, Trafford Centre and Worsley before terminating at RHS Bridgewater. Full route only operates between 9:45 and 15:57 from Piccadilly Gardens and 10:46 and 16:56 from RHS Bridgewater.
Outside the full route operation hours, part route services are provided between Piccadilly Gardens and Trafford Centre. On Sundays and bank holidays, the last bus will depart from both termini at 17:46 and 18:53 respectively.
The X50 serves the following primary locations:[3]