Stagecoach cuts Welsh depot / Obviously superfluous agreement

Stagecoach are pulling out of one of their Welsh depots, blaming funding cuts by the Welsh Assembly Government. The South Wales Argus reports that the Brynmawr depot will close in July and that service cuts will hit Stagecoach's network across South Wales. Communities across the region are holding their breath to see whether they are going to be cut off.

A puzzling story in the Bolton News tells how Transport for Greater Manchester and First have reached an agreement whereby First will provide "high standards in customer service and high quality vehicles" and that in return, TfGM and its constituent councils on the route in question will strive to make sure passengers have "quality bus service information, the highway, bus stops and shelters are maintained and traffic management is improved". Er, should those parties not be doing all of those things across all routes anyway? Publicising such a basic agreement in relation so just one service gives the hopefully false impression that standards are lower away from the 582 route.