£1.6 million boost for Rochdale’s bus passengers

Councillor Allen Brett

Transport leaders in Greater Manchester have announced plans to spend nearly £1.6 million on improvements to bus routes in Rochdale over the next twelve months, taking the total investment across the county since 1999 to over £80 million.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority approved the proposals for the final year of its ‘Quality Bus Corridor’ (QBC) initiative at a meeting. When the corridors are finished, they will cover more than 170 miles along 24 key routes across Greater Manchester.

£1,580,000 has been earmarked for projects in Rochdale, which include plans to make major improvements to the junction of Oldham Road with Kingsway. The Rochdale spokesperson for the Passenger Transport Authority, Councillor Allen Brett, said: “Nearly a third of people in Greater Manchester do not have regular use of a car and so public transport is vital in helping them to reach jobs, health and education facilities, and the shops.

“Buses are the most heavily used form of public transport and, by working in partnership with the district councils and bus operators, we have helped to make major improvements for passengers. I’m pleased we’ll be able to continue to invest in bus routes in Rochdale over the next year.

“Quality Bus Corridors aren’t just about building bus lanes. In fact, bus lanes cover less than 20 miles of the total network. Improvements are also being made to bus stops, pedestrian and cycling facilities, and road layouts.

 “We will only be successful in tackling congestion if we can make travelling by bus more attractive. Our Quality Bus Corridors are helping to encourage more people out of their cars and onto public transport.”

There are four QBCs in the Rochdale district (Rochdale – Oldham – Ashton – Hyde, Bolton – Littleborough, Manchester – Rochdale and Middleton – Heywood). The improvements on the Manchester to Rochdale route have helped to increase passengers by around ten per cent on the 17 service.

The QBC initiative is a partnership between Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and Executive, the ten Greater Manchester district councils, Greater Manchester Urban Traffic Control Unit,  the Association of Greater Manchester Bus Operators, the Highways Agency and local bus operators. It aims to improve travel for all road users along key bus routes, but focuses in particular on the needs of bus passengers, pedestrians and cyclists.

Further information about public transport services in Rochdale is available at www.gmpte.com or by calling Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 (calls cost 10p per minute from landlines). Lines are open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8am to 8pm at weekends.