Night bus aims to bring revellers into town

A free night bus is to be launched in Rochdale later this month.

Starting on 12 February, the bus will run on Saturday evenings with the sole aim of bringing revellers into the pubs and clubs of Rochdale town centre.

Passengers will be collected from key points in Bacup, Whitworth, Littleborough, Milnrow, Heywood, Middleton and Castleton, and dropped off in Rochdale town centre to party the night away. The service will be run by Rochdale bus company, Bu-Val Buses.

Danny Booth managing director of Bu-Val said “We’re offering a safe, clean environment for people to travel into town for a night out. There will be a member of staff on the bus in addition to the driver, and people should be reassured that in addition to creating a fun environment on the bus, it will also be a safe one. Even if you don’t normally use bus services, this is one you’ll not want to miss.”

Mr Booth explained why Bu-Val wanted to get involved, “We ran a festive 50p service in December to get shoppers into town to support local business, and we see this as another initiative to support Rochdale, this time supporting the night-time economy.”

Jeanette Staley, Safer Communities Manager at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This new night service bus will allow more people from across the borough to take advantage of the quality nightlife the town centre has to offer. In particular, the preferred Best Bar None establishments in Rochdale town centre have made a promise to provide a safe and reputable environment for people to socialise and enjoy a night out. This provision is another example of how we’re supporting local businesses and making Rochdale town centre a more attractive option on for leisure and entertainment.”

A spokesman for Rochdale Pub and Club Watch said: “This is a great opportunity for people to visit Rochdale town centre nightlife at weekends in a safe, reliable and cost effective way. The bus is modern, quick and convenient and should prove highly popular. We welcome all new schemes to introduce people to the town centre from the outlying areas. Rochdale town centre has a great selection of pubs clubs and bars which are now within easy reach of everyone.”

For a timetable and pick-up locations visit www.rochdaletowncentre.co.uk/night-bus