People of Littleborough and Rochdale should have been consulted over potential axing of 528 bus, says Simon Danczuk

West Yorkshire Metro was wrong not to have consulted the people of Littleborough and Rochdale over the future of the 528 bus service, Simon Danczuk MP has argued.

Rochdale Online revealed in June that the future of the bus service, which connects the Rochdale and Littleborough areas via Blackstone Edge to Ripendon and Halifax, could be axed.

Mr Danczuk MP has written to the transport operators expressing the importance of the service on behalf of constituents who have contacted him, but said he was disappointed that consultation did not extend beyond Calderdale.

“I know there are many people in Rochdale that use the 528 bus and it beggars belief that they weren’t consulted on the future of the service,” he said. “If this service is axed then it will leave many people in Rochdale who study and work in Yorkshire in real difficulty.

“If they were serious about consulting bus users then they really should have done more than just inform Transport for Greater Manchester about their plans to axe the service. They should have spoken to customers in Rochdale who regularly use their bus.”

The Calderdale consultation finished on 21 July and was led by West Yorkshire Metro who currently fund the service, which is run by Yorkshire Tiger Buses.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/87833/plans-to-withdraw-bus-service-connecting-rochdale-area-to-ripponden