Good news for bus passengers with frequency increase

Bus lane

Rochdale bus passengers have received a boost following a series of improvements to parts of the town’s evening and Sunday bus network. 

Responding to comments received at its Local Transport Group meetings, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority has revised some of the bus services, which it financially supports across the borough.

Councillor Allen Brett, Authority spokesperson for Rochdale and vice-chair of the Authority, welcomed the changes saying: “This is a good example of what the Local Transport Groups are all about – listening to members of the public and, where possible, responding to their needs.

“Improving access to local health and leisure facilities is a priority for the Authority. As such, I am especially pleased that we have improved links to the Sandbrook Park leisure complex, and that the frequency of evening and Sunday services from Rochdale to Fairfield Hospital has been doubled.

“I would encourage anyone with comments or suggestions about their local bus service to attend their Local Transport Group meetings.”

The following improvements to the bus network have now been introduced:

• The 433 evening and Sunday service, which runs between Rochdale and Castleton, has been extended to serve the popular Sandbrook Park entertainment complex every hour
• The number of evening and Sunday buses in the Littleborough area has been increased with a new 455 hourly service from Rochdale to Shore and Stansfield, via Hollingworth Lake
• Peppermint Bridge in Newhey will also have an evening and Sunday service for the first time with new journeys on the 451 service
• The number of evening and Sunday buses between Fairfield Hospital and Rochdale has been doubled to every 30 minutes with the introduction of new 468 service
• Later journeys have been introduced on services 435, 440 and 444

The next meeting of Rochdale’s Local Transport Group will be held on 3 November at the Mezzanine, Middleton Shopping Centre. The meeting starts at 2pm, with an ‘operator’s surgery’ beginning at 1.15pm, where passengers can speak to their local transport operators about specific service issues.

Full information about bus, tram and train services is available by calling Greater Manchester's Public Transport Information Line on 0161-228 7811. Lines are open between 7am and 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm on weekends. Minicom is available on this number if required. Information can also be accessed via the GMPTE website at www.gmpte.com