Barbara has criticised the announcement by Transport for Greater Manchester that double decker buses will be used on the Leigh Guided Busway. Transport for Greater Manchester has announced that the bus operator First has now been awarded the contract for the Busway and will be using double decker buses on the route.

Planning for the Busway scheme has taken over 10 years and, until recently, the materials about the scheme showed single decker buses being used. Residents in Ellenbrook whose homes adjoin the route have already lost trees and shrubs behind their homes to allow for construction of the route and will now have double decker buses running past them.

Barbara said:

“The decision to use double decker buses is bad news for people who live next to the Busway route in Ellenbrook. For years, until recently, the materials used by Transport for Greater Manchester for the scheme have shown single decker buses being used. This led to an expectation of how the scheme would operate when running on the guided route in Ellenbrook. Residents have been asking whether single or double decker buses would be used, as this makes a big difference to the degree to which their homes and gardens will be overlooked by the buses. They were told it would be up to the Bus Operator to decide this”

“This is just another example of the way Transport for Greater Manchester has let down residents in Ellenbrook and commuters along the East Lancs Road by failing to communicate what the scheme actually means to local people. I know that the Busway construction works are causing great stress and frustration to drivers every day and I have urged Transport for Greater Manchester to do much more to minimise the impact of the roadworks.”