IN response to the writer of the letter, published in The Bolton News on November 7, (Long, long wait for the bus) this has been a long running problem.

First Manchester, which commercially operate route 95 (ie they receive no funding from the PTE/A for the Monday to Saturday daytime services), have no interest in this route. This has already been proved when they tried to withdraw the route last year — it was only with complete support from local residents that they decided against it as it would have been very bad publicity for them!

The company withdrew the 536/537 routes for the exact same reason — to deter consumers from travelling on the route.

They introduced the 95 as an alternative, but a bad one so that people would find an alternative form of public transport — the route doesn't even go into Manchester and terminates at Pendleton (Salford Shopping City). Why?

Wouldn’t it be more profitable if it did actually go into Manchester — especially at evenings and weekends?

The withdrawal and new route failed in its attempt to deter people so they have now moved on and tried to make the route the most unreliable so that people will give up.

It is also a practice that has succeeded elsewhere (ie routes 551/3, 552, 554, 559, 12 — look what happened to these). Many people have complained in the past, both to the bus company and to the PTE/A but, as usual, nothing gets done.

And before anyone responds with regards to improvements with the congestion charge — think again! It would only improve if it became a fully-funded PTE/A route, but it isn't as it’s commercially run by the bus company and as such will not improve — and this will not change unless there is a change in law.

Chris Amos Whiteoak View Darcy Lever