PROTESTORS are set to ride a bus throughout the night to demonstrate against planned cuts to services.

Night bus users will hold the protest as they fight a decision by First and Transport for Greater Manchester to axe the number 8 and 36 post-midnight services which operate between Bolton and Manchester from April 3.

A petition by regular night-bus user Kevin Walsh has already amassed more than 1000 signatures — with calls for the decision to be postponed until a public consultation has taken place.

Mr Walsh, of Harper Green, is inviting other passengers to join him and other campaigners on the Number 8 service on Saturday night, April 2, from 11.45pm into the early hours of Sunday morning.

He said: "The main concern for many of our supporters is that they will no longer be able to get to and from work easily without paying through the nose for a taxi. For many Bolton residents and from surrounding areas this could mean losing their jobs as their wage for the evening could fall short of covering the fare home. We want to show that we need these services. For First and TfGM to make these decisions without any consultation or thought to the impact it will have on passengers is disgraceful and we hope that this show of support will lead to a rethink."

First is axing the 8 and 36 services and the 39 service to Leigh — stating that they are not covering the costs of the operation. Passengers say they would be willing to pay more to keep them running.

Regular user Peter Fairchild from Bolton said: "I use these services quite frequently when I go out to the theatres, pubs, cinemas and clubs in Manchester.

“I don't own a car and I cannot afford a taxi to get back to Bolton in the early hours. I would be willing to pay up to £5 on the journey to keep the service going."

The protest takes taking tomorrow from 11:45pm at Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester. The petition is at change.org/p/save-the-bolton-and-salford-night-bus.