COMMUTERS will be hit by more travel chaos as bus drivers prepare to strike on five days in October.

First Manchester bus staff at the Bolton depot, in Weston Street, Great Lever, are planning industrial action every Monday in October.

Most bus services operated from the depot are not expected to run on the strike days and school services will be hit hard.

Among the services affected are those that run from Bolton to Manchester and the 501 from Farnworth to the Johnson Fold Estate.

Affected school services include some for Smithills High School, Thornleigh College and Canon Slade School.

Other services that run from the depot include the 507 from Bolton to Harwood and the 510, 511 and 524 services from Bolton to Bury.

Commuters are being urged to plan ahead as the strike action approaches.

First Manchester has said that all public transport in the area will be busier than usual, as will the region's roads.

Disruption is expected to be especially severe at peak times in the morning and evening.

Key commuter routes around Greater Manchester will face the most pressure as people affected by the strike make alternative arrangements.

The dispute follows the rejection of a recent pay offer by First Manchester staff at the depot despite it being accepted by staff at other sites.

Staff at the company's Rusholme depot will also be striking, but services from First Manchester's Oldham and Queens Road depots are unaffected, including Manchester's Metroshuttle.

Phil Medlicott, managing director at First Manchester, said: “We are extremely disappointed that staff from two of our depots have decided to take strike action despite a very reasonable pay offer. We are working with the union to try and come to a solution that will avoid strike action, but it’s clear that the Union is intent on causing the maximum amount of disruption and inconvenience.

"I am truly sorry that our customers will be affected if the industrial action does go ahead."

“We will be working very hard over the next few days to finalise our contingency plans and establish what level of service we will be able to provide.”

The disruption comes after months of problems for commuters, including rail strikes, the closure of Bolton railway station and the road closure caused by a burst water pipe in Moses Gate.

The services that run from the Bolton depot that are affected are as follows:

2 Bolton - intu Trafford Centre

8 Bolton - Manchester

36 Bolton - Manchester

37Bolton - Manchester

68 Farnworth - intu Trafford Centre

95 Salford Shopping Centre - Bury

162 Norden - Manchester

163 Bury - Manchester

468 Tottington - Jericho

471 Bolton - Rochdale

472 Bury - Ramsbottom - Bury

474 Bury - Ramsbottom - Bury

501 Farnworth - Johnson Fold

507 Bolton - Harwood

510 Bolton - Bury

511 Bolton - Bury

524 Bolton - Bury

561 Withins - Bolton

562 Withins - Bolton

571 Great Lever - Bolton

572 Great Lever - Bolton

575 Horwich Old Lords Estate - Bolton

582 Bolton - Leigh Atherton

986 Swinton - Canon Slade HS

V1 Leigh - Manchester Royal Infirmary

V2 Atherton - - Manchester Royal Infirmary

X39 Farnworth - Manchester (Journeys at 0645 1730 1810 Will NOT Operate, as these run from our Bolton depot. Journeys at 0711 0734 1650 Will Operate as these run from our Queen's Road depot which is not part of the strike action.)

School services:

Y38 Bolton - Smithills HS

Y43 Bolton - Thornleigh College

Y53 Atherton - St James CEHS

Y54 Ainsworth - St Monicas RCHS

Y81 Seedley - St Patricks RCHS