Bolton: Campaign to stop Breightmet bus routes closing

This follows an announcement last week that Diamond Buses plans to cut a number of lines around the borough from April onwards.

Now, residents, including members of the Breightmet Labour Party, have launched a campaign to save the 561 and 562 services.

Campaigner Robert Morrisey said: “These buses are vital in enabling people in Breightmet to get to work, education, medical appointments or just to see friends and family.

The 561 and 562 services are currently set to close down (Image: Newsquest)

“Withdrawal of the services will leave many people isolated and unable to go about daily business.”

The buses currently connect Breightmet and Withins with Bolton every half an hour and between them provide a bus to and from Bolton every 15 minutes.

But Diamond Buses’ announcement last week that it would be withdrawing services from April 16 this spring has come as a bitter blow to residents.

The decision came after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham’s decision to bring buses across the region under public ownership.

Diamond’s owner Rotola says that it has taken the decision to cut services because of the ‘uncertainty’ created by Mr Burnham’s plans.

Campaigner Uju Ulasi said: “Diamond alleges that bus franchising has caused uncertainty and blamed the impending change for their decision to cut services.

But the company has said that it has been left with no option but to reduce services.

Rotala commercial manager Thomas Calderbank said: “Given the possible uncertainty that this announcement has generated and will continue to generate for most of this year, we have taken the decision now to reduce the number of buses we need to operate in order to ensure our service delivery on what services remain is robust.

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“Given the requirement to give 112 days’ notice, if we find ourselves in a position where we are short of staff later in the year, we would not be able to respond to that for another 112 days.

“So we are essentially having to take this action on a pre-emptive basis.

“We have been engaging with TfGM since before Christmas around these changes, and we will support TfGM in trying to mitigate the impact of them as best we can.”

The petition can be found by searching Save Breighmet's Buses on 38Degrees.org.uk.