An all-new Bee Network bus service between Bolton and Wigan is in operation as of this week.

Mayor Andy Burnham announced the 615 bus service in a post on social media on October 5.

It came after a campaign by Laura Flynn, a councillor for Aspull, Wigan, and a number of other councillors on Bolton Council and Wigan Council, in response to changes to a pre-Bee Network bus service in 2020.

The changes to what was the 715 bus service cut off a number of residents from the network.

As of Monday this week the 615 bus service is making its way into the borough via Bolton Road / Chorley Road / De Havilland Way before a circuit of Middlebrook Retail Park and making its way out of the borough via De Havilland Way / Chorley Road / Bolton Road on the way to Wigan Town Centre.

Mr Burnham said: "This is a great moment for the Bee Network and for the people who are the first in our city-region to get a bespoke bus service thanks to our pioneering move to take back control of the network."

Bolton and Wigan were first in line for the Bee Network at the launch of Phase One a little over a year ago.

The launch of Phase Two was a little over six months ago and the launch of Phase Three is in January 2025.

David Molyneux, the leader of Wigan Council, said: "It is great to see these improvements to our bus services with the Bee Network back under local control. We were one of the first places in Greater Manchester to get Bee Network buses and last month saw the V1 start trialling a 24-hour service between Leigh and Manchester Royal Infirmary.

"With the 615 bus service restoring a previously scrapped route and more buses running from our borough to the Trafford Centre these first 12 months have seen some great improvements in our local network."

For information on the 615 bus service and other bus services go to tfgm.com.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.