PASSENGERS in Bolton are to lose an important link to surrounding towns when a daytime bus service is withdrawn.

The hourly 400 service, formerly the trans-Lancs express, and now operated by Bluebus, links Bolton, Bury, Heywood, Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne and Stockport.

The service is set to be withdrawn next month, leaving other services to maintain links along parts of the route.

The withdrawal was announced at a committee meeting of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority's transport network committee.

The committee have recommended that GMPTE officers ask bus operators to consider running replacement services in the affected areas.

Cllr Alan Whitehead, committee chairman, said: "The vast majority of bus services in Greater Manchester are operated on a commercial basis by bus companies, with no intervention from the authority.

"It is always a concern when changes to the commercial network leaves areas without adequate public transport.

"Unfortunately, the authority has a limited budget to help fund replacement services. We simply cannot intervene in all cases."