5:37pm Thursday 11th April 2013
CRUCIAL bus services are back on the road after they were suddenly withdrawn, leaving passengers stranded.
Maytree Travel stopped running its fleet of 26 buses last Thursday after its parent company Manchester Community Transport blamed high insurance costs.
All but one of Maytree’s routes was subsidised by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), whose staff have been battling to reinstate services, including routes serving Prestwich, Simister, Whitefield and Bury.
Joan Simpson, aged 75, of Heywood Road, Simister, said: “I bought a ticket in the morning and then there was no bus to come back on.
“We found out later that they had just stopped the buses without telling anyone — just like that. What a letdown.”
Doreen Hodges, aged 68, of Bury New Road, Prestwich, has friends in Simister.
She said: “We are glad that the buses are back but it is important those in charge understand just how much we rely on them.
“If you can’t drive, it’s a bus or an expensive taxi from Simister to just about anywhere.”
On Saturday, TfGM bosses reinstated the 495 between Prestwich and Simister.
The following day, they brought back the 96 between Manchester and Simister, the 510 between Bolton to Bury via Ainsworth, the 512 between Bolton and Bury via Farnworth and the 513 between Bolton and Bury via Stand.
They also re-introduced the 95, but it now only runs between Salford Quays and Whitefield.
TfGM’s customer services director Susan Wildman said: “I’m really pleased we’ve been able to get so many of these services back on the road for passengers this quickly.
“This has been an unprecedented turn of events and we’ve worked swiftly with other bus operators to secure vehicles and drivers to get services up and running again as soon as possible. Passengers will need to look out for new operators on their services “For updates, follow us on Twitter, or call our Traveline team for help planning your journey before travelling.”
Traveline can be called on 0871 200 22 33 or information obtained by visiting tfgm.com
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