“Waste of money”: Readers criticise bus services between Wigan and Manchester city centre

The Leigh Guided Busway, which connects parts of Wigan to Manchester city centre, is facing criticisms over punctuality and capacity – including from our readers.

Issues surrounding the V1 and V2 bus routes came up at last week’s GMCA’s Bus Services Sub-Committee meeting, where it was decided that passenger numbers on this part of the network were too low to warrant more resources. This comes amid complaints from both passengers and local councillors regarding these bus services.

Surveys conducted on the routes suggest that passengers are not getting on the buses due to a perceived lack of seats. The main issue, however, is punctuality, the meeting heard last week.

Readers reacted in large numbers to the story on our Facebook page. Here is a selection of your comments.

Manchester World reader Steve Thirkell said: “The problem is they are supposed to run every 15 minutes but most are turning up 40 mins after their scheduled times then you will get 3 following each other from Leigh to Manchester.”

Another reader Joe Hetherington said: “Remember when councils ran their own buses ? No problems then.”

For some readers, the idea of the guided busway itself is problematic, with one reader describing it as a “mis-guided busway” and a “silly idea,” and another reader calling it a “waste of money.”

In their opinion, an extension of the Metrolink system into Wigan would have been preferable to the busway, which was introduced in 2016.

Reader Darren Sankey said: “Another forced service that was put in place to remove other services, most of the track was old railway line but they wanted guided buses, no Metrolink.

“The bridges were filled in and silly junctions created to create extra traffic congestion! It’s all a disaster from day one! But hey they don’t care, they got what they wanted and now it’s not working! Who saw that coming? Most of us!”

David Large agrees. He said: “It should have been a light transit system and integrated but as usual our politicians think on the cheap so they have money left over for the limo.”

Some readers were slightly more positive about the bus services in Wigan, especially since the introduction of the low fare price caps earlier this year.

Tony Porter said: “I have tried the buses since the £5 Anybus ticket came along. It’s cheap but there are many issues.

“I live in Wigan, which is in Greater Manchester, when it suits Andy n Co, but there’s no direct bus I can find. That said I have had some fun days out.”

Terry Mutch said: “I don’t use the buses on a regular basis but when I do I’ve always found then to be on time and now it’s only £2, it’s much cheaper than taking the car into town.”