More frequent bus services on extended route between Wigan, Middlebrook and Bolton are welcomed by councillors
“We were delighted to achieve the 615 two years ago and so pleased it’s now resulted in this great service.”
Wigan councillors have welcomed changes to a bus service used by residents travelling for work, education and leisure.
The 615 from Wigan to Middlebrook retail park was the first new bus service introduced by the Bee Network in October 2024.
Now it has been improved so more people can use it, with the route extended beyond Middlebrook to Bolton town centre.
There are more frequent buses, with services running every 30 minutes rather than every 60 minutes during the day, as well as earlier morning journeys, later evening journeys and a new Sunday and bank holiday service.
The changes have been welcomed by Chris Ready and Laura Flynn, Labour’s councillors in Aspull, New Springs and Whelley.
In a Facebook post, they said: “This is a significant improvement to a service that had already restored an important connection to Bolton Road and linked our areas with Horwich Parkway and Middlebrook.
“We were delighted to achieve the 615 two years ago and so pleased it’s now resulted in this great service.
“Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and helped us continue making the case for better local bus services.”
The 575 service between Bolton and Wigan has been reduced from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes, but will now be a double-decker to increase capacity, they said.
They continued: “We continue to push for a bus to serve Pennington Green, linking Aspull and Hindley, and a bus for Red Rock and linking Standish and Aspull and serving Haigh Hall; and improvements to the 613 to serve further up Platt Lane in Whelley.
“We hope these changes will make the 615 an even more useful and convenient service for our communities. Please support it and use it whenever you can!”
The frequency of the V1 bus between Leigh and Manchester Royal Infirmary is being increased at peak times, due to residential development in Mosley Common, and the night bus will continue.
There is also a new 612 service between Wigan and St Helens via Abram, Golborne and Newton-le-Willows, which will serve the new Golborne railway station.
It operates every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, and hourly in the evenings and on Sundays, replacing the current 629 and partly the 630.