‘Persistence has paid off’: Wigan borough town hails bus service return after years of campaigning

Since the pandemic, the V2 – which runs along the Leigh guided busway – has controversially been on a part-time schedule.

Now, after years of campaigning, it will return to its pre-pandemic timetable.

Nick Roberts, Transport for Greater Manchester’s head of bus services and commercial development, previously said the timetable had been slashed due to “low demand”.

When the Bee Network bus franchising system launches on September 24, the V2 from Atherton to Manchester Royal Infirmary will be reinstated “as soon as possible”.

TfGM also announced the daytime frequency on the V1 and V2 services will be increased, with eight buses in each direction every hour.

Atherton councillor and bus driver Stuart Gerrard said: “Our combined persistence as a community has paid off. Our emails, surveys and petitions have paid off as it’s been announced that the V2 will return to a full service once franchising commences and in time will be extended yet again to the MRI.

“We can’t be complacent though, we need to get the Bee Network to work. Hag Fold needs better connectivity and more destinations to help boost employment.

“Gadbury Fold and the planned new builds need a bus service to get people out of the car. Trains need to be more reliable and the reinstating of the Southport train."

Coun James Paul Watson added: “Over the past two decades, Atherton has seen our public transport cut despite the town’s population growing by 30 per cent to 26k. Furthermore, we have been constantly promised investment in public transport through the Places for Everyone and the Clean Air Zone planning guidelines, yet this has never materialised.

“If we really want to improve air quality and road congestion then we must provide cheap, reliable and readily available public transport as an alternative to the car. However, I am delighted that the V2 will be reintroduced and look forward to more services returning to our town.

“As ‘independent’ local councillors we have been raising this issue for many years and our persistence has finally paid off. We have had support from local businesses and residents, and this is very much a team effort and a victory for the town as a whole.”

Labour councillor Debra Wailes said: “We have been relentless as councillors keeping up the pressure on TfGM to reinstate the V2 and ensure it operates a thorough service throughout the day. As well as emails to TfGM, I organised a meeting for TfGM at Atherton Town Hall back in January.

“We also went to Andy Burnham’s question time at Leigh Sports Village to bring up this issue publicly. When Andy Burnham visited the Atherton Food Bank earlier this year, I handed him the lengthy letter I had sent him a few weeks earlier.”

Coun John Harding added: “The reinstatement of the V2 is great news for the people of Atherton. All Atherton councillors and ourselves attended that meeting (Andy Burnham’s question time) together with Coun John Vickers.

“Subsequently, Debra, John and I have maintained contact with TfGM and it is good to see that they have listened to the views put forward and are going to provide the full V2 service back to the people of Atherton and Tyldesley.”