Record level of passengers on Leigh to Manchester guided busway

A massive 71,626 journeys were made on the Vantage V1, V2 and V4 bus services during the first week of December, the first time figures have passed the 70,00 mark for a single seven-day period.

It is the latest in a string of impressive passenger numbers posted by the innovative route, which passed the three million journeys mark in April.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) says it has seen evidence that residents are increasingly ditching their cars to travel on the busway, which should help improve air quality as well as reduce congestion.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “Buses are the backbone of our transport network and integral to our future plans for a London-style, integrated system for Greater Manchester.

“The success and ever-increasing popularity of the guided busway, coupled with the uptake of Our Pass, shows that if you provide people with an attractive and viable alternative to the car, then they will use it.”

Ian Humphreys, managing director of operator First Manchester, said: “Breaking this latest record is a great achievement and testimony to the hard work and professionalism of the Vantage team in delivering a service that customers can rely on to get them to where they need to be, when they need to be.”

In its first three years 7.8 million journeys have been clocked up along the guided busway. More services had to be added last October.