Due to the success of the Leigh-Manchester bus route, plans are being made to extend the route to Oxford Road as early as 2017
The Manchester Evening News reported that an estimated 940,000 people have used First Manchester’s Vantage V1 service on the Leigh-Manchester guided busway since its launch in April, and two additional buses are already scheduled to join the fleet in 2017. Due to this expansion and boosted capacity, the route will be able to make extra stops to Oxford Road.
Anthony Murden, TfGM’s Bus Priority Programme Manager who led the busway team, said: “The benefits we wanted to see are already being realised. We planned from the beginning for it to become a valued asset for the communities it serves and for it to challenge the preference and need to travel by car.”
Teresa Broxton, Managing Director for First Manchester said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with TfGM to provide the first guided busway service in the North West.
“Our Vantage branded service continues to grow in popularity, with nearly one million customer journeys now completed, since the launch.
“Our aim is to continue to develop this premium service so that even more people choose Vantage as their preferred transport solution.”
John Moorhouse, Chairman of TravelWatch NorthWest said: “This is great news but how much better would have been if Leigh was connected to the National Rail network with all the benefits that could bring for the people of Leigh.”
