Rescued Failsworth to Ashton bus to run more often

An under-threat bus route, which was proposed for complete withdrawal only last autumn, will increase in frequency from April after passenger levels on a temporary service showed there was enough demand.

Last October, the 396 bus connecting Ashton-under-Lyne to Newton Heath via Failsworth was rerouted to run to Middleton instead.

The change completely severed the direct connection between Failsworth and Ashton-under-Lyne, which is popular with students at Tameside colleges, visitors to Tameside Hospital and day trippers to Ashton Market Hall.

The proposed change came as a shock to Oldham's members of the Greater Manchester Transport committee, including Failsworth councillor and Council Leader Sean Fielding, who said he had not seen the proposal until the papers for the meeting were circulated.

Councillor Fielding objected to the change but it was too late to save the bus in its form at the time and so it went ahead.

In response, Failsworth councillors and MP Angela Rayner launched a campaign to have the link reinstated. The campaign included a petition, which was promoted almost exclusively online due to coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

Despite the challenges of only being able to ask for signatures on the internet, the petition garnered almost 400 signatures, demonstrating how important the bus service was to local people.

The pressure prompted Transport for Greater Manchester bosses to commission a temporary service to plug the gap until a permanent solution could be found. The bus was numbered 397 and was timetabled to run every 90 minutes.

It was reported to last week’s Greater Manchester Transport bus network sub-committee that a permanent solution to retain Failsworth’s Ashton link has now been found.

The 151, which currently runs every hour from North Manchester General Hospital to Failsworth, will be extended beyond Failsworth to Ashton. This means that the frequency of buses from Failsworth to Ashton will increase to hourly from the current 90 minutes.

Councillor Fielding said: "The cynical part of me expected Transport for Greater Manchester to come back saying that the temporary bus wasn’t carrying enough people to justify running a service to Ashton. It turns out that even during a lockdown people in Failsworth need this bus to make their essential journeys. I’m delighted the link hasn’t just been saved but will now run more frequently too.”

Ashton-under-Lyne MP Rayner, whose constituency includes Failsworth, added: "Failsworth and Ashton need a direct public transport link. The two towns have community links with local people needing to travel between them to access healthcare, education and other vital services. Thank you to local people who supported the campaign to save the bus by signing the original petition.”

The incorporation of the Failsworth to Ashton link into the route of the 151 bus will see the temporary 397 withdrawn. The changes will take effect from 12 April, with a timetable being published nearer the time.