Return of bus can help town boom

RESTORING FULL V2 SERVICE WILL BE MASSIVE BOOST, SAY TRADERS

- GEORGE LYTHGOE

IT was the cut that left residents feeling trapped - and businesses fearful for the future. But now the V2 bus - which links Atherton to Manchester - is set to return.

The guided busway service was credited with attracting more commuters to the borough of Wigan, the furthest of Greater Manchester's authorities from the centre, when it began running over six years ago. Cafes, bars and shops all benefitted from the increased connectivity.

But, after demand plummeted in lockdown the service was slashed - and even after lockdown ended, wasn't fully restored.

Now, transport bosses have revealed that the service will return to a full-time schedule, a major announcement for locals.

The news on the V2 - which travels directly from Atherton town centre to the Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) via the Leigh Guided Busway - came as Transport for Greater Manchester promoted their launch of the Bee Network, coming on September 24.

The idea behind the Bee Network is to bring buses under local control in a London-style system, creating a more efficient and comprehensive service than the current deregulated market.

As part of these plans, TfGM has announced the ambition to increase the daytime frequency on the V1 and V2 services on the Leigh Guided Busway (LGB) to at least eight buses in each direction every hour.

Currently, five V2 buses an hour run during peak hours between Atherton and Manchester (7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm), but the service was cut entirely during off-peak hours until now which meant Athertonians had no direct service at those times.

This is more than just a win for public transport users in the commuter town - some businesses in the area see this as an opportunity to continue the economic boom the service brought before the pandemic.