Councillor calls for free shuttle bus for Middleton

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 24/07/2008

A Middleton Councillor has called on Rochdale's representative on the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority to provide free buses from Middleton Bus Station to Mills Hill train station and Bowker Vale Metrolink station.

Councillor Jonathan Burns called on Councillor Zulfiqar Ali to extend the free shuttle bus scheme to Middleton after Councillor Ali was recently successful in providing a free shuttle bus between Rochdale train station and the town centre.

Councillor Burns complemented Councillor Ali's efforts in securing the Rochdale service and also in stopping cuts to train services at Littleborough station. He said: "Through your position as representative on the Transport outside body can we expect a similar effort from you for the people of Middleton, who unfortunately do not have a train or metrolink station in their town?"

Councillor Ali said that he was looking at the possibility of providing the free shuttle service in Middleton and that he had discussed it with the Chairman of policy at GMPTA. He said: "This will give people their first glimpse of an integrated transport system. These are exciting times for public transport users. Only an integrated transport system will entice people out of their cars and onto public transport."