A TYLDESLEY man who has championed the Leigh-Manchester Guided Busway project is convinced it will prove a success.

Frank Parkinson, former chairman of Wigan's Access for the Disabled and Ring and Ride committees, expects the Leigh-Manchester route currently under construction will eventually be extended.

He predicts the guided busway will become as popular as the world's longest one at Cambridge – serving 25 kilometres between St Ives and Trumpington – that has attracted over four million passengers since it opened in August 2011.

In a survey of 800 passengers who use the Cambridge route 80 per cent said they had access to a car but use the busway instead and cut their journey time.

Cambridge County Councillor Ian Bates said: "Despite its detractors the busway has proved a great success and passenger numbers continue to grow. That is proof that people are choosing the busway over other methods of travel."

Mr Parkinson, of Birch Street, told the Journal his neice's partner works in Cambridge and uses the busway and has nothing but praise for the way it operates.

"It is brilliant, a modern concept and receives glowing praise unlike the claptrap portrayed in the Journal's letter pages by the Lib Dem ghost writer and Clr Norman Bradbury among others," said Mr Parkinson.

"The Leigh-Manchester Guided Busway will provide access to Salford and Manchester Universities, all inner city hospitals by one bus route. No need for bus or train hopping, no expensive car parking and will take you on to Middleton or Parrs Wood if required. It will prove to be as successful as the one at Cambridge."