WE would like to assure the public that the guided busway is separated by a fence and hedge to provide additional safety for walkers, cyclists and horse riders At the busway crossing points people should use the same caution as they would if they were crossing any other road.

Along the busway there is much less traffic than along many roads, meaning more safe opportunities to cross.

Also the busway has been constructed using a technique that lays concrete without joints, which differs from concrete lanes on motorways or bridges.

The cracks that can be seen on the busway are normal for this technique which is designed to minimise the need to carry out maintenance at regular intervals, avoiding the need to close the guideway.

Another advantage is a smoother ride quality due to smaller cracks rather than regular joints that the buses ride over.

We would also like to assure the public about the bin issue on the busway.

The busway is patrolled daily with a cleaning team to provide litter picking and other cleaning duties, and the amount of litter is being closely monitored.

If at such time it is felt that bins are the best solution we can install them relatively easily.

The busway operations are reviewed daily by staff monitoring all activity very closely.

Dog waste bins, along with wayfinding signage and benches, will be sited along the path next to the guided busway in the coming weeks.

The work has been delayed due to the laying of the final surface on the path which can only be done in favourable weather conditions.

Transport for Greater Manchester

I’VE just read las week’s letter from Cllr Mark Aldred and it has to be one of the most arrogant letters I’ve ever had the misfortune to read.

Unfortunately he and his fellow transport experts have gone ahead with something most people in the Leigh and Atherton area have been against from day one, which it is claimed was agreed following a public inquiry back in 2002.

Most people in the area knew nothing about this until shortly before the multi-million-pound project was started.

I’m led to believe from local business owners, who it appears were mainly the people involved, that the question at the time was did they believe that the area needed more transport links?

Obviously due to the poor transport links it appeared to be a good idea, but exactly what that would involve was not discussed in any depth.

It was general question, so I would like to ask the chairman of TfGM’s bus committee a few questions.

Firstly who on the committee was qualified to propose this guided busway, and if the guided section, which has taken up a lot of the cost, is so important why does the 11-mile journey only require four miles of guided busway? It does not add up.

Secondly do you genuinely believe people who have cars – and bearing in mind how much cars cost to buy and insure – will leave them parked on their driveway to rot and use a bus at a further expense?

Will they think ‘oh, I don’t need a car anymore now we have this wonderful cheap bus way’?

Finally Cllr Aldred your comment that it will bring people from Manchester into Atherton, Leigh and Tyldesley is so far from reality.

As a born and bred Mancunian, happily living in Atherton, that would never happen.

That’s why there are buses running to the Trafford Centre and fully loaded trains running into Manchester from Atherton.

More parking spaces at Atherton station would have been a more positive move to get a few more cars off the road.

Stewart Jones

Atherton

I USE the guided busway every day as I work in Manchester and I think it’s a really good thing for Leigh.

The buses are great, they’re comfy and have Wi-Fi connection, and because they’re more frequent they aren’t as crowded.

Laurie Hinds

Leigh

THE new guided busway is a fantastic resource for the borough.

It not only provides a quick, easy and cost-effective link between Leigh and Manchester but will hopefully bring much more footfall into Leigh and surrounding areas, which will also benefit local businesses.

There’s been lots of positive feedback about the busway and we’re confident that it will only grow in popularity, and give people a viable alternative to the car for those journeys.

Karl Battersby

Director of economy and environment

Wigan Council