THE introduction of the V2 guided bus service to Atherton has not done anything to alleviate the problem of parking for commuters using the rail services from Atherton central station.

We were told that once the guided bus came to Atherton the demand for parking at the station would reduce and there would be no requirement for additional parking.

How wrong they were.

I propose that the only real long term solution to meet the demand for parking spaces near Atherton central station is to upgrade Hag Fold station to a park-and-ride.

This would require the spare land at the back of the station owned by Wigan Council to be developed as a car park and the Manchester Southport services to be scheduled to stop at Hag Fold station.

This would only add one minute to the overall journey time.

The change would give Hag Fold station two trains an hour, which would not only alleviate the problems of parking at Atherton central station but help the residents of Hag Fold estate commute to Manchester and Wigan to take up job opportunities which they have found difficult to grab due to the poor rail service.

The rebranded Dorset Road Community Centre, ‘The Bridge’, would also benefit from this change, making it an attractive venue for people in the borough and beyond to use for their events.

Atherton central is designated by Transport for Greater Manchester as a park and ride facility, the only one never to have been improved.

Now is the time to improve things for commuters using Atherton central station, giving them an alternative by investing in a new park and ride facility at Hag Fold station.

Norman Bradbury

Hillside Avenue

Atherton