Good on the people who turned up, well done. Now, had the meeting been at a time or day when the workers are available..imagine !

Power to the people !

dozens ehh it could have been hundreds at the right time of day but that would mean the suits going past their 5 oclock cutoff point.

Ann Rammond, aged 62, from Stoneclough, claimed the only bus she could use - run by the Vale of Manchester firm, which was not at the meeting - stops at 6pm and does not run on Sundays.

This is not a claim, it is a fact

Jay Knight, aged 33, who has a visual impairment,

But he was told Ring and Ride had promised to start up an email contact system to help with the problem.

Excellent solution

shame ring and ride is now used by all and sundry and not the people it was initially intended for.email is as effective as the people who monitor it and the suits want it that way as emails don't demand an immediate reply

Mrs Cocker, aged 73, said the 563 between Edgworth and Bolton runs only once an hour.

She said: "It's often very late, so people are forced to use a taxi if they have an appointment, for example at the doctors. It's just not good enough."

This is also fact, and I sympathise greatly with the elderly living in Edgworth and Chapeltown. Arriva are an absolute disgrace, and should be thrown off this so called 'service'.

I'm sure a lot of people would agree that the only solution to a poor transportation system with infrequent services outside Monday to Saturday daytimes is to bring the whole lot back into public ownership. These companies exist purely to make money and if their buses are running empty then they cut the services - it's as simple as that.
But would people agree if their council taxes rose to pay for more frequent services that might still not pay for themselves? I can imagine the indignation from people paying more for a service that they seldom use, if ever.
It's 'me first' and we can't have it all ways.

But its not Arriva's fault its GMPTE's fault of course. Talk about the buck stops here!!!! it dosnt stop in Edgworth

I agree Joe, however, I would use public transport far more if it was reliable, I live in Stoneclough, cannot afford taxi home and back to go drinking in Bolton, have to settle for paying extortionate prices to park and shop in Bolton when I would rather take the bus. Consequently, I now drive to Radcliffe Metro, park for free and get the tram to Bury or Manchester. £3.50 return to Manchester no traffic no hassle and no car park costs. This is the reason Bolton town centre is full of empty units and pound shops

Hopefully, keithyt, that would be the up-side that would ultimately make it pay: more people using public transport because it was frequent, reliable and affordable.

Arriva spokesman Nick Gordon said: "Arriva's 563 services are operated under contract to GMPTE, who are responsible for setting the route and timetable.

That is a complete lie. Yes Arriva wins the contract from the GMPTE (although I thought the 563 was a commercial service and not subsidised during the daytime). But it is then down to the bus company to set the timetable and advise the PTE of any slight detour off route (e.g. the slight diversion to The Valley during evenings - these are operated under contract to the PTE).

THE PTE HAS NO SAY WHATSOEVER IN THE TIMETABLING OF THE SERVICE - ONLY PART PARTS OF THE ROUTE IT HAS TO TAKE - i.e between Bromley Ccoss Station and the county boundary (and then part financed with help from Blackburn with Darwen from the county boundary to the Edgworth terminus and vice versa.

ARRIVA HAVE LIED - look what happens to liars (remember what has just happened to Sammy Lee!!!)

Son of Bolton Reader wrote:
Arriva spokesman Nick Gordon said: "Arriva's 563 services are operated under contract to GMPTE, who are responsible for setting the route and timetable. That is a complete lie. Yes Arriva wins the contract from the GMPTE (although I thought the 563 was a commercial service and not subsidised during the daytime). But it is then down to the bus company to set the timetable and advise the PTE of any slight detour off route (e.g. the slight diversion to The Valley during evenings - these are operated under contract to the PTE). THE PTE HAS NO SAY WHATSOEVER IN THE TIMETABLING OF THE SERVICE - ONLY PART PARTS OF THE ROUTE IT HAS TO TAKE - i.e between Bromley Ccoss Station and the county boundary (and then part financed with help from Blackburn with Darwen from the county boundary to the Edgworth terminus and vice versa. ARRIVA HAVE LIED - look what happens to liars (remember what has just happened to Sammy Lee!!!)

In this country liars seemed to be held in high esteem look at G.Brown and all the planks that think he can do no wrong!

Son of Bolton Reader wrote:
Arriva spokesman Nick Gordon said: "Arriva's 563 services are operated under contract to GMPTE, who are responsible for setting the route and timetable. That is a complete lie. Yes Arriva wins the contract from the GMPTE (although I thought the 563 was a commercial service and not subsidised during the daytime). But it is then down to the bus company to set the timetable and advise the PTE of any slight detour off route (e.g. the slight diversion to The Valley during evenings - these are operated under contract to the PTE). THE PTE HAS NO SAY WHATSOEVER IN THE TIMETABLING OF THE SERVICE - ONLY PART PARTS OF THE ROUTE IT HAS TO TAKE - i.e between Bromley Ccoss Station and the county boundary (and then part financed with help from Blackburn with Darwen from the county boundary to the Edgworth terminus and vice versa. ARRIVA HAVE LIED - look what happens to liars (remember what has just happened to Sammy Lee!!!)

Well said Chris. You are learning

Gandalf wrote:

Son of Bolton Reader wrote: Arriva spokesman Nick Gordon said: "Arriva's 563 services are operated under contract to GMPTE, who are responsible for setting the route and timetable. That is a complete lie. Yes Arriva wins the contract from the GMPTE (although I thought the 563 was a commercial service and not subsidised during the daytime). But it is then down to the bus company to set the timetable and advise the PTE of any slight detour off route (e.g. the slight diversion to The Valley during evenings - these are operated under contract to the PTE). THE PTE HAS NO SAY WHATSOEVER IN THE TIMETABLING OF THE SERVICE - ONLY PART PARTS OF THE ROUTE IT HAS TO TAKE - i.e between Bromley Ccoss Station and the county boundary (and then part financed with help from Blackburn with Darwen from the county boundary to the Edgworth terminus and vice versa. ARRIVA HAVE LIED - look what happens to liars (remember what has just happened to Sammy Lee!!!)

Well said Chris. You are learning

who is Chris?

The 512/513 service is operated by Vale under contract to the PTE. The 512 used to operate in the evening and on Sundays - again this was on a PTE tender - but that service was withdrawn. The PTE would only have done that if it wasn't being used as they fund services which are not economically viable to run on a commercial basis (although I know people who will think that is questionable in some cases) but provide a necessary service to people.

The PTE does set a timetable and route in the tender document when it is up for renewal. I know this, as I have seen tender specifications. Sometimes the PTE provides alternatives, and operators bid on both, with the best value bid taken forward. There is also flexibility for operators to make amendments if they would prove benefitial.