I SYMPATHISE with correspondent "Starling Resident" (Your Letters, Oct 10), who is finding the journey from Starling to Bolton problematic using the 98 service.

First Manchester withdrew the 509 service as part of a package of changes to services in the Bolton and Bury area. At the same time, the frequency of the 510 service was doubled to every 30 minutes and the nearby 98 service was increased to every ten minutes. Unfortunately, these changes left a short stretch of Ainsworth Road, approximately 175 metres, without a service.

To try and assist residents in that area, GMPTE, on behalf of the Authority, has placed an additional stop on Ainsworth Road, near Watling Street, and is looking at relocating a number of bus shelters in the area. As your correspondent suggests, anyone who is finding that the current service arrangements do not meet their needs can write to GMPTE and we can use this information to help demonstrate a commercial need to the service operator if appropriate. If numerous complaints about a service are received, these can also be passed on to the Traffic Commissioner.

However, in this instance it is not the case that this will lead to a fine for the bus operators, who are perfectly within their rights to withdraw a service should they feel that it is not commercially viable for them.

The Traffic Commissioner's powers to intervene are limited to issues such as poor performance against timetable.

KEITH HOWCROFT,

director of planning and

communication, GMPTE.