IN March, myself, Cllr Bob Splaine and local residents met with Bob Mason, the operations director for the West Area of First Group, and Dave Leonard, the operations manager for Bolton depot in Atherton.

At the meeting, we raised all the problems we had been made aware of with the present 582 Leigh to Bolton service, such as buses bunching in twos and threes leaving gaps in the service, rear doors not being used, the bendy buses’ unsuitability for the route, poor driving standards, and that the last bus from Leigh did not connect with the last services from Tyldesley.

The meeting was very positive, with Bob and Dave able to deal with our comments. They satisfied us that remedial action was being taken to address all the problems.

As regular passengers on the route can see, they have kept their word and the bendy buses are going back to Leeds, where they originally came from.

It was agreed that a follow-up meeting to monitor the progress made would take place in the next three months.

Norman Bradbury, Hillside Avenue, Atherton