RE, last Saturday’s article in The Bolton News over concerns about serious traffic congestion in Westhoughton because the closure of the bridge on Bolton Road, Atherton, for 12 weeks.

In the last few days, Transport for Manchester have finally published details about the revised bus timetables.

Passengers using the 582 service, Leigh to Bolton, will experience a 20-minute detour via Tyldesley.

Other passengers north of Atherton town centre and railconnecting passengers will have to use the 581 service.

They will disembark at the rail station and then walk across the temporary footbridge to connect with a shuttle service at Marlborough Road.

This will either connect with the diverted 582 service at Four Lane Ends or continue to Bolton, depending on the time of day.

No doubt people will feel inconvenienced by this, but it will be worse for those who need to make an early start or catch an early train connection.

On weekdays, the first bus from Marlborough Road to Four Lane Ends is at 7.54am and, in the other direction, from Atherton railway station to Leigh at 8.17am. The first morning bus from Leigh will only get to Atherton rail station at around 8.17am.

This will prove a problem for train users travelling from either side of the bridge closure. It could even force more commuters to revert to their cars in frustration, creating further traffic congestion. It gets worse at weekend.

I am aware that one local councillor has expressed serious concerns to Transport for Manchester, but so far nothing has been changed.

Mike Rogers Bolton Road Atherton