THE fight for adequate bus services in Bolton must continue.

There has been a dwindling of bus services in the country over many years (excepting London). Recently Astley Bridge has had to fight for services and in the Harper Green ward Preva Crossley (Letters July 14) and Brenda Davis (Row over bus change July 18) along with other residents in on-line comments to The Bolton News are expressing the big impact reduced bus services are having.

Older adults say the buses help them stay active and many struggle to walk too far with shopping. All age non-car users want the buses for work, college and leisure. We are told that services are getting reduced because of low passenger usage but as a councillor I am lobbied to understand that where a service runs late too often bus users drift away and then those with a real need of that bus lose out.

If bus service cuts are now part of austerity to witness the cut of a bus number 68 through New Bury Farnworth starkly reminds me that in austerity decisions some are definitely losing out more than others. Since Brenda Davis launched her bus petition in the Plodder Lane area support has come in from Great Lever residents and residents on the Flower estate are suggesting a re-route of the 36 bus to serve Plodder Lane.

This spurt in residents' action is the same as occurred in Lancaster and in Salford where citizens have formed Bus User Forums despite the Transport Authorities there covering wider areas. From the bus campaigns in Astley Bridge, Plodder Lane and Great Lever the Bolton Bus Users Forum has been formed. People don’t want to go through bus change announcements ‘out of the blue’ ever again. People want a fair chance to fight for adequate bus services for the residents of this town.

Councillor Sue Haworth

Harper Green ward