LATE night bus services will attract troublemakers and will not have a major effect on Bolton's taxi drivers, it has been claimed.

Charlie Oakes, from the Bolton Hackney Association, says he believes the five new night buses could be blighted by anti-social behaviour.

But he believes that even if the buses remain trouble free, they will not affect the taxi trade because the demand for transport home is so high.

Mr Oakes said: "Although we will have to wait and see what effect it has, I think there is enough business for everyone. It doesn't matter how many taxis you put on, come closing time, there are not enough.

"The pub culture these days means everyone leaves the pubs and clubs at the same time between 1am and 2am.

"The buses will give people a choice of how they want to get home. The buses will eventually start to have the same problem we used to have in relation to anti-social behaviour. They have tried it once before and it didn' work."

"It ties in with what the Government are saying. The Office of Fair Trading says the taxis can't meet the level of demand at kicking out time and do not cater for the lower earners."

The Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority has announced it is introducing the new services to help disperse thousands of pubgoers and clubbers who flock to Bolton at weekends.

But the news has brought mixed reaction from the private hire companies in the town centre.

Mohammed Azim, of Bradshawgate Midland, in Bradshawgate, said it would have a detrimental affect on business.

"Being in the taxi trade, of course, it will definitely affect the local firms. That is what we are here for, to take people where they want to go."

It is hoped the buses will help reduce the number of incidents of late night crime and disorder which often breaks out after closing time.

The five bus services will run on a Friday and Saturday hourly between midnight and 3am to Bury, Astley Bridge, Westhoughton, Horwich and Leigh. They could be on the road by the autumn.

Nick Astley, of Metro Cars of Bolton, in Tonge Moor Road, Bolton, believes the new buses will fail - and therefore would make no difference.

He said: "There will be nothing but trouble on the new night buses. You only need on idiot to start a fight and that is it.

"Even if the tickets were free, I can't see people wanting to travel on them. I think they would feel safer in a taxi."

The Bolton scheme follows on from the success of a similar service from Manchester city centre to Bolton and other towns throughout the county which was introduced in 2001.

Pubgoers will be able to continue to use the Manchester service to get to Farnworth, Little Hulton and Swinton as it returns to the city centre from Bolton.

Route 472 will travel to Bury via Breightmet and a new circular route will be introduced to take people to Astley Bridge, Hall i' th' Wood, Tonge Moor and Harwood.

The Westhoughton 541 service will go via Daisy Hill, while the 575 bus to Horwich will drop people off along Chorley New Road.

The 582 will travel via Daubhill, Atherton and Leigh. Trouble often flares in and around the taxi ranks as large groups of people - many under the influence of alcohol - queue for lifts homes.