THERE have been many letters on this page about problems with public transport, but they are not, in my opinion, aided by the very poor public watchdog, the GMPTE, which relies on a tax levy on households to exist.
True, it can do only so much when commercial bus operators fail to run services, but I was not entirely surprised to find that the PTE was equally ineffective over services that it subidises.
When a local operator failed to run its subsidised services and failed to explain itself, the GMPTE proved hopeless and quite the commercial operator's buddy! The only thing worse than a bad bus service is an apathetic watchdog, settling for lame excuses.
The full details are not easily published in a family paper, but I would urge any reader who has experienced unprofessional conduct or service from a bus operator not to waste their time writing to GMPTE. Instead, write to the Traffic Commissioner, who may not be able to investigate every complaint in detail, but should log a complaint by type - surly drivers, indifferent management, non-running services, - and it may eventually lead to a full public investigation of the kind GMPTE is incapable of.
The Traffic Commissioner (North Western) is at Suites 4/6, Stone Cross Place, Stone Cross Lane North, Golborne, Warrington WA3 2SH.
Simon Pearce, Bolton
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