THE BEN said that people wanted to get on the buses to Middlebrook and at last they are being given the chance to do just that.

From March 28 the 539 service from Bolton Bus Station will be extended to incorporate the multi-million development.

It's not before time. The BEN has been inundated with calls from angry readers complaining that the only bus service to the complex - the 516 from Leigh via Atherton - does not go through Bolton.

We've said before that an adequate bus system should have been operating from the day the development was up and running, particularly at a time when nationally and locally people are being encouraged to "go green" and leave their cars at home.

The Middlelebrook development is proving popular with shoppers and cinema patrons. We hope the extended bus service will be adequate. If not, we trust Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive will reasses the situation quickly.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.