Bus boss hits out over Metrolink road closure

A BUS company boss has slammed bosses behind the Metrolink scheme for leaving hundreds of people without public transport.

Bluebird bus company runs the 151 and 159 services from North Manchester General Hospital through Middleton, Chadderton and into Oldham.

But work on the new tram service has closed Hardman Lane, near the former Failsworth rail station, which slices through the two bus routes. The closure runs to May.

Drivers now have to divert along Nuthurst Road, Broadway and Oldham Road.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive’s director, Michael Renshaw, says there were discussions with Bluebird beforehand, which is strenuously denied by Michael Dunstan, owner and general manager of the Middleton Junction-based bus company.

He says no-one consulted him, and the first he knew was when a legal document arrived from Oldham Council on December 21.

He added: “I have had a couple of phone calls since, just to say what is happening, so it was a fait accompli.”

He is also angry that a press release said “passengers are advised to use the next available normal stops for both services. Neither service will pick up passengers from stops along the diversion route.”

Mr Dunstan said: “The next stops could be miles away.

“This will leave a whole chunk of Oldham unserved.

“Our business is being undermined, but more importantly, thousands of people can’t get to hospital appointments, Morrison’s supermarket, and South Chadderton School and the City Learning Centre.

“We are the only bus service on these routes. We have asked if there could be one-way running along Hardman Lane, but were told no because of sandblasting. Yet there is still a pedestrian route.”

Bluebird operates the 151 which runs half hourly from the hospital to Chadderton, and the 159 runs hourly from Middleton to Oldham Civic Centre.

Mr Renshaw said: “We did follow established procedure and discuss the matter with Mr Dunstan’s company, Bluebird Buses, once it was established that the road would need to be closed.

“These discussions included the diversion necessary to the 151 and 159 bus routes operated by Bluebird and we will continue to liaise with the company as necessary to ensure that these services operate as effectively as possible during the closure.”