£7.1m will be slashed from buses budget

GREATER Manchester transport chiefs are set to reduce their bus budgets by £7.1million.

Councillors will make a decision on a proposal to make savings of 20 per cent over the two years to 2015/16 at a meeting tomorrow.

Around 80 per cent of bus services in Greater Manchester are operated commercially, the remaining 20 per cent with TfGM financial support.

Most of TfGM’s funding comes from the 10 local authorities — including Oldham — which face massive financial constraints.

Funding for TfGM has been frozen for the following two years - meaning money for supporting bus services will be reducing while costs are increasing.

Councillor Andrew Fender, chair of the TfGM committee, said: “The approach we are taking is to drive efficiencies in the way we deliver services, rather than simply making cuts. That’s not to say we won’t face some difficult decisions on individual services.”