Manchester's 'guided' or misguided busway?
Passengers have started using Manchester's new guided busway from Leigh town centre
A handful of passengers have started using the new guided busway between central Manchester and Leigh town centre during its first commuter runs.
The buses, which are designed to run on a track and a normal road surface, take passengers on a 14-mile journey using part of a disused railway line for 4.5 miles and the East Lancs.
The total journey time should take around 50 minutes and, according to transport bosses will cut the commute at rush hour by 30 minutes.
Twenty new vehicles costing ÂŁ5m will be operating on the route while the entire construction cost around ÂŁ68m.
Transport for Greater Manchester say it will be; "a high quality bus services providing passengers with a comfortable, rapid and reliable journey, aided by real-time passenger information and, ultimately, smart ticketing products." Only a handful of passengers caught the earlier services from Leigh bus station and several told us it makes a welcome change from the normal buses which they claim are often crowded. Busway buses will have a maximum age of 5 years and will have wi-fi and climate control.
PL