From Monday 9th April 2018 a new bus service will operate in Saddleworth connecting the villages of Denshaw, Delph, Dobcross, Diggle and Uppermill.
During peak times the new service will connect with Greenfield Station and, during the day, Uppermill.
The timetable will be synced with the trains at peak times and with the 350 bus for the rest of the day. To help passengers the timing of the bus will be at the same time past the hour at each stop. It will run from 0700 to 23.00 during Monday – Thursday. A later finishing time 07.00 to 00.00 Friday and Saturday is timed to pick people up at Greenfield Station when the last train from Manchester arrives. Campaigner Royce Franklyn said, “It will allow people to stay out later and get public transport home. This will be a large improvement and will hopefully provide a real public transport boost to the local economy.”
A timetable will be published nearer to the time of the service launch and will take into account the new train timetables from May 2018.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will be continuing the Local Link service ensuring that people in villages who cannot access the new bus service will still have access to this existing service.
Diggle is currently facing a problem accessing the new service as there is, to-date, nowhere for a bus to turn safely without having to reverse. The old turning circle at Diggle is not an option as repairing the damaged road is deemed to be too costly. Ideas are being explored but so far a solution has not been identified.
