RESIDENTS are outraged following a major change to the popular 18 bus route, writes Helen Heath.

The service, run by Arriva and which operates between Altrincham and the Trafford Centre, has altered its route to discount a number of areas.

These are Sale Moor, Northern Moor, Baguley, Benchill, Wythenshawe and Woodhouse Park.

The bus now follows the same route as the 245 through Sale, continuing straight down Washway Road from Altrincham towards the Trafford Centre.

The change will affect many people living in these areas including workers and schoolchildren, with many commuters relying on this bus as their only direct link to the Trafford Centre and their school.

Many residents believe they will now have to allocate more time for their journeys and rely on more than one bus.

Resident Susan Heath commented: “What a botch up!

"So Altrincham has now got three buses going to the Trafford Centre - two are using more or less the same route. This is absolutely disgusting.

"Not everyone has their own transport either by choice or because they can't afford a car.

"Surely we should have a transport system that discourages people from driving on our busy roads.”

Sale Moor ward councillor Joanne Bennett said: “I am incensed by this decision.

"No consultation has taken place with the ward councillors and it will have a seriously detrimental impact on our residents. It demonstrates everything that is wrong with how public transport is decided.”

Arriva responded: “Having reviewed the performance of service 18 over a number of months, including the routes between Manchester Airport, Wythenshawe, Northern Moor and Sale Moor the service had the lowest number of passengers per journey.

"Our decision was to withdraw this section of the route whilst retaining the Sale – Stretford – Trafford Centre section of the route. Passengers travelling from Wythenshawe, Northern Moor and Sale Moor towards Trafford Centre are able to use service 19 to travel to Sale and then change to services 18 or 245 to travel onwards to the Trafford Centre. The revised service 18 also offers a more direct link between Altrincham and the Trafford Centre.”