Hope that the No 375 may yet be saved
THERE is fresh hope a vital bus to Greater Manchester’s most isolated village could yet be saved from the axe.
Residents in Mellor have been campaigning against plans to cut the 375 to Stockport after transport chiefs decided they could no longer afford to keep subsidising the route. But an extraordinary meeting of the Transport for
Greater Manchester committee has now been called to reconsider its future. It comes after Stagecoach – which has the contract until April 21 – opted to drop the entire route, as well as the subsidised part to the more remote areas of Mellor and Hawk Green.
Stockport council’s TfGM representative says he is ‘optimistic’ a solution could finally be found to the controversy.
Coun David Meller said: “I’m hoping we will have a viable solution put to the committee that we can all agree on – the fact that there’s a solution coming to the committee is great news. It’s an opportunity to move on and have something to benefit the local community – so people won’t have the feeling they are going to be cut off from services like Stepping Hill and going into Marple.”
Options for the 375 service to Mellor are to be discussed together with those hit by the collapse of Manchester Community Transport, at the meeting on March 31.
But while Coun Meller is hopeful the situation can be resolved he has also warns it is not yet a ‘done deal.’
Efforts to save the 375 have been backed by Marple councillors and Hazel Grove MP William Wragg – both of whom launched wellsupported petitions in a bid to spare it from the axe.
The extraordinary meeting of the TfGM committee will be held on Tuesday, March 31, at 10am.