Andrew Gwynne, the Labour MP for Denton and Audenshaw, is hailing new Stagecoach announcements on improvements to bus services as a victory for local campaigning.

Stagecoach will be making substantial improvements to Services 201, 204 and 206 through Denton and 219 through Audenshaw. After listening to local residents’ concerns over service 219, local Audenshaw campaigner Jean Brazil together with Andrew Gwynne MP have successfully persuaded Stagecoach Manchester to increase the frequency of the service on Saturday mornings to cater for increased demand. The first trips in each direction in the morning will now also run five minutes earlier.

Local Audenshaw campaigner Jean Brazil said:

“I am delighted that the concerns of local residents have been listened to by our local MP and Stagecoach Manchester. I have listened to concerns carefully, and took these to Andrew Gwynne MP, who was able to make a real difference to Stagecoach’s plans to the benefit of local people. It is more important than ever that people have an excellent public transport system, and it is by working together as a community that we can achieve this.”

Significant improvements will also be made to Services 201, 204 and 206 through Denton. The frequency of buses on route 201 will be substantially increased, the service will become more reliable and buses will run later into the night, leaving Manchester Piccadilly at 12:01am. Service 204 will depart Piccadilly earlier, at 21 and 51 minutes past the hour, and Service 206 will now leave Gee Cross earlier in the morning at 7:08am.

Andrew Gwynne MP said:

“I am pleased that Stagecoach Manchester have responded to the needs of their customers in Audenshaw and Denton. It is important that Stagecoach are constantly made aware of the types of service changes that local residents want to see, and I am delighted that in Jean Brazil we have a local campaigner that can help bring a clear picture of these local needs to their attention.”

“The changes to services 201, 204, 206 and 219 will both help people get to work in Manchester city centre earlier in the morning, and return later in the evening. These changes are vital to allow people in Tameside to take full advantage of the work, cultural and leisure opportunities that the city centre has to offer.”