WE had a very good bus service in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games, clean and running on time and I was able to plan my journey in a morning.

But now I am extremely annoyed with First Manchester buses. I buy a weekly ticket for £9 and expect to get a bus to work. I live on the Manchester Road route in Bury, though I guess many other routes are the same.

First Manchester buses have staggered their times and seem to have replaced some new buses with ones that look as if they have come out of the transport museum.

This morning I was very late arriving at work, after setting out at 7.50am. At least seven buses passed me on different routes, all completely full. I ended up having to get a taxi at 8.50am to work and was very late indeed. Do I get a refund from my full price ticket? Of course not.

I should be entitled to be able to get a bus to work in the morning. The solution is to get some school buses, then parents could send their children to school on the bus instead of them congesting the roads.

Another point is that we all pay taxes towards public transport, yet GMPTE are not providing the general public with a quality service. They seem powerless to stop First Manchester doing what they want with timetables and lateness because they have a monopoly when it comes to transport. GMPTE are supposed to regulate buses, but they are a regulator without any teeth.

The Government and councillors are always going on about "green" issues, wanting drivers to give up their cars and use public transport. Why should anyone give up their car when public transport is so unreliable?

Councillors are always bleating that there is not enough money. Instead of bleating they should get their heads together and find a solution. Or am I being too optimistic.

T. HEADLEY (Miss),

Goshen Estate, Bury.