BURY commuters could soon be able to "bank" on more holiday buses.

For Greater Manchester transport bosses are to continue encouraging operators to provide more spring and summer bank holiday services.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority's (GMPTA) transport network committee has also welcomed the increased provision of such services this year.

The authority agreed to supplement the bus companies' commercial services with funding for less financially viable routes.

As a result, 11 operators stepped forward to provide full Sunday services and a further nine agreed to provide special services on bank holidays. Many operators have reported that their services have been very successful and that more passengers have used them than are normally carried on Sunday.

Coun Allen Brett, chairman of the committee, said: "After many years of little or no service being provided on bank holidays, it is great to see so many operators responding to our encouragement to provide more services.

"More and more people are wanting to travel around on bank holidays and the authority is committed to making it as easy as possible for them to get about by bus."

He added: "We have asked the Passenger Transport Executive officers to continue in their efforts to encourage operators, who either provide the more restricted bank holiday type services or do not run at all, to seriously consider expanding their spring and summer bank holiday services to at least the level of Sundays from Easter next year."