NEARLY two months ago, on September 27, I wrote to the First Manchester Bus Company to suggest ways of improving the services on the 98 and 509 routes via Ainsworth Road. The letter was acknowledged but there was no response to the particular points made by me.

The dissatisfaction with the present 98 service is widespread. They must be aware that the buses are unable to keep to the timetable of ten-minute intervals, even at non-peak times, which I feel may be due to delays on the long journey from Manchester to Bury. To improve the punctuality of the service, the route should be shortened to Whitefield to Bury and the intervals increased to 15 minutes.

The saving of two buses per hour would enable the grievances of many people over the abandonment of the 509, to be satisfied by the revival of this service at half-hourly intervals. This would be of special benefit to those in Ainsworth and Starling, though punctuality is essential.

First Manchester stress their undertaking to "work tirelessly to improve their services". I should therefore be obliged if they would respond to my ideas and say whether any measures are "in the pipeline".

DEREK RYDER