HOSPICE and hospital visitors who normally use public transport have an alternative on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

With no buses on Christmas Day and very few on the other festive holidays the service is provided by the Manchester Minibus Agency in co-operation with GMPTE and is funded by the Greater Manchester Passenger Authority.

Transport is available on those days between 10am and 8pm, and until 11pm in cases of medical emergency.

Visitors who will have difficulty travelling to a hospital or hospice should ask a member of staff to book a trip for them and give as much notice as possible, before 11am on Christmas Eve for Christmas visits and before 11am on December 30 for New Year.

The service is free and on request vehicles which are accessible to disabled people, including wheelchair users, will be provided.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.