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Steam engine opened up to festive shoppers

27/11/2008

The East Lancashire Railway is again going to be used as a shuttle service for festive shoppers this Christmas.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) is running the service for the fourth year in a row in an attempt to get people to leave their cars at home.

The shuttle, which will be powered with a heritage diesel engine, will offer direct passage between Bury and Heywood town centres in just 13 minutes.

Councillor Yvonne Cresswell, spokesperson for Bury at the GMPTA, commented: "What better to way to reduce the stress of Christmas shopping than leaving the car at home and making an event out of it?"

She added that these special services are likely to be "warmly welcomed" by people who want to avoid getting stuck in traffic this Christmas.

Meanwhile, the GMPTA has confirmed that it will host a public meeting with people in the Bury region to get feedback and local transport services.

The authority said this should help it to identify any areas which need to be improved.