BUS users have expressed their outrage after plans to cancel a key service were revealed.

First Bus announced this week that they plan to put an end to the 468 service – which connects Tottington, Bury and Fairfield Hospital - from April 8.

It means that people wishing to transfer between Tottington and Fairfield will now have to change buses at Bury Interchange.

In an email sent to politicians and transport bosses today, First said they came to the decision following a review of their network which ‘identified services which not only are poorly used but also, at this current time, do not have the potential to grow’.

The 468 service is one of four services across Greater Manchester which will be withdrawn.

After the announcement, Bury North MP James Frith took to Facebook to tell constituents he was ‘furious’ about the decision.

His post read: “I was absolutely furious to receive news from First at 10pm last night that they plan to cancel the 468 service which connects Tottington, Bury and Fairfield General Hospital. If you use this service I want to hear from you.

“I have received over 50 complaints over the last few months about First services in Bury and despite promises to the contrary, they do not appear to have improved since I first raised concerns last August. I will shortly be escalating my concerns to the Traffic Commissioner.

“I will be meeting the bosses of First in two weeks and you can rest assured I will make very clear my feelings about their performance.”

The post received a strong response from a number of service users who shared Mr Frith's dismay at the decision.

One user, Jenny White, said: “I use this service regularly to take my young children into Bury (and with Tottington library now closed we need to use Bury library).

“I actually prefer the service and prices on the Rosso 469, have had a number of issues with rude First drivers not stopping despite me ringing the bell (complaining that I hadn't come down to the front of the bus with my two young children!), and also setting off suddenly from the terminus before my two-year-old had sat down causing her to fall (we were aiming for the nearest seats not trying to walk down to the back).

“Also with current appalling parking situation at Fairfield it would be a disgrace to no longer run this service.”

Mr Frith is set to meet with First bosses later this month, and has today extended an invitation to First’s divisional director Dave Alexander.

In a letter to Mr Alexander, he described the decision as ‘the latest slap in the face to local residents who have faced a year of increasingly poor services from First in Bury, Tottington and Ramsbottom.’

A spokesperson for First Manchester said: “We can confirm that some changes to services are proposed for introduction in April and where it is in the interests of customers and the public, we have provided advance notification of those plans to TfGM.”