Mum Heather Windle relies on the number 88 bus to get her three boys to school.

For pensioner Shirley Hilton it’s the only service she can use on her road to get to town.

And Cherelle Johnson needs the 88 to ferry her three-year-old son Carmi from their Moston home to his nursery in the city centre.

But, like hundreds of other passengers over recent years, they are about to lose the bus service they rely on.

Operator First has warned that in April it plans to withdraw the Blackley/Moston/Harpurhey/city centre route, which is partially funded by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

It is the latest in a long line of services to be axed or curtailed.

New figures from the BBC’s shared data unit reveal that over the past four years Greater Manchester has lost a staggering 8 million miles of bus routes - a reduction of a tenth. Buses are by far the most popular form of public transport in our region.

(Image: Joel Goodman)

Some of our region’s leaders call this a ‘crisis’ while mayor Andy Burnham says the drop was ‘no surprise’, given ‘confusing ticketing systems and expensive fares’.

Bus firms like First - which also intends to cut the 571 in Bolton, Bury’s 468 to Fairfield Hospital, and the 575 Bolton-Horwich - blame the changing habits of passengers, Government cuts and congestion.

Whatever the reason, when a bus service is cut it has very real consequences for people’s lives. Back on the doomed 88 service from Blackley to the city centre Cherelle Johnson, 30, is bemused by the decision.

She needs the 88 to take three-year-old son Carmi to school and said: “This service is hardly ever empty and it’s really busy at rush hours, why are they cutting it?

“It feels like they are hitting the people who need this the most - the older people, the people who don’t have cars in this area.

“This will affect our day-to-day lives, the tram is a longer walk and much more expensive for us.”

(Image: Joel Goodman)

Shirley Hilton, 74, of Lightbowne Road, Moston, says she’s already lost a route to hospital after First curtailed the 88.

She added: “Now this. It’s my only way of getting to town. I can’t afford a taxi, what am I supposed to do? I’m 74.

“It’s disgusting - have you seen how many buses there are on the other side of town? It’s like they’ve forgotten about us. Just because I live near a cemetery doesn’t mean I’m dead.”

Teaching assistant Debbie Taylor, 53, uses the 88 for part of her journey home from Charlestown to Wythenshawe and she says she’ll find another school if getting to work is made too difficult.

Sasha Badmus, 22, who uses the service to get to work at a care facility for people with learning difficulties says she’ll be forced to pay more for a different bus.

Heather Windle, 28, takes her three boys Leon, nine, Tyler Hofmann, five, Koby-Joe Hoffman, three to school at Charlestown Primary School. Her 10-minute walk to the bus stop from her home in Moston will double without the 88.

She said: “That’s difficult with three young boys. I’m not happy, I feel like we’re being forgotten about. I know of so many people who need this bus. One lady has a disabled son and she needs the number 88, others need it to get to work.”

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Charlestown councillor Veronica Kirkpatrick says she has an onslaught of complaints - many from older members of the community.

Fellow councillor Hannah Priest is taking daily calls from residents working evening and weekend shifts who rely on the service.

The loss of this service - and the very real impact on passengers - is part of a long-running trend as revealed in analysis from the BBC Shared data unit.

Since 2013/14, buses are driving 8m miles less on the Greater Manchester network - an 11.4 per cent decline.

Passenger journeys, meanwhile, have fallen by 15m, a nine per cent loss.

Commercial services run entirely by operators like Stagecoach and First have fallen by 10pc.

Subsidised routes, supported by taxpayer cash because they are deemed socially necessary but unprofitable, have lost 16pc in mileage.

Nationally, the miles clocked up each year by buses - both routes and service frequency - are at their lowest point in 28 years. The north-west is the hardest-hit region.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Buses are the most popular form of public transport, with 79pc of journeys made by bus, compared to 9pc by train and 12pc by tram.

But rising fares and services reductions also force some into cars adding to the gridlock during rush hour.

This contributes to the congested roads that bus operators blame for the shrinking network along with government funding cuts and changes in travel habits.

It is a vicious circle that transport leaders and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham insist can only be fixed by a huge shake-up of the system.

Mr Burnham, who is working on a major plan to tackle congestion, said: “It’s no surprise we’ve seen bus usage and mileage fall when bus operators have cancelled services, ticketing remains confusing, and fares are expensive compared to other parts of the country.”

Describing buses as the ‘backbone of the transport network’, he added: “We need to bring our bus services into the 21st century and ensure that we provide a more joined-up transport network, with simple fares and ticketing, which is accessible to everyone and that puts the passenger first.”

He said the answer lies in the Bus Bill.

Have you lost a bus route? Have you lost - or could you be about to lose - a bus service you rely on? Get in touch on 0161 211 2330

This allows the mayor and TfGM to either franchise or partner with bus operators, gaining more control over prices, scheduling, routes where passengers need them not where they make most money - and even fleet colour.

Blackley and Broughton MP Graham Stringer said the loss of the 88 is a prime example of a failing system.

He added: “Bus fares have gone up, bus miles have gone down and so have passenger numbers.

“The only things that have gone up are the bank balances of the bus companies.

“If another reason were needed for Andy Burnham to make reforms then this is it.”

He said the growing Metrolink network did not account for the extent of decline, arguing more people are living in Greater Manchester, adding: “People can’t get to see their elderly relatives, some people can’t get employment because services are unreliable or not running first thing in the morning or at night.”

Transport for Greater Manchester, which ploughs cash into around 20 per cent of bus services which are needed by the public, spent £27.1m on this last year.

A spokesman said the reduction in these services was due to ‘efficiencies’ after funding cuts - but they ensured services continue to run for those in social need.

He said they were assessing the impact of the 88’s withdrawal and considering whether financial support is needed for a replacement service in the area.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Meanwhile Coun Roger Jones, a member of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, described Greater Manchester’s declining bus network as a ‘crisis’.

The bus network, he argues, is run for ‘operator profit’, not public benefit.

Growing Metrolink and rail use and congestion on the roads, he said, were partly behind falling passenger numbers.

But he said Government funding cuts were a major issue for the huge loss in miles on routes subsidised by TfGM - and hitting the region’s most vulnerable.

He added: “All in all we are in a crisis and we’re hoping Andy Burnham and TfGM will be able to change this in discussions with the bus operators, and reverse the decline.

“Everybody can see the decline, the question is what can we do about it?”

But reform is a long way off - it’s likely to be several years before any major changes are implemented.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has suggested bus provision is likely to change over the coming years, with more Uber-style, demand-led services replacing traditional services.

But in the meantime, leaders warn, without drastic action the downward spiral affecting bus passengers in Greater Manchester is likely to continue.

(Image: Joel Goodman)

Bus miles lost between 2013/14 and 2016/17

Commercial miles lost – 5.78m or 10.3pc

Subsidised miles lost: 2m miles or 16.4pc

Total miles lost: 7.79m miles or 312.7 trips around the equator.

Overall percentage loss from 2013/14 to 2016/17: 11.4pc cent

The North-west’s bus network has shrunk more than any other region’s.

Passenger bus journeys have dropped from 216m in 2013/14 to 201.4m in 2016/17

What the bus operators say

(Image: UGCG HDE)

First Manchester

A First spokeswoman 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.”

Gary Nolan, Chief Executive at The Greater Manchester Bus Operators Association, said: “We regularly review our bus network to ensure that we offer a service that meets customer demand.

“The increase in bus journey times due to increased congestion has deterred some bus users and the growth of the Metrolink network has resulted in a rationalisation of bus mileage.

“As OneBus, we are working with TfGM to review bus priorities to speed up buses and we look forward to the Mayor’s report on congestion within Greater Manchester, which we hope will encourage more bus use.”

Stagecoach Manchester

A spokeswoman said the figures reflected factors including funding cuts to local authorities reducing subsidised services in the network.

She said ‘changes in work, travel and shopping habits’ have resulted in commercial changes to parts of the network ‘to reflect these trends’.

She added: “Unfortunately traffic congestion is having a significant impact on bus passengers and continues to undermine the attractiveness of the bus.

“We carried more than 109 million people on our services across Greater Manchester in the past year and offer great value fares with unlimited travel throughout Greater Manchester available from just £2.08 per day. We have also invested £60 million in new vehicles and facilities for Greater Manchester since January 2013. Buses are the solution to improving air quality and an effective local bus network can deliver a significant boost to the local economy. We urgently need local politicians to tackle the issue of congestion and look forward to working with them to take positive steps towards encouraging more people on to buses in the future.”

She added: “We’re constantly monitoring our network and look forward to sharing plans for additional commercial services within Greater Manchester later this year."

(Image: PA)

Arriva

Phil Cummins Area Managing Director Arriva North West said they were constantly reviewing their network to make changes and improvements to serve passengers.

He added: “Arriva currently contributes to approximately 6 per cent of the bus network in Manchester, from Bolton and Wythenshawe depots, with a further 1 per cent of cross-border services from Southport and St Helens.

“The only changes to our services in the last four years has been a result of contracts that have been won or lost. In addition to the arrival of the Metrolink extension which significantly impacted on the routes 18 and 19 resulting in a loss of service due to low passenger figures.”