CrossCountry are proud to be a funding partner of the new bus service linking the Greater Manchester and Lancashire rail network with one of the North West’s most popular countryside attractions.
The Sunday service linking Bolton and Horwich with Rivington Country Park has been promoted by South East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership (CRP), with support from CrossCountry, Community Rail Network and Horwich Town Council.
Rivington Park, at the foot of dramatic Rivington Pike, used to get thousands of visitors before the pandemic – but had no public transport service. It was a challenging walk from Horwich town centre, deterring many families from accessing the many attractions in and around Rivington.
The CRP was granted funding from partners enabling the extension of an existing commercial bus service – the 575 from Bolton to Horwich, operated by Diamond Bus North West – through to Rivington. The half-hourly service operates every Sunday and bank holiday until late October, taking a circular one-way route from Horwich into Rivington and returning via Horrobin Lane and New Road.
Paul Salveson, chair of the CRP, stressed that the new service was about improving accessibility and also offering an alternative to the car: “Rivington is already starting to fill up with cars once more, as Covid restrictions ease. The bus offers an alternative to the hassle of trying to find somewhere to park. But many people haven’t been able to get to Rivington because of lack of public transport. Now, at least on a Sunday, they can – thanks to the help we’ve had from CRN’s Integrated Transport Fund. We’ve also been able to use some funding from our partners CrossCountry, enabling people from further afield to use the train and bus to reach Rivington.”
The new bus service can be accessed by rail at Bolton with trains arriving from Clitheroe, Blackburn and Darwen at 19 mins past the hour and buses leaving the bus station at 30 mins past the hour from 09:30 to 16:30. Download the timetable here.
