NETWORK Warrington – it’s simple. Do not pass ‘go’, do not collect £200, do not continue to fleece the bus-going public.

For more than a century townsfolk have been proud to support their own municipal bus company – but surely the time has come to ring the bell on that notion.

Like I’ve hinted in this column all too often over the past 12 months and more, the 21st century has finally caught up with the old Warrington Borough Transport.

If passengers can travel all over Greater Manchester (starting on the 100 bus along our own Manchester Road) with First Bus for a £4 day rover, then what is WBT doing charging £5.50, for the added bonus of going to Earlestown?

Please don’t get me started on the merits of charging long-suffering customers a whopping 50 per cent more for a network pass, and withdrawing the town pass. Nothing short of scandalous.

And don’t forget, it was only February when the Wilderspool-based company last came round, cap in hand, asking for more moolah for their ‘network’.

Under their ambitious timetables, weary travellers can’t reach Knutsford, Frodsham, Runcorn, Widnes, St Helens, even Cadishead and Irlam.

Regular bus passengers will already be well-acquainted with the excreable Sunday services, where some parts of central Warrington will not see a single-decker until around 10am or 11am.

But there’s the rub – much larger enterprises have tentacles which spread across the region. They can offer tempting saver tickets, and even get a bus driver out of bed on the Sabbath, because of their size and reach.

The challenge then is straightforward for Network Warrington chairman Maureen Banner and her cohorts – find a buyer for WBT sharpish.

Negotiate diligently so the current staff receive the best deal they can expect and demand all corners of the borough are still served by buses under a new operator – but don’t throw OUR good money after bad any longer.

Not even selling off the Wilderspool garage will keep the wolves from the door for long. Who knows, the windfall for the borough council may also safeguard other local services.

* Loved the tale by my colleague, Hannah Bargery, on the public cost of calling in Cheshire’s finest to deal with a town hall spat.

From this we should pray for two things – that Warrington Labour Party can now maintain a bit of order, especially now it's been spanked by the north-west leadership.

And that the council maintains its long-standing tradition of one-term mayors.

* I’m intrigued as to how the much-needed development in the centre of Bank Park will evolve and I’m sure it’ll be an asset to the town.

Less impressed by the swathe of weeds around the periphery, particularly bordering Sankey Street. Wildflower meadows, or an overgrown mess?