[5][6] A scheme was promoted to build an underground rail link across Manchester city centre, known as the Picc-Vic tunnel, but this failed to attract the necessary government funding and the project was cancelled in 1977.

[7][8] To address the problem of cross-city transit, the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (SELNEC's successor) proposed a new circular shuttle bus service between Piccadilly and Victoria stations.

[9] The new Centreline bus service was initially opposed by the Taxi Owners' Association, but was approved by the North Western Traffic Commissioner.

[10] Centreline was first operated using a fleet of Seddon Pennine IV midibuses, noted for their diminutive appearance.

This was Greater Manchester's second electric bus, the first being SELNEC's experimental Silent Rider, but it was eventually taken out of service.

From 28 October 2018, due to declining passenger numbers,[14] the service was reduced to 2 routes, and rebranded as free bus.

[23] Metroshuttle route 3 began operating in September 2005 linking additional areas of the city.

On non-bank holiday weekdays and Saturday evenings, only a single bus per route will be in half hourly operation.

[29] In November 2012, it was announced that the contract for the service had been extended for another year and that South Lancs Travel had been successful in winning the tender for the Bolton Metroshuttle.

The company took over the operation of the service from 31 December 2012 and uses Optare Versa diesel hybrid vehicles purchased by Transport for Greater Manchester.

The Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) vehicles transferred from Diamond North West to Cumfybus's Bolton depot.

After the latest tender process the Bolton Metroshuttle has been operated by Vision Bus since 3 January 2018.

[33] In 2012 Transport for Greater Manchester provided two Optare Versa diesel-electric hybrid vehicles in a blue version of the Metroshuttle branding similar to the livery of the vehicles provided for the Manchester and Stockport Metroshuttle services.

The service starts at Stand F at Bolton Interchange, before serving Bolton Market (next to the old Moor Lane Bus station) and looping back to the train station and running anti-clockwise around the town centre using existing stops within the town centre before returning to the Interchange.

[35] The service was re-branded in August 2009 to form part of the Metroshuttle network, and was given a new livery to mark the change.

Prior to this, the fleet (consisting of Optare Solos) were unpainted and fairly run down, even lacking roll blinds.

Stagecoach ran the service until 1 July 2012, when it was transferred to Arriva North West's Wythenshawe depot.

[42] Operator: Manchester Community Transport Times: 09:40–16:20 daily, every 20 minutes Following the success of Metroshuttle, Transport for Greater Manchester have been studying the feasibility of introducing Metroshuttle routes in other towns in Greater Manchester, to provide a high-quality town centre bus service that links key public transport nodes and car parks with the main retail, commercial, leisure and cultural destinations within town centres.

[45] Other towns like Bury and Wigan had been mentioned to gain routes,[46] however, the chances of this happening were reduced following the rejection of the Manchester Congestion Charge in December 2008.