Bus chaos crippling the heart of Manchester could be fixed by the Manchester Evening News.

A new campaign already has the backing of commuters, business leaders and politicians.

The paper is complaining that empty buses are blocking the streets as a new free-for-all bus war takes hold.

It is now backing a public inquiry into the situation, provisionally set for tomorrow.

The situation has been deteriorating for three weeks since UK North began running 12 buses an hour between Manchester and Chorlton on a route currently served by rivals Stagecoach.

The Evening News claims 30 buses an hour are competing for the same bus stops bringing the city centre to a standstill, bringing trams to a halt, as well as delivery lorries and commuters.

It says the council has been forced to issue parking tickets for buses waiting more than two minutes in an effort to beat the crush, while the Traffic Commissioner has also passed a special order to limit services.

The paper has revealed how the Government is planning to bring back regulation of bus services for cities – and it is calling for immediate action.

An Internet poll for the MEN shows 91 per cent believe deregulation is the answer.