Greater Manchester is to receive just over £1bn to spend on new Metrolink trams, bus corridors and the 140-mile active travel “Bee Network”, the Treasury has announced

£7 billion in total is being allocated to level up” urban transport in cities around England including Liverpool and West Yorkshire

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak said:

“There is no reason why somebody working in the North and Midlands should have to wait several times longer for their bus or train to arrive in the morning compared to a commuter in the capital.

This transport revolution will help redress that imbalance as we modernise our local transport networks so they are fit for our great cities and those people who live and work in them.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “This is an important first step towards a London-style public transport system for Greater Manchester and we welcome this announcement from the Chancellor. We believe it shows the Government is listening to the case that Greater Manchester is making.

“As welcome as it is, infrastructure investment alone will not make levelling up feel real to the people of Greater Manchester. That will only happen when the frequency and coverage of bus services are increased and fares are lowered to London levels.

“So we are now hopeful that the Government will soon build on this foundation and match this allocation with revenue funding to make our Bee Network vision a reality.”

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