Around 400,000 older and disabled people in Greater Manchester will benefit from round-the-clock bus travel this November.
Currently, people with a TfGM-issued concessionary travel pass have free unlimited travel on Bee Network buses between 9.30am and midnight during the week and all day on weekends and public holidays.
The 09:30am rule was lifted in August on a trial basis for a month, meaning older and disabled residents in Greater Manchester had access to free bus travel at any time of day. From Saturday (1 November), the restriction will be lifted again to allow concessionary pass holders to travel at any time, better connecting them to healthcare, leisure and retail opportunities.
As well as free early morning bus travel, during the trial older and disabled people will be able to board the Bee network’s night buses, all night, for free.
It forms part of the new Greater Manchester Strategy (GMS) pledge to keep the cost of travel as low as possible, improving connections and making it easier for people to use the Bee Network to get around.
During the August trial, more than 100,000 journeys were made by older and disabled people before 9.30am with up to 6,000 people a day making use of the pilot. Of the older people who took part, around 44% of the free journeys were made between 9am and 9.30am, and 68% between 8.30am and 9.30am.
A feedback survey will be available from 1stNovember for people to give their views once the trial is live.
At the conclusion of the trial, the evidence gathered during it, including analysing passenger feedback, patronage and pass usage, will be assessed before a decision is made on whether the move can be made permanent.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “The last trial in August was a brilliant success, which saw more than 100,000 journeys made by our older and disabled people before 9.30am.
“We are now carrying out this second trial, at a busier time of year, to see whether we can safely remove the restriction permanently and help our older and disabled people to get to work, go shopping and get to medical appointments such as at the GP.
“We want the Bee Network to be the best public transport system possible and this means it needs to support all of our residents and communities, including our ‘Twirlies’, to make the journeys they need to make and use the bus more.”
