With one month to go before Greater Manchester brings buses under local control, the Mayor of Greater Manchester joined the Transport Commissioner and Local Authority leaders to set out how passengers will be better off with the Bee Network.
For the first time in almost 40 years, the Bee Network – Greater Manchester’s plan for an integrated London-style low fare, high volume transport system – will enable bus routes and fares to be set at a local level.
Following the introduction of franchised bus services on 24 September, improvements are planned in Bolton, Wigan and parts of Bury, Salford and Manchester – the first to be brought under local control – that will see them run earlier and later, better integrating them with first and last train and tram services.
This will include the 471 Bolton-Bury-Rochdale service and 362 Standish to Wigan buses and will be reflected in other areas of Greater Manchester as franchised services roll out across the region.
The daytime frequency on the V1 and V2 services on the Leigh Guided Busway will also be increased, with eight buses in each direction every hour. In addition, V2 services from Atherton to Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) will be reinstated as soon as possible.
As well as prioritising performance and reliability, bringing buses under local control will be more efficient and effective than the current deregulated market, with franchised services costing less than those recently funded by TfGM after they were withdrawn by operators.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “It’s now just one month until we start to bring buses back under local control. With cheaper fares, new electric buses, earlier and later running services and improved customer information, people really will be better off with the Bee Network.
“We’ve reached an exciting moment on our journey to improve how people can travel across the city-region. It was great to see our striking fleet of 50 new electric, yellow buses here in Greater Manchester, with the final touches now being applied before they start operating next month.
“The final countdown to the start of the Bee Network is well and truly on.”
To mark the one-month-to-go milestone, the first fleet of 50 new, Zero Emission, Bee Network-branded buses for Greater Manchester was unveiled by Mayor Andy Burnham and Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt during a visit to the depot in Wigan where they are being stored.
Additional electric buses, along with a range of new Euro VI buses, will start to be delivered within six months of 24 September. The zero-emission electric buses are fully accessible and offer a range of customer improvements including two bays for wheelchair-users, hearing induction loops, audio and visual announcement systems and anti-slip flooring.
The franchising is being delivered in phases, with buses coming under local control in Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and parts of Manchester, Salford and Tameside from 24 March, followed by the rest of Greater Manchester from 5 January 2025.
The ambitious plans will bring in local rail services by 2030 and will continue expanding walking, wheeling and cycling routes. Meanwhile from the start of the new school year in September 2023, 84 bus services for 31 schools in Bolton, Wigan and parts of Manchester, Salford and Bury will join the Bee Network. There will be no changes to the schools served or the numbers of buses used on these services, and children can continue to use them as normal.
