Extra night buses, new routes and more frequent bus services are being rolled out across the Bee Network at the end of this month, benefiting passengers in every borough of Greater Manchester.
Almost two thirds of the extensive service changes will launch between Thursday 30 August and Thursday 6 September, representing the most significant upgrades to the Bee Network since bus franchising was completed last year.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford will get a 24-hour bus service, meaning every part of Greater Manchester will now have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday. This will help 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, and those out enjoying the region’s nightlife.
New bus routes are also set to launch. The new 377 will connect homes at Woodford Garden Village to Stockport town centre. The 612 will provide a daily half-hourly service between Wigan and St Helens via Abram, Golborne and Newton-le-Willows. And the 388 will provide an hourly service between Ashton and Hyde via Stalybridge.
People heading from Bolton to work or shop at Middlebrook Retail Park will also be able to travel on an extended half-hourly 615 service, providing a direct connection between the retail park and the town centre following demand from locals. While extra morning trips will be put on the 507 and 511 to help shift workers at Logistics North connect to buses to meet their early start times.
Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:
“The Bee Network belongs to the people of Greater Manchester and it needs to work for every community. As we build it, we’re listening and responding to what residents want with the biggest set of improvements we’ve ever made in one go.
“We’re bringing night buses to every borough, launching new routes and ensuring buses run more often in the mornings, evenings and weekends. In doing so, we’re making it easier than ever for people to get around the city region by bus. But we’re also supporting our businesses, whose staff and customers need a reliable and safe way to reach them.
“Almost three quarters of a million people live within walking distance of a bus route we’re improving over the next few months. And we’ll continue improving connections for even more communities based on the feedback we get.”
Further improvements are planned to be delivered from January 2027. A full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website.
Overall, the latest package of changes will benefit up to 740,000 people living within walking or wheeling distance from the improved routes, more than half of whom (408,000) live in more deprived areas – where residents are less likely to have access to a car.
Every service change has been shaped by feedback from people living in Greater Manchester, as well as those who use public transport to get around the region, and build on more than 80 improvements to the Bee Network already delivered through franchising.
Robert Hallworth, Director of Middlebrook Retail Park in Bolton, said:
“We are delighted with the recent announcement of the additional bus services between Bolton Town Centre and Middlebrook. This is not only a key retail customer service that has been missing in recent years, it is also a key commuter route for many of the 7,000 retail and office staff who work across the Middlebrook Estate.
“The addition of the 576 and 615 services greatly increases the accessibility for both locations. In addition to improving the retail customer access to Middlebrook, it will also provide better opportunities for employers and those looking for employment in the future.”
Leon Patel, CEO of Global Grooves in Mossley, Tameside, said:
“For The Vale, improved night-time public transport could make a real difference. As Tameside’s only multi-arts centre and a growing cultural and creative health hub, we welcome artists, audiences, young people and communities from across Greater Manchester, but getting home safely and affordably after an evening performance, rehearsal or event can still be a very practical barrier.
“Extending the 216 into the night helps connect places like Ashton and Tameside more meaningfully into Greater Manchester’s cultural and night-time economy. Reliable public transport, alongside an affordable £2 fare, means more people can participate in culture, work and social life without access to a car having to be the deciding factor.”
Jaime Lafuente, General Manager of the AC Hotel in Salford Quays, said:
“For a 24-hour business such as ours, reliable late-night transport is fundamental. Our teams work across a wide range of shift patterns, and having safe, dependable and affordable public transport available beyond traditional operating hours can make a genuine difference to their working lives.
“The continued expansion of the Bee Network is a positive step for Greater Manchester. Improving connectivity to areas such as MediaCity and Salford Quays not only supports the thousands of people working across hospitality and the night-time economy but also strengthens the accessibility of the destination for residents and visitors alike.”
The Bee Network has overseen a 24% increase in bus patronage since 2023, with punctuality regularly exceeding 80% – up from below 70% before buses came back under public control.
These new improvements will help deliver on the pledge made through the Greater Manchester Strategy to continue developing the Bee Network as a transport system for a global city-region, so that by 2030, 90% of the population lives within a five-minute walk or wheel of a bus or tram that comes at least every 30 minutes.
