Two years on from Greater Manchester’s first buses coming under local control, more major Bee Network improvements have been announced by the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Andy Burnham and Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt visited Shudehill Interchange to unveil a further raft of changes to improve bus services for people and communities across the city-region. They include more frequent buses, cheaper travel and new round-the-clock services.
Since the first buses were brought under local control in September 2023, the Bee Network has changed the way people get around. Buses are more regular, more punctual and fares are more affordable. ‘Tap and go’ ticketing has made it even easier to switch between bus and tram with more than 10 million contactless bus journeys being made by over one million customers on buses since March, and meanwhile new bus routes have been introduced to better connect people to homes, jobs, education and wider opportunity.
As a result, more people are choosing public transport. On buses brought under local control in September 2023, journeys are up 12% year on year, with a 14% increase on services that joined the Bee Network in March 2024. It puts Greater Manchester well on its way to achieving the overall goal of boosting bus passenger numbers by 30% by 2030 and for 50% of all journeys in the region to be made by public transport, walking or cycling by 2040.
It’s all part of Greater Manchester’s mission to create a public transport system befitting of a global city region. The Greater Manchester Strategy, launched in July, outlines a relentless approach to making public transport better – including a 2030 pledge to ensure 90% of residents are within a five-minute walk or wheeling distance of a bus or tram that comes at least every 30 minutes.
Building on countless service improvements already delivered and further changes already announced, the Mayor announced:
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Two new night buses and a commitment to extend existing night (or 24 hour) services into next year:
From Thursday [4 September] 24-hour pilot bus services will run on the 135 and 17, connecting Manchester and Bury, and Manchester with Rochdale via Middleton. The round-the-clock buses will serve key employment sites and hospitality spots on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Night buses on the V1 (Leigh via Salford) and 36 (Bolton via Salford), first introduced on a pilot basis in September 2024, will also continue seven days a week until at least March 2026.
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Half price bus travel for 18-21 year olds :
Around 150,000 young people aged 18 to 21 can now enjoy half price bus travel, better connecting them to work, training and education opportunities. Applications open today for the new 18-21 bus pass, meaning young people can buy a 28-day bus travelcard for £40 – half the price of adult fares and the equivalent of just £1.43 per day for unlimited travel on any Bee Network bus in Greater Manchester. The move is aimed at helping the thousands of young people once their 16-18 ‘Our Pass’ expires, supporting them as they move into further education or the world of work.
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Our Pass goes digital:
For the first time from today, Our Pass – the revolutionary pass which gives Greater Manchester’s 16-18 year olds access to free bus travel and reduced-price tram travel – has gone digital. More than 15,000 young people have applied for the pass this year and successful applicants will now receive their pass in the Bee Network app.
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New Express Mode feature in Apple Pay:
New ‘Express Mode’ has also come to the Bee Network, enabling passengers to use Apple Pay to quickly and simply pay for their travel on the region’s buses and trams using an iPhone or Apple Watch. Passengers do not need to wake or unlock their iPhone or Apple Watch, or even open an app when paying to ride public transport – making it easier and more convenient to get around.
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New and improved cross-boundary bus connections between Greater Manchester and Cheshire:
From today [1 September] revamped and more frequent 5, 5A and 280 bus services will better serve communities in Trafford. More frequent services will cover more stops including Dunham and Warburton, improving public transport options for people making journeys to and from Altrincham and Sale into Lymm and onto Warrington. This includes the existing 280 Bee Network service increasing to an hourly frequency – up from a two-hourly service – and extending from Dunham Massey via Warburton to Lymm. It will also operate later into the evening. (See notes for full improvements).
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More frequent buses on the most popular routes in Bolton and Leigh:
From this week, there’s also increased frequency on popular routes in Bolton and Leigh. The 582 will see the frequency increase from every 12 minutes to every 10 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime, with evening and weekend improvements too. The V1 will also see peak services increase, including running every 4 minutes between 7am and 8am Monday to Friday from Leigh. (See notes for full improvements).
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A further trial of round-the-clock bus travel for older and disabled passengers:
The month-long trial to lift the pre-9.30am travel restriction for older and disabled people to use their concessionary passes on buses came to an end yesterday. During the 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.
Transport for Greater Manchester is now considering the results of the trial and feedback received by those who took part. The Mayor has announced that a second trial period will take place this November.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:
“Our region has the fastest growing economy in the UK, and the Bee Network will continue to play a vital role as we look to build on our plans set out in the Greater Manchester Strategy to make the next 10 years the best decade for our region since the Victorian era.
“While the Bee Network is already delivering a much improved service compared to the non-franchised system it replaced, with more punctual, frequent, affordable and cleaner buses, we are always looking at how we can improve the experience for everyone travelling with us, and to encourage people to use the bus more often.
“These proposals include enhanced and expanded bus routes, more night buses and half price bus travel for our young people, alongside commitments to revisit free round-the-clock travel for people using concessionary passes, with a second trial in November this year.
“We are still only two years into this journey and these latest announcements underline our commitment to providing the best possible public transport system to support the people, communities and businesses which are helping to grow Greater Manchester’s economy.”
Transport investment will be fundamental to sustaining Greater Manchester’s rate of economic growth, which has outstripped the UK’s average in the past decade, and in June the Government pledged £2.5 billion towards helping the region unlock the UK’s first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport network.
This includes a thousand new EV buses to form a 100% electric fleet alongside trams already powered by renewable energy and e-bikes for hire; the integration of eight local rail lines with the Bee Network which will see improved accessibility and capped fares; and major infrastructure projects including Metrolink extensions and stops and new modern interchanges to support the wider delivery of thousands of new homes, skilled jobs and green growth.
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said:
“Public transport is one of seven key areas underpinning our future vision and plan for a thriving Greater Manchester. Over the next decade we will continue to invest in the Bee Network to transform how people get around and provide the high standards of service the people and businesses of our region rightly expect.
“The service changes announced today will bring immediate and wide-ranging benefits to communities across Greater Manchester, whether it’s more night buses to support the night-time economy, improved connections between our region and neighbouring areas, or cutting the cost of travel for our young people.
“The Bee Network – embracing bus, tram active travel and, soon, rail – has already achieved so much since the launch of bus franchising two years ago, and we are focused on continuous improvement to support economic growth, greater productivity and access to new homes, jobs and wider opportunity for all.”
