A new pedestrian bridge will pave the way for the transformation of Bury Interchange into Greater Manchester’s first operationally carbon-neutral transport hub.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has this week submitted plans for the new town centre footbridge to Bury Council. Spanning the tram lines from Union Square – between the Premier Inn and Q-Park car park – to Pyramid Park, the bridge will serve as a second, new access to the tram platforms.
As well as stairs and a fully accessible lift that will lead from the new bridge to the trams, there’s also plans to upgrade the existing platforms with resurfacing, new lights, signs and canopies. If approved, work could start on the new pedestrian link early next year.
The bridge will be a permanent fixture in the town centre and play a critical role in the overhaul of Bury Interchange, planned by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), in partnership with Bury Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
It will ensure that passengers can still access trams when the interchange closes for its £80+million upgrade, which is planned from 2027, subject to relevant approvals.
The submission of the planning application comes after the Government approved the Outline Business Case for the redevelopment last week, to fast-track the project.
This means that plans can continue to be developed for the wider scheme. The new interchange is a key part of the Bee Network – Greater Manchester’s joined-up transport network – with significantly improved facilities for customers using buses, trams and active travel.
Following the award-winning approach taken at Stockport Interchange, Bury is planned to be the next priority, with the aim for it to be the first operationally carbon-neutral transport hub in Greater Manchester.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“These plans not only provide passengers with more ways to get to the tram platforms in Bury, they lay the groundwork for an ambitious transformation of the town’s transport interchange.
“We’re keeping up the pace on making our public transport network the best in the UK and the government’s approval of the Outline Business Case for the redevelopment of the interchange is another crucial step forward for Bury and Greater Manchester.
“The current interchange is way past its best and building on the success of Bee Network interchange upgrades – such as the wonderful space we now have in Stockport – our plan is to create a modern, attractive and user-friendly public transport hub for Bury and a much-improved gateway to the town.
“Bury will also be Greater Manchester’s first operationally carbon-neutral interchange, playing a key role in helping us meet our ‘net zero’ target by 2038 and creating a greener, healthier future for our city region.”
It’s all part of a major push by the city-region to deliver transport-led regeneration. The approach puts transport hubs at the heart of regeneration plans in town centres with the aim of getting more people onto buses, trams and trains with new homes and workplaces served by direct public transport links.
The new interchange will be a key component in Bury’s Town Centre Masterplan, acting as a catalyst for regeneration in the area and providing an improved gateway to the town centre. Bury Council is also looking to bring new homes to Pyramid Park, with the new bridge linking residents directly to Bee Network trams.
Designs for the redeveloped interchange are currently being drawn up, with public consultation proposed for 2026 to help shape the plans before a planning application is submitted.
Whilst work starting on the interchange itself is still to be agreed and timescales set, it’s the intention for the new planned bridge to be installed before any work on the interchange starts.
While buses and trams are planned to run during the works there may be occasions where some service changes are required.
