Bee Network passenger numbers continue to grow

More people than ever are using Greater Manchester’s Bee Network public transport system, which is set to grow further when the first rail services are added to the network in December 2026.

Eight million extra bus journeys were made in the last year and there was a 32% increase in rides taken on Starling Bank rental bikes over the last 12 months. Ridership of the city-region’s Metrolink tram network has also reached an all time high.

The first rail services are set to join the Bee Network in December with plans to introduce ‘tap and go’ with capped fares across eight commuter lines by 2028.

Over the next year, sweeping improvements to buses will also be rolled out – including night buses in every borough – benefitting 740,000 people across Greater Manchester.

Last month, an independent national survey found that satisfaction among bus passengers in Greater Manchester went up in the first full year under the Bee Network.

The survey found that passenger experience on Greater Manchester’s bus network improved with overall satisfaction rising to 86%, up from 79% in both 2024 and 2023. This includes an increase in satisfaction with value for money among fare-payers, placing Greater Manchester further ahead of the declining national average. The annual Your Bus Journey report by Transport Focus also found high levels of satisfaction with drivers in Greater Manchester with 84% praising their ‘helpfulness’.

The latest passenger data comes as TfGM celebrates the thousands of Bee Network staff across the city-region as it marks the first-ever World Public Transport Day.

Danny Vaughan, Chief Network Officer at TfGM, said:

“The Bee Network is powered by thousands of people across Greater Manchester who are keeping us all connected.

“It’s not just our bus and tram drivers – there are hundreds of staff working at our depots, interchanges and control rooms, making sure everything is running smoothly

“As we continue to grow the Bee Network, it’s these people who make it all possible.”