Bee Network prepares for second phase of bus franchising

The second phase of Bee Network franchised bus services in Greater Manchester will launch on 24th March, alongside improvements to the Bee Network app.

Yellow Bee Network buses will take to the roads in Oldham, Rochdale and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester on Sunday 24th March, bringing a further 136 of the city-region’s bus routes under public control. The remaining areas of Greater Manchester, including Stockport, will be brought into the network by January 2025, but are already benefiting from cheaper fares and integrated AnyBus + Tram tickets.

From 24th March, a total of 324 bus routes – over 50% of the Greater Manchester network – will be managed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) as part of the Bee Network, bringing routes, fares and service frequencies under local control. General bus services in phase two will be operated by Stagecoach, First Group and Diamond under a franchising arrangement.

The second phase of Bee Network roll-out will also see an additional 30 TravelSafe officers on services and 50 new zero-emission buses on the road. Two 24/7 services are also being trialled on the network in response to call’s from the night-time economy to help its workforce travel home.

The Bee Network mobile app will also see new features rolled out in March for passengers across Greater Manchester. A new journey planner will be added to the app along with a live bus tracker, so passengers can easily plan their journey, buy tickets, and see exactly where their bus is on the route.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“This next phase of bus franchising in Greater Manchester will not only mark another big step forwards towards the full delivery of the Bee Network, it also clearly demonstrates our commitment to improving public transport in the region.

“When services in Oldham, Rochdale and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester become part of the Bee Network on 24 March, half of all the bus services in Greater Manchester will be back under local control and accountable to passengers.

“People will see some immediate improvements including more frequent buses, later and earlier services and better connections to trams and trains on some key routes. We will also be reversing some of the service reductions implemented before we took control of the system.”

Greater Manchester Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt said:

“Safe, reliable and affordable public transport and active travel facilities are central to improving life for the people and businesses of Greater Manchester. This next phase of the Bee Network is a further significant step towards making an integrated London-style system a practical reality here.“

The announcement of changes coming in the second phase of bus franchising was made at Bury’s bus interchange, which is set for a £81 million redevelopment, subject to government funding and approval, and follows the reveal earlier in February 2024 that Stockport Interchange, the town centre’s new bus terminus, will open to passengers on 17th March.