Consultation underway into future of transport in Greater Manchester

A major public consultation is underway to hear Greater Manchester residents’ and businesses’ views on the city-region’s plans for its transport network through to 2050.

The Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2050 and the Delivery Plan (2027-2037) launched in December 2025 and set out how the Bee Network can continue to support Greater Manchester’s economic growth, as well as tackling inequality and meeting climate goals. Plans have been developed alongside the 10 local councils and through engagement with business, community and stakeholder groups, and are backed by £2.5 billion funding from government to deliver projects through to the early 2030s.

Proposed investment set out in the plans includes:

• Improving transport connections to new developments and housing and key growth locations across GM, including such as Stockport town centre and Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone.
• Keeping the network safe and reliable by renewing and maintaining key infrastructure.
• Making travel easier with better performance, more resilient services, and simpler ticketing.
• Bringing rail into the Bee Network to create seamless journeys across Greater Manchester (see map below).
• Building a world-class walking, wheeling and cycling network that better connects with public transport.
• Upgrading streets and public spaces to support local communities by making them safer, more attractive, and better for walking, wheeling and spending time in.
• Expanding cycle hire and loan schemes to enable even more people to travel actively.
• Improving bus services, with faster journey times and priority measures.
• Creating new stations, including at Cheadle, stops, interchanges and travel hubs to improve access and comfort.
• Developing new Metrolink and tram/train lines to connect more places, including links to Stockport and Middleton, and make faster journeys possible.
• Improving regional connections through the Greater Manchester’s future vision for rail, including Northern Powerhouse Rail, which will serve Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly stations.
• Exploring options for a future metro and underground network to boost capacity and connectivity.

The full strategy and delivery plan have been published online on the GM Consult website, where local residents, businesses and other stakeholders in the Bee Network can have their say via a questionnaire. Feedback can also be sent via email or by completing a paper survey, available from public libraries and transport interchanges across Greater Manchester.

The consultation will remain open until Monday 9th March 2026.

Once the consultation period closes, Transport for Greater Manchester will carefully review all responses and consider how they inform revisions to the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2050 and the Delivery Plan before it is approved by GMCA.