Greater Manchester begins process to recruit bus operators for London-style transport system

Greater Manchester has begun steps towards delivering a London-style transport system for the city-region with the launch of a business exercise to recruit bus operators for franchised services in Bolton and Wigan.

The move is the first step in delivering bus reforms set out by Mayor Andy Burnham and signed off by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) earlier this year. Under the plans, TfGM will have greater control over routes, frequencies and fares (currently all set by private bus companies) and will enable better planning between different modes of transport under a single Bee Network for whole city-region.

Expressions of interest for operators to run franchised bus services in Bolton and Wigan are now sought, with services to become operational by summer 2023. The Bee Network buses will be rolled out in the remaining Greater Manchester boroughs by the end of 2024.

The procurement process for bus operators will be run in line with Greater Manchester’s Social Value Framework, at the heart of the Social Value Framework are six key objectives:

• Providing the best employment possible – in recognition of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter making sure there are good jobs and opportunities for local residents
• Keeping the clean air in Greater Manchester – by supporting delivery of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan
• Creating the employment and skills opportunities that we need to Build Back Better – opportunities for young people and people looking to retrain and gain new skills e.g. apprenticeships
• Being part of a strong local community – working with and on behalf of Greater Manchester, taking part in organised volunteering and giving something back 
• Making your organisation greener – supporting Greater Manchester to become net zero by 2038
• Develop a local, Greater Manchester-based and resilient supply chain – investing in Greater Manchester based organisations

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“Good public transport is essential for any successful city-region, and buses form the backbone of Greater Manchester’s transport network.

“In order to get the best from our bus services, and support not only passengers but also the wider communities they serve, I took the decision to franchise services and bring them back under public control.

“That means Greater Manchester will be the only area outside London to have that level of local control and the passenger benefits are substantial. It means integrated services as part of a joined up network, simpler fares and ticketing, a price cap so no one pays more than they need to, a better customer service offer and a single look for the whole network.     

“The Bee Network will provide access to jobs, education and skills, help us level up communities, cut air pollution and reduce congestion as well as attracting investment to Greater Manchester.

“It will be game changing for Greater Manchester and that is why I am so keen to get the next stage of this procurement process underway and why I have asked TfGM to work with Government to explore options to accelerate the delivery of franchising across Greater Manchester to 2024.

“The people of Greater Manchester deserve better bus services and I look forward to hearing from partners in the bus industry who share our vision of delivering the joined-up transport network we need.”