Greater Manchester outlines future Bee Network expansion

Future expansion plans for the Bee Network have been outlined by Greater Manchester leaders, including plans to bring local rail services in Stockport under local control, and further expansion of the Metrolink using existing rail infrastructure.

As the fastest-growing city-region in the UK, the recently published Rapid Transit Strategy sets out the mayor’s and Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) plans to ensure poor connectivity does not hold back the local economy. The strategy makes the case for change that focusses on transforming transport with better rapid transit – fast, frequent bus, trams or trains that carry large numbers of people.

With the remaining areas of Greater Manchester, including Stockport, to see their buses come under local control by January 2025, the city-region is now working with the rail industry to bring local services under the Bee Network umbrella. Eight lines are set to come into the network by 2028, which in Stockport include services via the town centre to Buxton and Alderley Edge, Manchester Piccadilly to Marple services and Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport services via Gatley and Heald Green. Stopping services to Stalybridge, Wigan (on routes both via Eccles and via Bolton) Glossop, and Rochdale are also earmarked for bring brought into local control.

Alongside rail integration the Rapid Transit Strategy also outlines further potential expansion of Metrolink through new lines and tram-trains running on largely existing rail infrastructure, as well as guided busways. A total of 15 possible future schemes have been outlined across the city-region, with business case work already in progress on some routes.

In Stockport, work is already in progress on a business case for a Metrolink extension that accounts for the significant emerging economic opportunities in Stockport town centre and across the wider area. Detailed proposals, the publication of which was delayed due to the General Election, are expected to set out an extension of the East Didsbury line into the town centre’s new transport interchange, and that can integrate with rail services and future Metrolink expansion around the town. Use of the Adswood freight rail line has also been proposed so that tram-trains can also run between East Didsbury and Hazel Grove.

A potential tram-train service between Stockport and the Airport is also being considered, and would also serve the new railway station being delivered at Cheadle. This connection would be dependent on completion of a ‘Western Leg’ of the existing Manchester Airport Metrolink line to reach Terminal Two and Mix Manchester (formerly Airport City).

Further exploration of the case for reopening the rail link between Stockport and Stalybridge via Reddish and Denton, is also called for in the Rapid Transit Strategy. While the recent Restoring Your Railways study work has shown that the case for train services is weak, the document also highlights this route for a possible tram-train link between Manchester Airport and Tameside via Stockport.

Rail routes to Marple and Glossop from Manchester Piccadilly, set to come under the Bee Network from 2028, could also see tram-trains run on the routes as extensions of current services which terminate in the city centre.

Elsewhere in the city-region, other expansions to transport infrastructure in the Bee Network include tram-train links between Bury, Heywood, Rochdale and Oldham, with an outline business case already accounted for in the Department for Transport’s City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS). . The business case for Metrolink and busway options is currently being investigated between the city-centre and Middleton. Both these routes would also serve the Atom Valley advanced manufacturing cluster and Mayoral Development Zone in the North of the city-region.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority will meet on Friday to approve the draft Rapid Transit Strategy for future expansion of the Bee Network.

The city-region’s leaders will also hear on progress made by the Bee Network so far, which has seen a 5% increase in bus use in areas where services have been brought under local control. Punctuality of services is also consistently outperforming both the current non-franchised network, and the pre-franchised network that operated over the same period last year, with 82.9% of services running on time, between 28 April and 23 June. Record numbers of people are also travelling by tram, with usage up by around 20% over the past year.

In response to improved passenger volumes, TfGM also confirmed that weekly and monthly tickets will be reduced to £20 and £80 respectively from January when the network expands further. A new hopper fare will also passengers to use multiple buses within one hour of first boarding a service. TfGM is also continuing to work with local Credit Unions on a new annual bus ticket that can be accessed using loans.