Greater Manchester to move forward with Bee Network vision following funding award

Greater Manchester will push forward with plans for its Bee Network London-style integrated transport system, following the award of over £1 billion funding announced for the city-region yesterday.

Greater Manchester will top up the £1.07 billion CRSTS funding allocation with £170 million in local funding to drive investment into local roads, bus, train and tram services over the next five years. Planned for the city-region are new bus corridors, cycling and walking routes and improved connectivity between towns and high streets to reduce car use and vehicle emissions.

Funding will also support bringing the bus network in the city-region under greater public control. The first phase of bus franchising will be rolled out in Bolton and Wigan on 17th September 2023, running from Stockport by 2024, with fares capped at £2 for adults and £1 for children.

Despite the full award of CRSTS funding, Greater Manchester only received £94.8 million for its Bus Back Better bid, half the total originally asked for by the city-region. The funding scheme aims to shore up bus services where passenger numbers following the Covid-19 pandemic have yet to recover, with Mayor Andy Burnham calling for greater certainty over funding for operators struggling with low passenger numbers.

Commenting on funding announcement’s yesterday, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, said:

“Today’s announcements are a major vote of confidence in Greater Manchester’s plans for a London-style public transport system.

“This funding will allow us to bring forward an improved bus service, starting next autumn in Wigan and Bolton – with new buses, lower fares and more frequent services.

“However, as welcome as today’s announcement is, the revenue funding is about half of what we bid for, and we still don’t know how much recovery funding bus operators will get to keep services running.

“We have been working closely with government on a funding model that will enable us to stabilise, rebuild and ultimately transform public transport, and can only deliver the Bee Network if we have a sound foundation to build upon.

“Without a longer-term recovery settlement, the threat of cuts to services still looms large. This is the final piece of the puzzle that will really enable us to get on and deliver the Bee Network and this is the case I will make to government as we continue to work together to unlock Greater Manchester’s full potential.”