The Bee Network is an integrated transport network for Greater Manchester, composed of bus, tram, cycling and walking routes. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is expected to have the network operational by 2024, with commuter rail services expected to be joining the network in 2030. Initially revealed in 2018, the project is aiming to create a London-style transport system, to encourage more people to take public transport instead of cars. [1]
The design of the network is inspired around the Greater Manchester symbol, the worker bee, with bus and tram liveries coloured yellow and black to represent this. [2]
Chris Boardman, the Greater Manchester Cycling and Walking Commissioner published documents in 2017 settings out plans. [3] The project would include 121 kilometres (75 mi) of segregated cycling lanes, brand new electric buses, around 2,900 kilometres (1,800 mi) of new dedicated walking and cycling routes, 2,400 new road crossings and a new cycle hire scheme throughout the region. [4] [5]
Following on from the GMCA's decision to bring in a bus franchising scheme under the Bus Services Act 2017 in March 2021, the Bee Network concept was expanded to cover all forms of public transport - tram, bus and commuter rail - as well as active travel. The active travel component of the network was rebranded as the Bee Active Network.
A cycle hire scheme launched in late 2021 using Beryl bikes. [6]
In June 2022, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham announced capped fares for buses from 2023 in order to help with cost-of-living rises. The new fares would see full day fares capped at £ 5, and single trips capped at £ 2. [7] [lower-alpha 1]
The first fleet of 50 Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV battery electric buses were rolled out across Bolton, Wigan and parts of Bury and Salford on 24 September 2023. Go North West and Diamond North West have been awarded two large franchises and seven small franchises, respectively, displacing the current operations of Arriva North West, First Greater Manchester, Stagecoach Manchester and Vision Bus in this area. [8] [9] The fleet will be expanded by an additional 50 Enviro400EV buses in Oldham, Rochdale and the remainder of Bury in March 2024, [8] [10] as well as with 67 Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMCs on services operated by Diamond North West in early 2024, [11]
One of the major policies of the Bee Network is making it easy, safe and attractive for people to travel on foot or by bike for everyday trips. A large focus is being put on to cycling in this project, therefore TfGM are investing money in many things that encourage cycling in combination with Local Authorities such as cycling infrastructure, Cycle hire scheme, Cycle hubs and many courses to help people learn to ride a bike.
The Bee Network will include the UK's largest cycling and walking network, with 1,800 miles of routes and 2,400 new crossings.
Furthermore, the City of Manchester has made a bid to become the first ACES European Capital of Cycling in 2024.
Active Neighbourhoods [12] form part of the Bee Network. [13]
The bus network in Greater Manchester is partially deregulated, with local control of services having been removed in 1986 as a consequence of the Transport Act 1985. However, following the enactment of the Bus Services Act 2017, mayoral combined authorities like the Greater Manchester Combined Authority have had the power to bring buses back under the control of local government by means of a franchising scheme. The GMCA is the first combined authority to use the powers under the Act, [14] and is in the process of re-regulating its system which will be implemented in three tranches from 2023 to 2025.
Bolton, Wigan and parts of Bury and Salford were the first areas to be brought under the new franchising scheme from 24 September 2023. Diamond North West and Go North West were awarded contracts to operate services in this area. [8] [15]
The franchised area expanded to Oldham, Rochdale, the rest of Bury, further parts of Salford and north Manchester on 24 March 2024. Diamond North West, First Greater Manchester and Stagecoach Manchester were awarded contracts to operate services in this area. [16] [17]
The remaining parts of Greater Manchester (Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and the rest of Manchester and Salford) will join the scheme from 5 January 2025. Metroline, Stagecoach Manchester, Go North West and Diamond North West have been awarded contracts to operate services in this area. [18]
Network Rail and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have signed a collaboration agreement to deliver upgrades and regeneration opportunities across Manchester and Salford’s central railway stations. [19]
In addition, the first contactless payment on rail outside of London is to be trialled on the Stalybridge to Victoria and Glossop to Piccadilly lines by early 2025. This will be followed by other lines and a multi-modal fare cap by 2030. [20] [lower-alpha 2]
Commuter rail is expected to join the Bee Network by 2030 at the latest. It will create services similar to the London Overground.
In March 2024, the Mayor of Greater Manchester announced that the date for commuter rail to join the Bee Network is intended to be brought forward from 2030 to 2028. He also announced the first eight routes planned to join the Bee Network: [21]
Along with the rail services being brought under the network, a new station is planned to be built at Golborne. It is expected to be open in the mid-2020s. [22]
The design of the network will be based around the worker bee. The worker bee is the most well known symbol representing the city and region, and was adopted during the industrial revolution. The liveries of the trams, buses and bikes will be yellow and black, representing the worker bee. The facilities supporting the network will also follow this design [2] similar to the adoption of London Red across almost all public transport services, following the nationalisation of the London General Omnibus Company in 1933.
Manchester Metrolink is a tram/light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. The network has 99 stops along 64 miles (103 km) of standard-gauge route, making it the most extensive light rail system in the United Kingdom. Over the 2022/23 financial year 36 million passenger journeys were made on the system.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is a local government body responsible for co-ordinating transport services throughout Greater Manchester in North West England. It is an executive arm of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the city region's administrative authority. The strategies and policies of Transport for Greater Manchester are set by the GMCA and its Greater Manchester Transport Committee (GMTC). The committee is made up of 33 councillors appointed from the ten Greater Manchester boroughs, as well as the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Salford Crescent railway station is a railway station in Salford, Greater Manchester, England, opened by British Rail in 1987.
Free bus is a zero-fare bus system that operates in Greater Manchester. The system was first introduced in Manchester city centre in 2002, with three routes linking the city's major thoroughfares and stations with its main commercial, financial and cultural districts.
Bury Interchange is a transport hub in the town of Bury, Greater Manchester, England. Opened in 1980, it is the northern terminus of the Manchester Metrolink's Bury Line, which prior to 1992 was a heavy-rail line. It also incorporates a bus station.
First Greater Manchester is a bus operator in Greater Manchester. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup, operating franchised Bee Network bus services on contract to Transport for Greater Manchester. The operator was once dominant in the northern areas of the county, competing against Stagecoach Manchester, which was dominant in southern areas of the county; however in recent years it has scaled back its operations, now primarily serving north eastern suburbs of Manchester, and the metropolitan boroughs of Oldham and Rochdale.
Stagecoach Manchester is a major bus operator in Greater Manchester, operating franchised Bee Network bus services on contract to Transport for Greater Manchester. It is the largest UK bus subsidiary of Stagecoach Group outside of Greater London, as well as the largest within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester by passenger numbers, carrying up to 96.2 million passengers in 2019/20.
Shudehill Interchange is a transport hub between Manchester Victoria station and the Northern Quarter in Manchester city centre, England, which comprises a Metrolink stop and a bus station.
The transport infrastructure of Greater Manchester is built up of numerous transport modes and forms an integral part of the structure of Greater Manchester and North West England – the most populated region outside of South East England which had approximately 301 million annual passenger journeys using either buses, planes, trains or trams in 2014. Its position as a national city of commerce, education and cultural importance means the city has one of the largest and most thorough transport infrastructures which is heavily relied upon by its 2.8 million inhabitants in the Greater Manchester conurbation and further afield in the North West region. Public transport comes under the jurisdiction of Transport for Greater Manchester.
get me there is an electronic ticketing scheme under development by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) for use on public transport services in Greater Manchester, England. It was first announced and confirmed as an integrated travel card, comparable to London's Oyster card, for Greater Manchester in June 2012, following a bid from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
MediaCityUK tram stop is a stop on the Manchester Metrolink light rail system. It is located in MediaCityUK, in Salford. The stop serves MediaCityUK, The Lowry, the Imperial War Museum North and other parts of Salford Quays. It is at the end of a short spur from the Eccles Line.
The Wilmslow Road bus corridor is a 5.5-mile-long section of road in Manchester that is served by a large number of bus services. The corridor runs from Parrs Wood to Manchester city centre along Wilmslow and Oxford Roads, serving Didsbury, Withington, Fallowfield and Rusholme.
The history of Manchester Metrolink begins with its conception as Greater Manchester's light rail system in 1982 by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, and spans its inauguration in 1992 and the successive phases of expansion.
Contactless smartcards are being progressively introduced as an alternative option to paper ticketing on the National Rail system of Great Britain. Tickets for use on National Rail services can be loaded onto any ITSO card.
The Manchester station group is a station group of four railway stations in Manchester city centre, England; this consists of Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Victoria and Deansgate. The station group is printed on national railway tickets as MANCHESTER STNS. For passengers travelling from one of the 91 National Rail stations in Greater Manchester, the four stations are printed as MANCHESTER CTLZ which additionally permits the use of Metrolink tram services in Zone 1.
The Leigh-Salford-Manchester Bus Rapid Transit scheme in Greater Manchester, England provides transport connections between Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley, Ellenbrook and Manchester city centre via Salford. The guided busway and bus rapid transit (BRT) scheme promoted by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) opened on 3 April 2016. Built by Balfour Beatty at a total cost of £122 million to improve links from former Manchester Coalfield towns into Manchester city centre, the busway proposal encountered much opposition and a public enquiry in 2002 before construction finally started in 2013. A branch route from Atherton, and an extension to the Manchester Royal Infirmary have been added to the planned original scheme.
This timeline lists significant events in the history of Greater Manchester's light rail network called the Manchester Metrolink.
Cycling for transport and leisure enjoys popularity in Greater Manchester and the city also plays a major role in British cycle racing. The Bee Network was launched in 2018. The University of Manchester is home to the Manchester Cycling Lab.
Zone 1 of the Manchester Metrolink light rail network is the heart of the system where all of the other lines converge. Its boundaries are broadly equivalent to those of Manchester city centre, and approximately mirror the city's Inner Ring Road. Within Zone 1, first opened in 1992 as the City Zone, trams largely run along semi-pedestrianised streets rather than on their own separate alignment. The original route between the Altrincham and Bury lines ran to Victoria station via Market Street and High Street, and was soon joined by a branch to Piccadilly station by a three-way delta junction. A second route between the South-West and North-Eastern parts of the network was built to ease congestion on the original line. Opened in 2017, the Second City Crossing (2CC) added one additional stop to the network.
Go North West is a bus operator in Greater Manchester, England. It is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group, operating franchised Bee Network bus services on contract to Transport for Greater Manchester.