Manchester completes bus re-regulation and starts Bee Network phase 2

Greater Manchester has heralded a new era in public transport with completion of bus franchising and the start of the Bee Network’s Phase two – a three-year plan to integrate eight commuter rail lines into the city-region’s public transport network

All of Greater Manchester’s bus services – totalling 577 routes, 1,600 buses and accounting for more than 160 million trips per year – are now under local control and accountable to the combined authority’s people, businesses and communities.

The first area in the country to do this in 40 years, Greater Manchester says it has taken steps to reverse the decades-long decline in bus services and deliver improved services with better connections, more reliable services, better buses and more affordable fares.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said, “This is an historic moment for Greater Manchester. We are proud to be the first area in England to complete the re-regulation of buses and to have done it on time and on budget.

“From today, every community in Greater Manchester will be served by cheaper, cleaner and greener buses and run in a way which puts people before profit. We are now ready to help other areas looking to follow suit and improve their bus services after decades of decline.

“Greater Manchester is currently the growth success story of the UK. We have an £80bn economy, a growing population and world-leading businesses, and our rate of growth is outstripping that of the South East. But we’ll only be able to reach our full potential, and make life better for all our residents, with a world-class public transport system.

“Whilst this is a nationally significant moment that we can all celebrate, it’s by no means job done. We'll have an unrelenting focus this year on delivering a truly integrated, London-style transport system across bus, tram and train - the next chapter of the Bee Network’s story.”

The Bee Network is integral to the overall success of the city-region and Greater Manchester’s strategy to support a growing population by building 175,000 new homes and creating 100,000 new jobs.

Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, Vernon Everitt, said, “We see from examples in Europe and elsewhere that city regions with high quality public transport are more productive, drive economic growth and deliver greater access to new homes, jobs, education and opportunity. Today marks a highly significant moment for Greater Manchester in delivering such a system through the Bee Network, which is integrating buses, trams and active travel and which will soon embrace rail as well.

“The job though is never done. There will continue to be a relentless focus on continuously improving punctuality and frequency of services while keeping fares as low as we can. We will look to expand the night bus network to core routes in every borough and use formal network reviews to make sure buses serve the needs of local communities and businesses. Improvements also include delivering contactless pay-as-you-go payment on buses and trams in March which will automatically calculate the lowest fare.

“We are also working with the Government and rail industry to improve and then transform rail services. We will set out a clear timetable later this month for our collective plans to integrate, at pace, eight core lines by 2028, delivering major improvements across train stations and services and delivering a railway that people can rely on.”

Based on learning, experience and performance of Greater Manchester’s journey so far, a leading think tank has found that he benefits of bringing buses under local control are manyfold and could kickstart a ‘strong renewal of local buses in England’.

Dr Maya Singer Hobbs, senior research fellow from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) North, said, “Franchising and improving bus networks can have environmental, social and economic benefits and the success of Greater Manchester's Bee Network shows what can be achieved when local leaders are empowered to deliver change. The Better Buses Bill, in conjunction with a widening and deepening of devolution, offers a real opportunity for the government to learn from Greater Manchester's experience and unlock these benefits for the whole of the country.”

Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, said, “Greater Manchester’s Bee Network is a trailblazer in delivering better bus services for passengers and we want local authorities across the country to look to it as a shining example of what can be achieved through local control.

“This Government has prioritised supporting and improving bus networks across the country as we know how important they are for communities – but for too long, too many people have suffered from unreliable and infrequent services.

“People across Greater Manchester now have buses they can depend on. With our Bus Services Bill and £1 billion in support for services across the country, we will help ensure that similar success reaches across the country.”

Other regions are already taking steps to regain control of buses, and the government is introducing new legislation to make it easier for other areas to follow in Greater Manchester’s footsteps.

This month, for instance, has seen Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, launch the consultation on plans for a franchised bus network to replace the current private operator led system. Under franchising, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), will set the fares, timetables and routes of bus services and award contracts to private bus operators to run them.