Greater Manchester has an ambition to deliver a London-style transport network – the Bee Network – with integrated transport modes, London-level fares and modern low-emission bus fleet.
The Bee Network will help people to get around by providing a real alternative to cars, and buses will play a key part in the network - accounting for around 75% of all public transport journeys in Greater Manchester.
We have set out how we plan to improve our buses in our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and want to see a modern, low-emission, accessible bus system in place for everyone. The wide-ranging plans, based on customer research, will make journeys by bus quicker, cheaper, greener, more reliable, more accessible and more attractive, with the aim of improving the whole journey experience – including pre-trip information, in-journey information, customer care, ticket integration with other public transport modes, and an improved waiting environment.
Better bus services will help to level up Greater Manchester’s economy, and with around 3.48m trips taken by bus every week will better connect people to employment, education, healthcare, leisure and cultural events. They will also enable Greater Manchester to remove around 450,000 tonnes of carbon tailpipe emissions.
The plan includes further proposals such as a Road Works Charter and taking advantage of moving traffic offence powers to help tackle congestion and improve bus passenger journey time and reliability across the network.
We have set out how we plan to improve buses in our Bus Service Improvement Plan
Our ambitions for the future of GM Bus
| BSIP Themes | GM Ambitions for Bus |
|---|---|
| Customer Experience | Providing customers with a safe and seamless travel experience |
| Services | Turn up and go frequencies on major routes |
| Information | Readily available, easy to use, live, and up-to-date |
| Network Management | Improvements to journey times and reliability |
| Infrastructure | Significant increases in bus priority, and improvements to waiting environments |
| Fares and Ticket | More affordable journeys, integrated with other modes |
| Fleet | Zero emissions, high quality buses |
How our approach to bus aligns to GM customer priorities and UK bus strategy
| Customer Priorities | National Bus Strategy Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Experience | An improvement of the whole package; A focus on security; Improvements to cleanliness | The local bus network is presented as a single system that works together; with clear passenger information; Service patterns integrated with other modes; Give bus passengers more of a voice and a say |
| Services | More frequent; Quicker journeys | Intensive services and investment on key corridors with routes that are easy to understand; More demand responsive services and socially necessary transport |
| Information | More information available pre-trip; Better in-journey information | The local bus network is presented as a single system that works together, with clear passenger information |
| Network Management | More reliable; Faster | Significant increases in bus priority |
| Infrastructure | Improved reliability; Better journey times; Better safety and security; Improved accessibility | Longer term transformation of networks through Bus Rapid Transit and other measures; Significant increases in bus priority |
| Fares and Ticket | Better value for money | Lower and simpler fares |
| Fleet | Better cleanliness; Better reliability; Safer | Modern buses and decarbonisation |
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Find out what the Bee Network means for youSay yellow to the Bee Network
The first Bee Network buses are now running in parts of Greater Manchester.
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Visit our Christmas websiteGet on Board for Christmas
Find things to do over the festive period, get exclusive offers and sign up to our competition.
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Read our Christmas travel advice'Tis the (events) season
Information and guidance about travelling in Greater Manchester during the festive period.
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Rate your journeyRate your journey
We want to hear your views to help us deliver a better Bee Network for Greater Manchester.
-
Find out what the Bee Network means for you
Say yellow to the Bee Network
The first Bee Network buses are now running in parts of Greater Manchester.
-
Read our Christmas travel advice
'Tis the (events) season
Information and guidance about travelling in Greater Manchester during the festive period.
-
Visit our Christmas website
Get on Board for Christmas
Find things to do over the festive period, get exclusive offers and sign up to our competition.
-
Rate your journey
Rate your journey
We want to hear your views to help us deliver a better Bee Network for Greater Manchester.