Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has announced a wave of Bee Network improvements, including the launch of new night bus services.
Andy Burnham and Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt were at Shudehill Interchange today to unveil a further raft of changes to improve bus services for people and communities across the city-region. They include more frequent buses, cheaper travel and new round-the-clock services.
On buses brought under local control in September 2023, journeys are up 12% year on year, with a 14% increase on services that joined the Bee Network in March 2024. By 2030, Greater Manchester is targeting an overall increase of 30%, and for 50% fo all journeys in the region to be made by public transport, walking or cycling by 2040.
Amongst today’s new announcements are two new night buses and a commitment to extending existing night services into next year. From Thu 4 Sep, 24-hour pilot bus services will run on the 135 and 17/17a, connecting Manchester and Bury via Prestwich, and Manchester with Rochdale via Middleton.
The round-the-clock buses will serve key employment sites and hospitality spots on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Night buses on the V1 (Leigh via Salford) and 36 (Bolton via Salford), first introduced on a pilot basis in September 2024, will also continue seven days a week until at least March 2026.
From today (Mon 1 Sep), revamped and more frequent 5, 5A and 280 bus services will better serve communities in Trafford. More frequent services will cover more stops, including Dunham and Warburton, improving public transport options for people making journeys to and from Altrincham and Sale into Lymm and onto Warrington. This includes the existing 280 Bee Network service increasing to an hourly frequency – up from a two-hourly service – and extending from Dunham Massey via Warburton to Lymm. It will also operate later into the evening.
From this week, there’s also increased frequency on popular routes in Bolton and Leigh. The 582 will see the frequency increase from every 12 minutes to every 10 minutes, Monday to Saturday daytime, with evening and weekend improvements too. The V1 will also see peak services increase, including running every 4 minutes between 7am and 8am, Monday to Friday, from Leigh.
The month-long trial to lift the pre-9.30am travel restriction for older and disabled people to use their concessionary passes on buses came to an end yesterday. During the trial, more 100,000 journeys were made by older and disabled people before 9.30am, Transport for Greater Manchester is now considering the results of the trial and feedback received by those who took part ahead of a second trial in the coming months.
Elsewhere, Our Pass, which gives free bus travel and reduced-price tram travel to 16-18 year olds, has gone digital. Around 150,000 young people aged 18 to 21 can also now enjoy half-price bus travel. Applications open today for the new 18-21 bus pass, meaning young people can buy a 28-day bus travelcard for £40 – half the price of adult fares and the equivalent of just £1.43 per day for unlimited travel on any Bee Network bus in Greater Manchester. The move is aimed at helping the thousands of young people once their 16-18 ‘Our Pass’ expires, supporting them as they move into further education or the world of work.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our region has the fastest growing economy in the UK, and the Bee Network will continue to play a vital role as we look to build on our plans set out in the Greater Manchester Strategy to make the next 10 years the best decade for our region since the Victorian era.
“While the Bee Network is already delivering a much improved service compared to the non-franchised system it replaced, with more punctual, frequent, affordable and cleaner buses, we are always looking at how we can improve the experience for everyone travelling with us, and to encourage people to use the bus more often.
“These proposals include enhanced and expanded bus routes, more night buses and half price bus travel for our young people, alongside commitments to revisit free round-the-clock travel for people using concessionary passes following the end of the current trial.
“We are still only two years into this journey and these latest announcements underline our commitment to providing the best possible public transport system to support the people, communities and businesses which are helping to grow Greater Manchester’s economy.”
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Mon 1 Sep 2025
