Another high-voltage milestone in Greater Manchester’s transport revolution has arrived quietly, and appropriately, with a hum. Ashton-under-Lyne is now home to one of the UK’s few fully electric bus depots, forming a central part of the Bee Network’s drive to decarbonise public transport and bring local control back to the streets.
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| Transport for Greater Manchester |
More than 80 new double-deck electric buses are now operating out of the Ashton site, transforming 14 routes across Tameside and beyond. This is not just a nice-to-have green upgrade. It is a pivotal move in the region’s ambition to become the first UK city region with a fully integrated and zero emission public transport system. And it is happening fast.
From Franchise to Flagship
It was not long ago that just one percent of Greater Manchester’s buses were electric. Post-franchising, that number has grown tenfold. Over 300 electric vehicles are now running on the Bee Network, with the Ashton depot alone accounting for 83 of them. These are not prototypes or trial runs. They are in regular daily service, carrying thousands of passengers on some of the region’s busiest corridors.
Run by Metroline on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester, the depot features 27 dual chargers capable of powering 54 buses simultaneously. It is a major logistical achievement, requiring significant electrical infrastructure upgrades, new operating procedures, driver and engineering retraining and yes, quite a few extension leads. Figuratively speaking.
“We are proud at Metroline to operate Greater Manchester’s first fully Electric Bus depot for the Bee Network in Ashton. Since mobilisation, completing the electrification process at Ashton has been a key priority, and we have been working closely with TfGM, our electric infrastructure partners and Volvo to ensure that we were able to get more electric buses on the road.”
“Though the journey has not been without challenges we are delighted to have 83 new electric buses join our now 160-strong electric fleet, and look forward to providing customers across Greater Manchester with zero-emission journeys on the Bee Network. We are committed to continuing to work with TfGM and their objective to achieve a fully electric Bee Network by 2030.”
Routes Now Fully Electric from Ashton Depot
The following bus routes, running from Ashton depot, are now fully electric: 7, 216, 219, 220, 221, 230, 231, 237, 336, 337, 346, 347, 382, 389.
These services span key town centres, hospitals, interchanges and residential zones, meaning a large proportion of daily trips in Tameside are now free from tailpipe emissions. For passengers, this means a quieter and smoother journey. For local residents, it means cleaner air and fewer diesel fumes wafting past open windows.
Andy Burnham Sounds the Horn
Greater Manchester’s directly elected Mayor has not missed a beat when it comes to promoting the Bee Network as a symbol of local ambition. The Ashton depot electrification has given him another moment to plant the flag and reiterate the case for more devolution, more investment and, crucially, more buses that do not cough black smoke into the faces of waiting passengers.
“We are driving a green revolution across the city region through investment in the Bee Network. To see us complete the first fully electric depot in Greater Manchester – and one of just a few in the country – shows, once again, we are leading the way in making journeys cleaner and greener.”
“With one in five buses now electric – up from 1% before franchising – we are transforming how people get around, with 14 more routes now served entirely by zero-emission buses.”
“The Bee Network is already proving massively beneficial to residents and businesses across the city-region and the funding announced this week – which demonstrates confidence in what we are doing at the highest level – will enable us to go even further as we press ahead and create the UK’s first fully electric, zero emission integrated public transport system.”
The Suppliers Behind the Switch
The buses themselves are Volvo BZL double decks with MCV EvoSeti bodywork, a popular combination for high capacity routes. Volvo’s involvement brings not just the vehicles, but a broader support package. Their Trafford Park-based aftermarket partner, Thomas Hardie Commercials, is handling maintenance and specialist technician training on site.
“These new Volvo buses will not just help Greater Manchester, but also the UK and Ireland as a whole, take a step forward towards a greener future. We are privileged to be playing such an integral role in helping to improve air quality, reduce noise pollution and deliver vital services for the local community.”
“Our aftermarket partner Thomas Hardie Commercials, are providing exceptional local service support through their location at Trafford Park whilst also creating additional jobs for Frontline EV specialist technicians and apprentices, I am certain the team will continue to support Transport for Greater Manchester as it strives to meet its sustainability goals.”
What Comes Next?
With Ashton now online, TfGM is working to electrify its other depots across the city region. Bolton, Oldham and Hyde Road in Manchester have already seen upgrades. Middleton is next on the list. The goal is to complete a full transition to electric by 2030. In policy terms, that is a remarkably tight timeline. In engineering terms, it is a marathon of substations, battery logistics and street-level operations planning.
Helping fuel this pace is a newly confirmed £2.5 billion allocation from the government’s Transport for the City Regions programme. This will support rail integration, bus depot conversions and wider infrastructure that ties the Bee Network together as a genuinely multi-modal system.
A Final Thought
Depot electrification may not grab headlines like a new tram line or airport expansion, but it is the unsung backbone of modernising public transport. Without the wires, the voltage and the maintenance facilities, electric buses simply do not run. The Ashton depot shows what happens when local ambition meets national backing. For now, the residents of Tameside may not notice much beyond the absence of engine noise and the arrival of an on-time 347. But for those watching the future of UK transport, Ashton is quietly helping to set the standard.
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