Bus Ambassador

More than 500 yellow electric buses are now on Greater Manchester’s streets as the Bee Network marks a major milestone in making journeys greener, cleaner and quieter. Transport for Greater Manchester The 500th zero emissions bus, built by UK manufacturer Wrightbus, has crossed the Irish Sea by ferry, been delivered at Stagecoach’s upgraded depot in Oldham and is now serving communities.

Greater Manchester is set to strengthen its public transport offering with more night buses, new services, and increased frequency on key routes, as part of the ongoing expansion of the Bee Network. These improvements aim to support regional economic growth, enhance passenger convenience, and bolster the night-time economy.

Public transport folk have long talked the talk about modal shift and journey time reliability. Greater Manchester’s Bus Priority Programme is the latest to prove that when done properly buses really can walk the walk, or rather roll the roll. 

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. 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 ...

Well, that’s that. After clocking up an unbelievable 65 million miles over 25 years, Manchester’s much-loved Magic Bus has made its last stop. Stagecoach Manchester Earlier this month, Stagecoach Manchester officially handed over the reins to the Bee Network, Transport for Greater Manchester’s ambitious integrated transport system. It’s a big step for the city, marking the start of a new chapter while waving goodbye to a proper legend of the roads.

Greater Manchester has taken a bold step in public transport, completing the historic re-regulation of its bus network. This milestone, the first in England in 40 years, represents a seismic shift in how the city-region connects its communities, promotes sustainability and drives economic growth. The transformation is part of the Bee Network, an ambitious vision for a fully integrated, “London-style” public transport system by 2025.

Greater Manchester is swarming into action, assembling a fleet of shiny yellow Bee Network buses as it gears up for full control of the local bus network come January. With the buzz building, an impressive army of new vehicles is getting ready to hit the streets, bringing a fresh wave of improvements to public transport across the region.

Greater Manchester’s Bee Network has brought the buzz to Wigan, launching the brand-new 615 route and reconnecting the town with Middlebrook retail park – just in time for some festive shopping. Plus, the 132’s had a boost too, now running every half hour between Wigan and the Trafford Centre instead of just once an hour.

Rochdale-based Mellor is busy building new Bee Network buses for local community routes, as part of hundreds of vehicles being made in the UK for Greater Manchester’s Bee Network. These orders are not only keeping jobs secure but also creating new ones in Greater Manchester and across the UK.

Greater Manchester’s Bee Network is gearing up to unveil its first new bus route later this month. It’s been a year since the city region took control of its bus network, giving local communities a louder voice in how services are run. Since then, buses in Greater Manchester have become cheaper, cleaner and more reliable. Routes are being reviewed to ensure residents can easily access jobs and opportunities.

From March 2025, Greater Manchester is hopping on board with the future by bringing in contactless ticketing for buses and trams, just like in London.

In its first year of operation, the Bee Network has reshaped the public transport landscape in Greater Manchester. Since its historic launch, over 58 million bus journeys have been made, with a clear shift towards cheaper, cleaner and more reliable services. The initiative has already surpassed expectations, with nearly seven million more bus journeys recorded compared to the previous year, marking a 5% increase.

The final round of Bee Network contracts has been awarded for school services in Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and parts of Manchester and Salford from 5 January 2025.   Transport for Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is the first area to bring buses under local control following de-regulation in 1986 and currently around 50% of services are franchised under the Bee Network. Diamond Bus (North West) Limited has been awarded 7 contracts and Go North West Limited 2 contracts, covering a total of 37 schools to operate the final phase of school bus services. The final Bee Network school bus services will run from Monday 5 January 2025 – at which point all buses across Greater Manchester will be franchised and under local control, with other Bee Network bus services being run by Metroline, Stagecoach, First, Vision, Diamond and Go North West.    There will be no changes to the schools served or the numbers of buses used under the new contracts. As with other Bee Network services, e...

A new chapter in Greater Manchester's night-time economy is about to unfold with the introduction of a 24/7 night bus service, launching this Sunday (1st September). The service, a year-long trial, aims to improve the region's connectivity, catering to the needs of those working and enjoying Greater Manchester's vibrant nightlife. This initiative is seen as a lifeline for the growing population of night-time workers and revellers who rely on public transport during late hours.

Greater Manchester is undergoing a transportation revolution with the Bee Network, an ambitious initiative designed to create an integrated, reliable and affordable public transport system. With locally controlled buses outperforming commercial networks, cheaper fares on the horizon, and significant investments in active travel infrastructure, the Bee Network aims to connect the city-region like never before. We explore the latest developments and future plans for Greater Manchester's transport and active travel landscape. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) Locally Controlled Buses The Bee Network's bus services, launched in Wigan, Bolton and parts of Bury, Salford and Manchester, have shown improvements since coming under local control in September last year. Over the past six months, passenger numbers have increased by 5%, with over 849,000 journeys recorded in the week ending 18th May – the highest weekly patronage since franchising began. Service reliability has also seen a sign...

A brand-new fleet of Bee Network buses is being rolled out to passengers in Bolton and Wigan. Transport for Greater Manchester By bringing buses under local control, Greater Manchester can define the types of buses that should run on Bee Network services – and now the first of 67 state-of-the-art low-emission buses, operated by Diamond, are taking to the streets. It follows the introduction of 50 new Zero Emission Buses (ZEBs) in September, with a further 50 due to be introduced over the coming months. With investment from Diamond, via its contracts to run locally controlled services, passengers will experience improvements, including frequent services and better, more modern buses operating across Wigan and Bolton. The new fleet is serving communities that were often not prioritised by operators before franchising, with companies tending to target busier, more profitable routes. The routes the new buses are running on are just as important as busier routes and often provide the only a...

TfGM is constantly exploring ways to provide customers with more efficient and helpful services, and recently we are proud to announce the development of digital passenger information displays. Transport for Greater Manchester These new electronic departure boards, if implemented correctly, have the potential to revolutionise travel experiences across the Greater Manchester bus network, offering customers more real-time information and the convenience of having their journey planned before they leave their homes. The long-term plan is for electronic departure boards to be installed at key locations across the Greater Manchester bus network to assist customers in making their journeys. TfGM has already started with a pilot in two locations within Manchester City Centre, with a six-month evaluation planned for further test sites to determine customer requirements. Alongside their partnership with industry-leading suppliers of digital technology, TfGM has reached out to customers and acce...

Stagecoach, the UK's biggest coach and bus operator, is investing big in its largest electric bus order yet: a total of 170 fully electric vehicles for Stockport. The fleet consists of 150 double decker and 20 single decker buses which are expected to be delivered in summer 2024. Stagecoach Group This exciting purchase comes from a £37.2m investment by Stagecoach and an additional £35.7m from Greater Manchester's successful Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) bid and £12.5m from TFGM/GMCA. We’re pleased to say that all the buses will be fully accessible and loaded with a variety of features, including wheelchair bays, hearing induction loops, audio and visual announcement systems, and anti-slip flooring. As well as this, Stagecoach is investing in an additional 122 new fully electric buses to be implemented across the UK within the next year. We've also already seen some success in introducing electric bus fleets in Perth, Aberdeen, Inverness and Dunfermline in Scotlan...

It’s only 6 months until Greater Manchester's transport network is changed forever - buses are set to come under local control and get the amazing Bee Network yellow branding! Today, the first co-branded bus was unveiled and it’ll enter service in Bolton today on the number 8 route to Manchester city centre. Diamond Bus North West Diamond along with Go North West will be leading the change in Wigan and Bolton and parts of Salford and Bury. Both operators will transform their buses into the iconic yellow colour, with more and more appearing on the roads as we get closer to the 24th September, when full franchising begins. In preparation for the big change, 50 brand new electric Bee Network buses will enter service on the first day, as well as new Euro VI buses. Come March 2024, 50 more electric buses will join the network when the second part of the franchising scheme starts. The reveal of the new yellow co-branded bus comes as an order is placed for a further 170 electric buses tha...

We are pleased to announce that FlixBus is teaming up with bus and coach operator Belle Vue Manchester to launch a daily service connecting major cities in the north of England. Flixbus The partnership marks the expansion of Belle Vue into express coach services and brings a new cross-country corridor to the FlixBus network, adding new locations and better connectivity. The Manchester hub for the route is Shudehill Interchange and FlixBus currently serves a number of cities in the North West, including Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Lancaster. Services to and from Manchester will also include routes to London, Paris, Glasgow, Cambridge and Birmingham. This exciting development sees Belle Vue taking delivery of a new FlixBus-branded MAN Neoplan Tourliner coach, equipped with the latest driver technology and safety features, as well as Euro 6 emission standards, free Wi-Fi, USB charging points, toilets and wheelchair accessibility. We look forward to the service launching at the end ...