Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, will announce major steps to move Greater Manchester towards a London-style public transport system. During a major event to outline a new era for Greater Manchester, the Mayor will set out a revised timetable for the introduction of bus franchising, including:

• Regulated buses first introduced in Bolton and Wigan as well as parts of Salford and west Manchester from next autumn (2023)
• Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and areas of north Manchester to follow in Spring 2024
• Final tranche covering Stockport, Trafford, Tameside, south Manchester and remaining parts of Salford to run by end of 2024

Invitations to negotiate will be issued shortly to prospective providers of bus services in Bolton and Wigan, as well as in parts of Salford and west Manchester.

The levels of interest have been extremely strong, bringing a range of organisations from local SMEs through to large bus operators with operational experience throughout the UK, including London, and in some cases internationally.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “The court ruling means we now have the green light to deliver on our plans to deliver a London-style public transport system. We will make travelling by public transport more appealing, easier and, significantly, put our people before profits.

“Government has signalled its intention to support our ambitions many times over and we now need them to work in partnership with us, to help us turn our shared vision into a reality.”

Transformed bus services is a key pillar of the Bee Network vision, which aims to provide real public transport and active travel choices for all; promote sustainable travel behavioural change through integrated city-region planning; support the electrification of vehicles and public transport fleets; promotes levelling up through the provision of sustainable transport connectivity to key growth locations and the provision of affordable public transport options for all our communities.

Greater Manchester will have a new Transport Commissioner, with former Transport for London (TfL) Managing Director of Customers, Communication and Technology, Vernon Everitt, set to take a leading role in the delivery of the Bee Network. The Mayor is also set to announce a new Active Travel Commissioner at the New Era event.