Bus services in Salford and GM to be reviewed

A programme of reviews will explore how the Bee Network’s services can be improved across Salford and Greater Manchester.

Starting in Bolton and Wigan, the first boroughs to get Bee Network bus services, Network Reviews will see Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) working with local authority partners to gather the thoughts of local communities, elected members and businesses.

Elected representatives sitting on local transport committees and forums will influence any changes made, with priority given to ideas that deliver the biggest benefits for the most people in Greater Manchester, taking funding and resources into account.

All areas of Greater Manchester will be reviewed within three years. A programme of thematic reviews – for example, opportunities for night buses, orbital services, or priority routes – also gets under way from January 2025, when all of Greater Manchester’s buses will be under local control.

TfGM said some changes can be implemented relatively quickly, while others will take longer due ‘to current bus service legislation’. Some changes could also require formal consultation.

Smaller operational interventions, such as timetable, minor route or fleet changes, can be introduced in around one to three months, addressing performance issues around punctuality and reliability.

Changes that ‘grow’ the existing Bee Network – such as additional frequencies, trips, capacity or minor route changes – fall under a fast-track process, meaning they can be put in place within around six months. The 24-hour transport pilot getting under way in Salford from September is an example of this process.

Strategic Network Reviews will deal with more substantial, in-depth changes with a view to improving the Bee Network over the longer term. Under current legislation, these will likely take between 12 and 18 months and could require consultation.

Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester said: “Striving for continuous improvement is at the heart of delivering the Bee Network and achieving the high standards of service our customers rightly expect.

“Through these Network Reviews we will work with district authorities and local communities to ensure that bus services meet their needs.”

Image credit: Transport for Greater Manchester