Bee Network: The planned changes coming to Greater Manchester buses in bid to improve service

The Bee Network has been a part of Greater Manchester’s public transport network for several months now. During this time, the changes towards a unified, non-privatised network have been made - with brand new big yellow buses being perhaps the most obvious. 

Steps towards expanding the Bee Network have been announced by Transport for Greater Manchester. One of these will see the timetables of 44 bus services change from Sunday, January 28. 

TfGM plans to improve the network have also seen the group have discussions with Go North West to introduce more buses to Greater Manchester streets. This development is hoped to be part of further planned timetable changes in April. 

So far, Bee Network bus services operate in Bolton and Wigan and parts of Salford and Bury, equating to around 20% of the overall Greater Manchester bus network.  The next phase of franchising will see buses in Oldham, Rochdale, and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester come under local control on March 24 2024, with the remainder of Greater Manchester bus services joining the Bee Network in January 2025. 

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “If we are to build the Bee Network and get more people onto public transport it’s really important that buses arrive on time and when passengers expect them. We inherited a system where too often this wasn’t happening, and now that they are under our control, we can do something about it.    

“The changes this weekend are the latest in a series of improvements we have already made and once again highlight the benefit of a locally accountable network. We know we need to do more, but the information we have published, and will continue to make available every week, shows it is working – Bee Network buses are performing better than they did before coming under local control and better than the services we are not yet responsible for.  

“In two months, we will bring franchising to the north of Greater Manchester, with the whole network fully under our control in less than a year, all while continuing to work on a range of other measures to make journeys better for people, including improved customer information, more new buses, and better bus routes to further improve reliability.” 

Greater Manchester buses undergoing timetable changes 

From January 28, the following bus routes in Greater Manchester will undergo timetable changes. To check your route and to plan a journey, visit the Bee Network website. 

• 36, 37, 362, 471, 472, 474, 501, 524, 561, 562, 571, 572, 575, 576, 582, 635, X39, 65, 66, 70, 74, 75, 79, 126, 129, 132, 507, 511, 512, 513, 516, 525, 526, 527, 533, 537, 541, 544, 559, 573, 574, 583, 584, 594