Greater Manchester night buses - Routes, timetable and fare prices on Andy Burnham's new Bee Network services

The routes will be formed of existing Bee Network services. The aim of the night buses is to support workers in Greater Manchester's night-time economy and also keep workers safe as they get to and from their jobs. 

The safety of workers on the night buses have been outlined as paramount by transport chiefs in the region. Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “A team of Travelsafe Support and Enforcement Officers has already been deployed on the Bee Network to provide a highly visible presence and this approach will be extended to support the night bus pilot.”

With all of this in mind, we’ve rounded up the key pieces of information ahead of the launch of the Greater Manchester night buses with times and routes confirmed.

When will the night buses launch?

The night bus pilot scheme will get underway in parts of Greater Manchester from September 1.

Where will the night buses run? 

The night buses will run on two existing routes in Greater Manchester. These will be the V1 and 36 services which connect Manchester to Leigh and Bolton via Salford. 

How often will the night buses run? 

Plans for the night buses are to run at least once an hour in both directions on both routes on a 24/7 basis. This excludes bank holidays, and later running services around Christmas are to be considered separately.  

Why have these routes been chosen for the night buses?

According to TfGM, the V1 and 36 have been chosen due to their proximity to key nighttime economy employment sites, such as hotels, bars and clubs, hospitals and distribution centres. They also serve areas with high numbers of people less likely to own a car and more likely to use public transport, including students. 

What measures have been taken to keep customers safe on the night buses? 

A team of Travelsafe Support and Enforcement Officers (TSEOs) has already been rolled out on the Bee Network to support customers, and this will be extended to support the night bus pilot. 

Customers can also report incidents quickly and discreetly to a police call handler, from their smartphone, using the TravelSafe LiveChat service, that is available through the Bee Network app. In addition to this, TfGM and Greater Manchester Police are developing a partnership that will see migration to a dedicated transport Live Chat service.