The new Trafford Centre Bee Network bus route that will connect ‘underserved’ parts of Greater Manchester

The number 30 route will replace the X50 from January 4, going through Trafford Park, MediaCity, and Ordsall Lane. Around 1,000 new apartments have been built along Salford’s Ordsall Lane corridor in recent years, with thousands of more homes planned around the wider Ordsall neighbourhood and Salford Quays in future.

The new number 30 bus will be all electric and run seven days a week, with a half-hourly service Monday to Saturday. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said Salford is the fastest growing area of the North West based on a population increase from 233,900 in 2011 to 269,900 in 2021.

Salford Mayor Paul Dennett, said: “This new number 30 bus is fantastic news for local people and something we have actively campaigned for here in Salford.

“Ordsall has seen significant growth and development in recent years with new apartments being constructed and this new service will provide vital connectivity for the community.

“Our council officers secured over £2m from developers to fund the provision of a new section of bus route covering the Quays and Ordsall.

“And the service will also be provided by a fleet of new electric buses, supporting our commitments for carbon reduction and improved air quality. I look forward to seeing the route in operation and meeting the passengers using it.”

People living in Salford Quays have been calling for improvements to public transport.

John-Paul Atley, co-chair of the Salford Quays Community Forum, welcomed the new bus route, and said the capacity and frequency of public transport has been a concern for residents.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We will always welcome additional travel infrastructure, if you look at the population growth with the Quays, we are growing very quickly, it feels like it could be one of the fastest growing areas of Salford, and a lot of apartments don’t come with parking infrastructure.”

The announcement of the new number 30 bus service comes amid major transport milestones in Greater Manchester, with 250 million Bee Network bus journeys recorded in the first full year of buses being under local control according to TfGM.

Transport bosses said the Bee Network is now carrying more than 18m passengers every month around Greater Manchester across buses and trams, with the 132 service between Wigan bus station and the Trafford Centre recording the highest growth on the network – passenger numbers went up by 66.7 per cent in 2025.

Greater Manchester is aiming to boost bus passenger numbers by 30pc by 2030, with a plan for 50pc of all journeys in the region to be made by public transport, walking or cycling by 2040.

It is part of a mission to improve public transport, including a pledge to get 90pc of residents within a five-minute walk or wheeling distance of a bus or tram that comes at least every 30 minutes by 2030.

Other major transport milestones include the completion of electrification at Middleton depot earlier this month with 53 new electric buses in operation, making 18 more services fully electric.

This brings the total number of electric buses operating on the Bee Network to 390.

There are also 284 new passenger information displays being rolled out in the next few months, with the first already installed at the bus stop at North Manchester General Hospital.

Each display will offer real-time departure information and disruption updates, with on demand text-to-speech buttons so customers can make informed choices on their travel options.

Customer satisfaction has also hit new highs, TfGM said, with an average of 85pc across the city region.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “It’s been a great first full year of locally controlled buses under the Bee Network.

“Many more people are now getting on board with services that are much more reliable, affordable and accessible, with new routes and more frequent buses better connecting people to jobs and opportunity.

“It’s all part of our plan to deliver a world-class transport network that will support a decade of good growth that benefits every part of Greater Manchester.”

Vernon Everitt, transport commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “It’s great to round off the year with another new service, more electric buses and better customer information to serve the people and businesses of Salford.

“These latest improvements reflect our determination to deliver continuous improvements across Greater Manchester and make the Bee Network – which brings together bus, tram, train and active travel – into a world-class transport network.”