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Transport for Greater Manchester

Bus franchising in Greater Manchester

Sevice Area:

transport

Sevice Area:

transport

Background

Uneven and inadequate bus services have been a problem in Greater Manchester since their deregulation in 1986. Some parts of the conurbation are well served; others, often amongst the poorest and most marginalised, much less so. A large number of different operators have been pursuing different strategies, leading to a highly fractured, disconnected system. Poor bus services are known to encourage car reliance, but 25% of households in Greater Manchester do not have access to a car. Buses are a lifeline – 75% of public transport trips are made by bus. In this growing city region, bus services have failed residents, especially those who need them most.

Local Action

A major priority for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has been to push for an accountable, integrated transport network for the city region, dubbed the ‘Bee Network’. It was launched in 2023, introducing a franchised bus system. This is a power afforded to mayoral combined authorities under the 2017 Bus Services Act, whereby only bus operators contracted or permitted by the local transport authority are able to provide services. The GMCA can now deliver a more joined up and accessible system, for example by providing standardised and daily capped fares. The new system builds on successful existing initiatives, including ‘Our Pass’, introduced in 2019, which gives 16–18 year-olds free bus travel across Greater Manchester. Our Pass has widened access in other ways too, including free tickets for cultural activities.


Roll out of the network is now complete. From September 2023, yellow Bee Network-branded buses were introduced in Bolton, Wigan and some parts of Salford. A second tranche followed in March 2024, and the third and final franchise was just completed in January 2025, with buses in the south of Greater Manchester coming under local control.


A range of legal challenges from bus operators slowed down the franchising process but all these have now been successfully dismissed. According to the GMCA, clear and consistent communication, both with the public and with local authority leaders, has been crucial to maintaining strong support in the face of these delays.


The Bee Network has been designed to integrate different transport modes, joining up buses, trams, rail, walking, wheeling and cycling. To make active travel more accessible, the combined authority aims to connect every part of Greater Manchester with 1,800 miles of safe routes and 2,400 new crossings. Affordable and user-friendly rental Starling Bank Bikes and e-bikes have also been introduced across the city.


Residents had the opportunity to shape development of the network through large-scale consultations that yielded more than 12,500 responses. The first found that 86% of respondents supported franchising; the dramatic impact of Covid-19 on the local bus market gave rise to another consultation. These involved intense engagement with local authorities and key stakeholders, including residents and transport operators, in town halls, libraries and shopping centres across the conurbation. In 2021, a public consultation was held on the Bee Network as a whole, exploring public priorities for the service. A key response to the cost-of-living crisis was to introduce capped fares prior to franchising, with a £2 and £1 upper limit for adults and children respectively from September 2022. GMCA and Transport for Greater Manchester say they are keen to embed consultation and accountability, for example by introducing a Bee Network app for customers to provide feedback on their journeys. Feedback is used as a measure for service quality which is linked to operator payments.

Impact on local residents

12 months since the launch of franchising, the GMCA has reported record numbers of residents using Bee Network bus services, enabling people to access jobs, education, other essential services and leisure activities. Areas where franchising was first introduced have seen bus usage increase by 5%. Lower fares and more reliable services (with more buses on time), are already leading to higher service satisfaction (fare satisfaction rates have jumped to 82% now from 63% in 2022).


GMCA are using the tendering process to maximise opportunities for work with decent pay and conditions in the city region. Bus operators who wish to bid are encouraged to sign up to the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, to prioritise employee wellbeing and favourable working conditions, as well as ensuring staff receive the real Living Wage.

Environmental Impact

Care has been taken to maximise the decarbonising potential of bus franchising. In addition to providing a viable alternative to private car use, GMCA intends to maximise sustainability by requiring high environmental standards for vehicles through the tendering process. Prior to the Bee Network, less than 1% of buses in Greater Manchester were electric. This is anticipated to rise to 25% by the end of April 2025. Meanwhile, integrating franchised bus services with other parts of the Bee Network will help to make active travel more feasible for many more residents and further minimise carbon emissions. As noted, GMCA’s cycle and walking network is being expanded and a cycle hire scheme has been successfully introduced.

What's next?

It will be critical to continue monitoring the Bee Network’s impact on residents and to tailor the project to maximise social and environmental benefits.


Other regions in the North of England have been inspired by GMCA’s approach, including West Yorkshire and the Liverpool City Region. Both are in the process of implementing similar integrated transport systems and bus franchises. The Bee Network has inspired the new Labour government’s Buses Bill, which seeks to empower local transport authorities to run their own franchised bus systems. To allow transport authorities to respond more quickly to local needs and demand, the GMCA is pushing for greater flexibility to amend franchising schemes within the forthcoming legislation. (Currently, even modest changes to a franchised service requires a formal variation to the scheme, as well as a lengthy statutory consultation process.) Greater Manchester’s efforts are helping to shape urban transport policy in the UK in line with mobility needs and pursuit of decarbonisation.

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