Around 740,000 people will benefit from 36 changes to Bee Network buses across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester, in what Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has described as the 'biggest set of improvements ever made in one go'. The first wave is set to launch between August 30 and September 6 this year, with next phases to take place between January and March 2027.
Every borough will have a night bus by September, with five new round-the-clock services launching. The changes come just weeks after Bev Craig was elected as the new mayor of Greater Manchester, taking over from Andy Burnham.
Mayor's response to residents
Bev Craig, mayor of Greater Manchester, said: "The Bee Network belongs to the people of Greater Manchester and it needs to work for every community. As we build it, we're listening and responding to what residents want with the biggest set of improvements we've ever made in one go."
A new map has been published with a list of upgrades, from new bus routes to night buses and improvements to existing services.
New night buses
Several new night services are coming on September 3. A new night service will run on the route of the number 50 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday between east Didsbury and MediaCity via Manchester city centre. A number 83 night bus will run 24-hours between Oldham, Hollinwood, Failsworth and Manchester city centre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. The 192 will get a full night bus service on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, connecting Stockport and the city centre. Buses will run all night on the 216, connecting Ashton, Droylsden, the Etihad Campus and the city centre. A new night bus will run on the route of the 263 service on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, connecting Altrincham, Sale, Stretford and the city centre.
Changes by borough
In Bolton, from August 30, a 24-hour night bus service will continue on the number 36 between Bolton and Manchester city centre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with some additional late night mid-week trips. On the 471, extra buses will run during daytime hours to improve performance and address capacity challenges. The 471 will increase services early morning, evening and Sunday. On the 507 and 511, timetables will be updated to align with shift patterns at Logistics North. Four 575 services will run every hour between Bolton and Blackrod from Monday to Saturday, with two continuing to Wigan. The 576 will now call at Middlebrook and run a half hourly service Monday to Sunday. The 615 will have an extra section and continue from Middlebrook through to Bolton town centre, with a more frequent service.
In Bury, from August 30, improvements are being made to timetables on the 95, going from two-hourly to hourly, all day, seven days a week. Night bus services will continue on the 135 between Manchester, Whitefield and Bury on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Extra buses will run on the 471.
In Manchester, on the number 50, there will be a new night bus from September 3. On the 115 and 116, there will be more direct routes and improved connections in Higher Blackley and Charlestown. On the 142 and 143, extra buses will run on Oxford Road from August 30. More frequent services are coming to the V1 during peak times, and a 24-hour night bus will continue between the city centre and Leigh.
In Oldham, on the number 83, a new night bus will run from September 3, and extra services will run on evenings and weekends, terminating at Oldham Bus Station rather than Oldham Mumps. In Rochdale, the number 17 night bus will continue, and extra buses will run on the 471.
In Salford, changes include a new night bus on the 50, improvements to the 95, and more frequent V1 services. In Stockport, night buses will operate on the 192, a new service the 377 will connect Woodford Garden Village to Stockport town centre, and changes are coming to the 378 and 379.
In Tameside, there are plans for more buses on the 219, a new night bus the 216, and a new hourly service the 388. In Trafford, the 263 will operate every 15 minutes during daytime Monday to Saturday, with a new night bus. In Wigan, a new daily service the 612 will operate between Wigan and St Helens, replacing the current 629 and partly the 630, developed in partnership with the Liverpool City Region.
On the V1, there will be increases to peak-time frequency, and a 24-hour night bus will continue between the city centre and Leigh.
