The Bee Network is a proposed
integrated transport network for
Greater Manchester, composed of bus, tram, cycling and walking routes.
Transport for Greater Manchester is expected to have the network operational by 2024, with commuter rail services expected to be joining the network in 2030. Initially revealed in 2018, the project is aiming to create a
London-style transport system, to encourage more people to take public transport instead of cars.
The network's main goal is to reduce the percentage of car journeys throughout the region from 60% to 50% by 2040. The design of the network will be inspired around the
Greater Manchester symbol, the worker bee, with bus and tram liveries coloured yellow and black to represent this.
History
The Bee Network was first proposed in 2018 by
Chris Boardman, the region's walking and cycling commissioner, and former Olympic gold medalist. The original project would include of
segregated cycling lanes, brand new
electric buses, around of new dedicated walking and cycling routes, 2,400 new road crossings and a new
cycle hire scheme throughout the region.
In June 2022,
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham
Andrew Murray Burnham (born 7 January 1970) is a British politician who has served as Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. He served in Gordon Brown's Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2007 to 2008, Culture Secretary from 2008 ...
announced capped fares for buses from 2023 in order to help with
cost-of-living rises. The new fares would see full day fares capped at , and single trips capped at .
The first fleet of 50
Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV
The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 City is a low-floor double-decker bus produced by the British bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis since 2018, produced as an alternative to the standard Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC bodywork. The Enviro400 City is ...
battery electric buses is intended to be rolled out across
Bolton,
Wigan and parts of
Bury
Bury may refer to:
*The burial of human remains
*-bury, a suffix in English placenames
Places England
* Bury, Cambridgeshire, a village
* Bury, Greater Manchester, a town, historically in Lancashire
** Bury (UK Parliament constituency) (1832–19 ...
and
Salford from 17 September 2023.
Go North West and
Diamond North West
Diamond Bus (North West) Ltd., trading as Diamond North West, is a bus operator providing services in the districts of Bolton and Wigan in Greater Manchester operating an extensive commercial network along with tendered services on behalf of Tra ...
have been awarded two large franchises and seven small franchises, respectively, displacing the current operations of
and
Stagecoach Manchester in this area.
The fleet will be expanded by an additional 50 Enviro400EV buses in
Oldham,
Rochdale and the remainder of Bury in March 2024,
with bus operations in the rest of the city region becoming regulated by January 2025. These bus services will operate alongside the Bee Network cycle hire bikes and the existing
Metrolink network.
Design
The design of the network will be based around the
worker bee. The worker bee is the most well known
symbol representing the city and region, and was adopted during the
industrial revolution. The liveries of the trams, buses and bikes will be yellow and black, representing the worker bee. The facilities supporting the network will also follow this design.
See also
*
Bus Services Act 2017
References
External links
Destination: Bee NetworkThe Bee Network vision
{{Transport in Greater Manchester, state=collapsed
Transport in Greater Manchester
2023 establishments in England