Greater Manchester's Bee Network Expands Night Bus Services to All Boroughs
Night buses will now operate to every borough in Greater Manchester as the city region significantly expands its publicly controlled Bee Network transport system. The mayor, Andy Burnham, has revealed a series of new services alongside impressive figures demonstrating rapid growth in ridership since buses were brought back under public control in 2023.
Massive Public Benefit from Transport Changes
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that approximately 740,000 people – roughly one quarter of Greater Manchester's total population – will benefit from the planned changes. This expansion represents a major step forward in improving connectivity across the entire metropolitan area.
"We put the bee on the side of the buses to denote that public control," Burnham stated. "And now we're acting visibly, tangibly in the interests of our residents with these changes that we're bringing through."
Night Services Return to All Boroughs
The changes, scheduled for implementation in the coming months, are specifically designed to enhance connections in the city region's most deprived areas while providing improved services for the night-time economy and key employment and visitor destinations.
"The one that is quite emblematic is the return of a night bus service to all 10 boroughs," Burnham explained. "It should be a basic for a city like ours – but it's been some time since we've had that. Supporting that night-time economy means a great deal to people here, and reinforces where [the city] is at the moment, what it's becoming."
Remarkable Growth Since Public Control
The Bee Network launched in late 2023 as the first integrated transport system outside London, featuring bus routes set and franchised by the mayor alongside combined fares for trams. The system has demonstrated remarkable success in its initial phase of operation.
"You lower the fares, you improve frequency, you put routes back, people will use it – and they are," Burnham emphasized.
According to TfGM figures, the total distance covered by Greater Manchester buses grew by 7% in the 2024-25 financial year to reach 82 million kilometres – more than double the rate of growth observed in the rest of England. The network has generated a 14% increase in bus journeys within a single year while simultaneously improving punctuality metrics.
Specific Service Improvements
The changes announced will add an additional 2.5 million kilometres of bus service annually. The new night buses will reach previously unserved areas including:
- Oldham
- Stockport
- Trafford
- Tameside
This expansion means all 10 boroughs will now have bus services operating round the clock, though some routes will only run from Thursday to Saturday nights each week.
Additional buses will also operate to and from Greater Manchester's key employment hubs, including:
- Business parks in Rochdale and Bolton
- MediaCityUK in Salford
- Manchester Airport
Political Significance and Wider Impact
Burnham highlighted that improving transport services represents one of the most impactful initiatives leaders can undertake, suggesting it could help resist "a more poisonous form of politics." Reflecting on his 25 years as an elected politician, he noted: "I've never known anything as impactful as the Bee Network. And it makes me wonder, why did Westminster just ignore buses for all of those years? Because this is something that is on every street, in every community, in the whole city region."
The mayor, widely regarded as a potential rival to Labour leader Keir Starmer, added: "If we're to protect what we built here, we have to stop the march of that [poisonous] politics. You know, these are the people who applauded Maggie [Thatcher] when she forced us to break up GM buses in the mid 1980s."
Regional Influence and Future Prospects
Other combined authorities and metro mayors across northern England are now looking to emulate the Bee Network's success. South Yorkshire's Oliver Coppard recently announced a blueprint for a People's Network, which will similarly rebrand and integrate the Sheffield-centred tram network with the region's buses after they return to public control next year.
Regional leaders will have expanded opportunities for growth ambitions following Chancellor Rachel Reeves' announcement on Tuesday of plans to devolve control of a share of national taxes. Burnham described this development as exciting and "possibly the most significant moment" since George Osborne first announced devolution plans.
The Bee Network expansion represents a substantial commitment to improving public transportation accessibility across Greater Manchester, with particular emphasis on supporting night-time economic activity and connecting residents to employment opportunities throughout the region.
