Almost one year on from Bee Network buses across the whole of Greater Manchester
The Mayor says local bus services are improving and more people are using public transport
It has been almost a year since all Greater Manchester’s Bee Network buses came under local control, and the city-region's Mayor, Andy Burnham, calls the move a great success.
Speaking about the first-year results, Burnham said passenger satisfaction and punctuality have improved significantly since the changes were introduced in September 2022.
Public transport satisfaction and reliability
According to Burnham, public satisfaction with buses in Greater Manchester has surged from around 60% two or three years ago to 85% today.
He explained that punctuality has seen a major boost, improving from 65% before to 80% now.
“There are significant changes,” Burnham said.
Safer travel
The Mayor also highlighted the strides made in ensuring safer public transport through the Travel Safe Live Chat initiative that was recently rolled out as part of the Bee Network.
“We’ve just brought in Travel Safe Live Chat, and that is addressing an issue which we know is a weakness. Increasingly, we are giving people the confidence that yes, you can use public transport,” Burnham said.
He added that the safety-focused initiative has delivered “very significant results” in making passengers feel more confident while travelling on Greater Manchester’s buses.
Bee Network buses first began operating under local control last September, with the aim of creating a simpler, more reliable and integrated transport system across the region.