The massive changes coming to the Bee Network

Major changes are coming to the Bee Network in the ‘biggest set of improvements ever made in one go’ across Greater Manchester.

Around 740,000 people will benefit from 36 changes in all ten boroughs of the region, Transport for Greater Manchester said announcing the move.

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.

A new map has been published with a list of upgrades on the way, from new bus routes to night buses and improvements to existing services.

It means every borough in Greater Manchester will have a night bus by September, with five new round-the-clock services launching.

It comes just weeks after Bev Craig was elected as the new mayor of Greater Manchester, taking over the region’s top job from Andy Burnham.

While the Bee Network has brought major upgrades to public transport in Greater Manchester, many have called for it to be expanded and some of the routes improved.

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.”

Here are all the changes coming to the region’s buses in the next few months.

New night buses

Night buses are a key part of the Bee Network’s expansion, and help make routes home for people enjoying Greater Manchester’s nightlife or those who work nights.

Several new night services are coming to the region on September 3 to make late-night travel a reality.

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, supporting the nighttime economy and access to cultural attractions.

A number 83 night bus will run 24-hours between Oldham, Failsworth, Hollinwood 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 long on the 216, connecting Ashton, Droylsden, the Etihad Campus and the city centre, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

A new night bus will run on the route of the 263 service on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, connecting Altrincham, Sale and Stretford and the city centre.

Bolton

Changes are coming to buses in Bolton from August 30.

A 24-hour night bus service will continue to run 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’, TfGM said. The 471 will increase services early morning, evening and Sunday to improve performance linking Bury, Bolton and Rochdale, supporting connections to shopping, health services and employment.

On the 507 and 511, timetables will be updated to align with shift patterns at Logistics North, supporting journeys from the north and east of the borough and access to the employment site.

Four 575 services will run every hour on the section between Bolton and Blackrod from Monday to Saturday, with two continuing the journey to Wigan. A 30-minute Sunday daytime service will continue, and have double decker buses.

The 576 service will now call at Middlebrook and run a half hourly service Monday to Sunday serviced by double deckers. The reduced frequency Monday to Saturday will be mitigated by the increased frequency on the 575.  The service will continue to operate a 30-minute Sunday daytime. The service will also be operated by double deckers. TfGM said the changes to services 575/576/615 together will ‘strengthen links’ between Wigan, Middlebrook and Bolton, improving access to retail, leisure and employment destinations and building capacity on the busiest sections.

The 615 will have an extra section of its route and will continue from Middlebrook through to Bolton town centre, providing a direct connection between the town and the retail and leisure park for the first time. It will also run a more frequent service, increasing from one bus per hour to half hourly during the daytime. The 615 will also operate later in the evenings as well as Sundays and bank holidays.

Bury

Changes to buses in Bury are coming from August 30.

Improvements are being made to timetables at weekends and evenings on the 95, going from two-hourly to hourly (all day, seven days a week), helping improve connections between Salford and Bury, linking communities in the south of the borough.

TfGM said it will continue to run night bus services between Manchester, Whitefield and Bury on the 135 night bus, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, with some additional late night mid-week trips.

On the 471, extra buses will run during daytime hours to improve performance and capacity challenges. The 471 will increase services early morning, evening and Sunday to improve performance linking Bury, Bolton and Rochdale.

Manchester

On the number 50 from east Didsbury to MediaCity via Manchester city centre, there will be a new night bus on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from September 3.

On the 115 and 116, there will be ‘more direct routes and improved connections’ in Higher Blackley and Charlestown. The route will alter through Middleton via Rhodes to improve connections to a number of supermarkets, schools and Heaton Park. This change will be from August 30.

On the 142 and 143, there will be extra buses on key services on Oxford Road from August 30.

More frequent services are coming to the V1 during the morning and afternoon peak time from August 30, and a 24-hour night bus service will continue to run between the city centre and Leigh on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only, with some additional late night mid-week trips. This will be from September 3.

Oldham

On the number 83 in Oldham, there will be a new night bus service on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays between Oldham, Failsworth, Hollinwood and Manchester city centre from September 3.

Also on the 83, extra services will run on evenings and weekends and will terminate 1km early at Oldham Bus Station rather than Oldham Mumps, this is aimed at improving punctuality. The changes will be made from August 30.

Rochdale

The number 17 night bus service will continue to run between Manchester, Middleton and Rochdale on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

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 to improve performance linking Bury, Bolton and Rochdale, supporting connections to shopping, health services and employment. This will be from August 30.

Salford

Changes to several bus services will benefit residents in Salford.

On the number 50 from east Didsbury to MediaCity via Manchester city centre, there will be a new night bus on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from September 3.

Improvements to timetables at weekends and evenings are coming to the 95, from a two hour service to hourly, supporting improved connections between Salford and Bury, linking communities in the south of the borough. This will be from August 30.

More frequent services are coming to the V1 during the morning and afternoon peak time from August 30, and a 24-hour night bus service will continue to run between the city centre and Leigh on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only, with some additional late night mid-week trips. This will be from September 3.

Stockport

On the 192, night buses will operate a 24-hour service, connecting Stockport and the city centre, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, from September 3.

A new service, the 377, will connect residents at Woodford Garden Village to Stockport town centre, from September 1.

On the 378 and 379, changes are coming to the timetable to improve performance. Both the services will operate hourly to create a combined route to Bramhall, meaning frequency on Dairyground Road will be increased to half hourly. This will be from August 30.

Tameside

There are plans for more buses on the route of the 219 connecting Tameside to the city centre, from August 30.

A new night bus, the 216, will run all night long connecting Ashton, Droylsden, the Etihad Campus and the city centre. This will be on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and is aimed at supporting the night-time economy and access to sporting and cultural events. The change will be from September 3.

A new hourly service, the 388, will run every day, providing direct bus links between Hyde, Stalybridge and Ashton-under-Lyne. The timetable will connect with the existing 389 service to improve links to the community. This will be from August 30.

Trafford

On the 263, a more frequent service will operate every 15 minutes (up from 20 minutes) during the daytime Monday to Saturday, with a half hourly service in the evenings and on Sundays. This will improve connections between Altrincham, Sale and Stretford and the city centre, from August 30.

A new night bus, the 263, will connect Altrincham, Sale and Stretford and the city centre, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, from September 3.

Wigan

A new daily service – the 612 will operate between Wigan and St Helens via Abram, Golborne and Newton-le-Willows that will serve the site of Golborne Station. It will operate every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, and hourly in evenings and on Sundays.

This new service will replace the current 629 and partly the 630. The service forms part of a package of improvements, developed in partnership with the Liverpool City Region.

Also, Liverpool City Region are franchising services in the St Helens area from September 6, including several routes into Leigh and Wigan.

On the V1, there will be increases to peak-time frequency, with extra morning and afternoon peak trips, helping connect residents at Mosley Common. This will be from August 30.

TfGM said it will continue to run 24-hour V1 night bus services between the city centre and Leigh on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only, with some additional late night mid-week trips, from September 3.