As mayor of Greater Manchester, one of Andy Burnham’s most eye-catching policies was his agenda for public transport. This centred on the creation of a more integrated and inclusive “London-style” system, and the aim was that everybody should be able to access reliable, safe and affordable public transport across the region.
The idea behind his flagship “Bee Network” is the joining up of buses, trams, rail, cycling and walking under one brand, with simple fares and better coordination.
Burnham and his team at local government body Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) fought to turn back Margaret Thatcher’s bus deregulation policies, which opened the market up to private providers. They then brought buses back under local control through franchising.
In practice, this means that rather than letting commercial operators take charge, TfGM makes the decisions on routes, frequency, fares and integration. Services around the city centre are free.
The northern English city of Manchester has played a critical role in the development of Andy Burnham’s political and social outlook. This series considers what some have dubbed Manchesterism and what it might mean for the future of the UK.
Outside London, Greater Manchester is the first area to achieve this considerable shift towards an integrated public transport network. Other metropolitan authorities plan to follow its lead, and most people in the region credit Burnham’s leadership for this success.
In a departure from the England-wide policy of a £3 cap on bus fares introduced in January 2023, the Bee Network has retained its £2 cap on fares. The Bee Network also allows “hopper-style” ticketing, which lets passengers change buses within a time window without paying again. There have also been fare freezes for 2026 and expanded concessionary travel for older and disabled passengers.
Problems outside the centre
But there are still significant challenges. A key question is whether the quality and reliability can improve enough to generate sustained growth in passenger journeys. Greater Manchester’s official bus strategy targets a 30% increase in bus use by 2030, equivalent to nearly 50 million additional journeys each year.
It is also unclear whether funding for fare subsidies will remain stable given wider policy pressures, such as the need to provide affordable social housing and support for businesses.
But arguably, the most important of these challenges is the ongoing problem of transport-related social exclusion. I have serious doubts around whether orbital and cross-borough journeys in Manchester’s urban periphery will improve enough for the Bee Network to benefit communities beyond the city centre. This is particularly the case for deprived boroughs such as Oldham, Rochdale and Wigan.
Research I was involved in looked at low-income and transport-poor communities in these peripheral areas. It found that limited public transport, especially bus services, continues to make it harder for people to get jobs, study or access healthcare and social activities.
While the Bee Network is working well in the centre of Manchester, it largely serves those who already enjoy a high standard of bus services. It remains to be seen whether the same high standards can be achieved in Greater Manchester’s district centres, and it’s likely to prove even more challenging in its semi-rural areas.
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