24-hour transport trial to begin in Greater Manchester
The city region is the first outside London to take back control of its bus services, with more modes to follow.
The Bee Network, which officially launched earlier this year, has now announced a plan to increase support for the night time economy, with V1 and 36 routes connecting central Manchester with Leigh, Bolton and Salford set to benefit from round the clock provision.
A trail will begin on 1st September, with services offered at least once an hour in a bid to improve connectivity for the 135,000 people living within 400 of the service routes. If successful, a similar offering could be rolled out in more parts of the metropolis.
‘I’m really excited by Greater Manchester’s potential as an engine of growth – but it will only be fully realised if we have the transport infrastructure in place to get people to and from our thriving employment centres whatever the time of day or night,’ said Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.
‘The Bee Network allows us to develop the services that best serve people and businesses across our city region,’ he continued. ‘Transport should never be a barrier to opportunity, and this is a step towards improving things for people who work – or want to work – in our hospitals, care homes, clubs, bars, distribution centres or theatres.’
Greater Manchester is home to an estimated 358,000 people whose jobs are significantly active at night – around 33% of the region’s total workforce. Meanwhile, a survey in February revealed 27% of residents feel public transport at night needed to be improved to make it easier to access night classes, social events and late-night healthcare services.
Safety will be prioritised on the new routes, with a dedicated team of Travelsafe Support & Enforcement Officers already active across the regional network. This will be increased to support the trial services. Meanwhile, a TravelSafe LiveChat service is also available to report incidents directly to police call handlers. Any messages will be treated in a similar way to 999 calls.
‘The safety of customers and staff will be of paramount importance on night bus services. A team of Travelsafe Support and Enforcement Officers has already been deployed on the Bee Network to provide a highly visible presence and this approach will be extended to support the night bus pilot,’ said Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester.
‘Customers can also report incidents quickly and discreetly to a police call handler from their smartphone using the GMP LiveChat service accessed through the Bee Network app,’ he continued. ‘We are also examining the potential for further action in the coming months to continue to improve safety, and the perception of safety, across public transport and active travel as part of our zero tolerance towards crime and anti social behaviour.’
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Image: Transport for Greater Manchester