The Mayor of Greater Manchester has launched a new bus fare system, as the Bee Network comes under local control – here’s what it means for you.
Andy Burnham celebrated the new prices and changes to the network this week with Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander.
The change comes as Greater Manchester celebrated being the first area to bring buses back under local control in 40 years.
Burnham said: “Make public transport your first option, leave the car at home and back the Bee Network.”
Prices in Greater Manchester and other areas across the country are set to remain at £2, but across the country the Labour government announced they will rise to £3.
@mancunianmatters Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham spoke alongside the transport secretary Heidi Alexander after the final phase of @Bee Network bus franchising began yesterday (5 January). Burnham hopes the £2 fare will be retained through 2025. #sayYellow #bus @andyburnhamgm ♬ original sound – Mancunian Matters
Defending the government’s decision to increase fees, Alexander said: “We decided to step in to make sure that there wasn’t going to be an explosion in bus fares across the country.”
Manchester’s new system aims to be accessible and affordable for all those in the region, with TfGM pledging to keep the cost of travel as low as possible.
Burnham was keen to emphasise that the lower fares will only remain in place if the people of Greater Manchester use the network.
He said: “I have sympathy with the government, not everywhere is in the same position as us.
“It costs more to subsidise a £2 cap in deregulated areas than it does in a regulated system now like Greater Manchester.”
The mayor was confident that Manchester would be able to keep the cap for the whole of 2025.
However, it is not just the cost cap that has been brought in, the hop on fare has been introduced to bring flexibility to users.
Cheaper #BeeNetwork bus tickets are here!
— Bee Network (@BeeNetwork) January 6, 2025
7 and 28-day bus travel now costs less. 🚌
Find out more: https://t.co/adBwJDN7U5 pic.twitter.com/GwnmQr5Jh7
The new hopper fare allows riders to “hop on” any bus within an hour using the same ticket, without having to pay a new fare on a connecting bus service.
Day tickets will now cost £5 for adults, weekly costing £20 and a 28-day pass will cost £80. For day, weekly and monthly passes children’s tickets cost half the adult fare.
An annual ticket will cost around £800, which TfGM says wills ave up to £240.
All tickets for both adults and children, apart from the single fare, are available to buy on the Bee Network app.
The app works for buses and trams and for those who travel by both bus and Metrolink, there are now AnyBus+Tram tickets which stop commuters having to buy two separate tickets.
There have been no changes to travel passes including igo, OurPass, ENCTS older persons, disabled and disabled plus passes.
However, any ticket bought from another company on a Bee Network but now cannot be used.
Featured image by Hope Gallagher
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