'WE NEED TO GO UNDERGROUND'

MAYOR REVEALS AMBITIONS AS HE LAYS OUT BEE NETWORK EXPANSION PLANS

- DECLAN CAREY

GREATER Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has laid out plans for the future of transport and growth in the region.

It includes a major new expansion to the Bee Network by bringing railway lines under local control, moving towards a fully integrated London-style transport system, and future plans for underground travel.

The Mayor said the region is in the middle of a ‘transport revolution’ which everyone around Greater Manchester will be part of.

He added that Greater Manchester has been growing ‘faster than the UK economy’ and that the new announcements are a plan to support growth.

All buses in the region are due to fall into the Bee Network by January 5, including services in Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and the remaining parts of Manchester and Salford – with some new lower fares being introduced for commuters.

The Bee Network launched in Wigan, Bolton and parts of Bury, Salford and Manchester in September last year, as Greater Manchester became the first area to bring buses under local control following deregulation in 1986.

Commuters will see small reductions in prices, with unlimited travel on Bee Network bus services £20 for seven days for an adult and £10 for a child – compared with £21 and £10.50 currently.

Twenty-eight-day travel will be more than £5 cheaper for adults – coming down from £85.40 (£42.70 child) to £80 (£40 for a child).

New ‘hopper’ tickets are part of the bus franchising plans from January 5, which will see people able to use the same ticket on as many Bee Network buses as they like for one hour, at the existing price of £2 for adults and £1 for children and concessions.

Half price monthly bus passes for 18 to 21-year-olds are also due to be announced, supporting a drive towards technical education through the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate qualifications.