JUST THE TICKET

MAYOR PROMISES NEXT STAGE OF BEE NETWORK ROLL-OUT WILL BE SMOOTHER

- ETHAN DAVIES

ANDY Burnham has said the next phase of rolling out Bee Network buses will be better for the public on day one' than existing services.

The new transport system will roll trams, buses, commuter rail, and cycle hire into one system.

However, the network has yet to fully launch. While trams and cycle hire are already included, only buses in Bolton and Wigan - as well as parts of Bury and Salford - are currently part of the network.

But that will change next month, as buses in Oldham, Rochdale, and more parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester join the fleet.

Mr Burnham made some key announcements about the network in Bury yesterday:

■Bus roll-out will go ahead as planned and should be smoother

The Mayor confirmed the next round of bus franchising the process whereby services come under local control. March 24, is the date when Bee Network buses roll into Oldham and Rochdale plus the remaining parts of Bury not covered in the first round last September, as well as more of Salford and north Manchester.

When the first 'tranche' came under public control, there were complaints from passengers in Wigan and Bolton, with Mr Burnham admitting there had been teething problems in moving to the new system.