Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Transport for Greater Manchester

Daniel Coles representing TfGM provided Elected Members with a verbal update on the Bury Bee Network Bus Review, advising that network reviews were a mechanism for considering public needs and aspirations for the bus network across Greater Manchester. As of February 2025, Network Reviews have started in Wigan & Leigh, Bolton, Salford and Bury.

The first reviews in Wigan and Bolton have moved through the first stage of engagement and the second stage of appraisal.

The first stage of the review in Bury is the Engagement and Evidence Gathering and this took place at the end of 2024

To date, those first Network Reviews undertaken in Bolton and Wigan & Leigh have identified a set of interventions which aim primarily to:

•      Improve bus services by increasing frequency and capacity, ensuring they align with local priorities and contribute to our goal of increasing bus use by 30% by 2030.

•      Enhance network efficiency by reviewing underused routes and feeder services to ensure resources are allocated where they are most needed.

Through ongoing engagement with local stakeholders, we have received strong feedback that improving accessibility and expanding coverage should be a priority. This will help ensure that all communities benefit from a better-connected public transport network, making it easier for people to access jobs, education, an essential services.

In line with the Network Review process approved by GM Bee Network Committee, will:

Commence a GM-wide Coverage & Connectivity Review – this exercise will measure accessibility to and through the network, to provide a baseline and inform the network planning undertaken for all current and future reviews. It will enable us to develop a consistent set of criteria against which future recommendations can be measured and demonstrate that every district is being considered in a single review taking place at the start of the cycle.

Agree a series of Thematic Network Reviews, starting with Night Services - Outputs from these reviews will enable us to deliver service interventions across GM while the cycle of area-based reviews is progressing, in addition to on-going operational/performance improvements.

Reset Area-Based Network Review programme – fewer, broader areas to allow wider, cross-district network connectivity to be considered and alignment with GM Growth Corridors

In discussion that followed Members wanted to ensure that any Local transport strategy is aligned with this wider GM review work and that Council are kept fully informed and utilised as part of the process.  In addition, Councillors wanted to ensure that specific ward issues are addressed as part of the engagement exercise and that bus services that cross-boundaries are captured to.

Members discussed safe travel in particular safety at night for young people.  The TfGM representative reported that they work closely with colleagues at GMP, the TfGM app has an alert function to allow a user to notify a person where they are, GMP live chat has a similar facility on their App.

In addition, CCTV is installed on bus shelters and information screens will provide regular updated information.

TfGM representatives reported that safety is often cited as the number one reasons people from the LGTBQ, BME and people with disabilities do not use public transport.

It was agreed that:

The update be noted and representative from Transport for Greater Manchester be thanked for their attendance.