Transport for Greater Manchester

Public transport organisation in Greater Manchester in North West England

Transport for Greater Manchester

Map showing Greater Manchester, the executive's area of responsibility

Abbreviation| TfGM
Predecessor| Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Formation| 1 April 2011; 14 years ago (2011-04-01)
Type| Public body
Purpose| Transport authority
Headquarters| 2 Piccadilly Place
Manchester
M1 3BG

Region served

| Greater Manchester
parts of Derbyshire, Cheshire and Lancashire

Commissioner

| Vernon Everitt

Managing Director

| Steve Warrener

Parent organisation

| Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
Budget| £330.6m
Website| www.tfgm.com

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is a local government body responsible for co-ordinating transport services throughout Greater Manchester in North West England. It is an executive arm of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the city region's administrative authority. The strategies and policies of Transport for Greater Manchester are set by the GMCA and its Greater Manchester Transport Committee (GMTC). The committee is made up of 33 councillors appointed from the ten Greater Manchester boroughs (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan), as well as the Mayor of Greater Manchester.[1]

TfGM owns Metrolink – the United Kingdom’s largest light rail network – which is operated and maintained under contract by a Keolis/Amey consortium.[2][3] TfGM also owns Greater Manchester's Cycle Hire scheme, and is responsible for cycling and walking infrastructure. TfGM owns and maintains bus stations, stops & shelters, however bus services are deregulated in Great Britain outside London. Following the passing of the Bus Services Act 2017, Greater Manchester became the first city-region to start the process of bus franchising, returning bus services to public control.[4][5] TfGM does not control National Rail services or infrastructure in Greater Manchester.

TfGM is responsible for developing the Bee Network, an integrated transport network for Greater Manchester. The Bee Network is proposed to include a single transport livery, integrated fares & ticketing, and a fare cap across tram, bus, cycling, walking, and eventually suburban rail. In January 2025, all Metrolink trams and franchised buses services were integrated, along with cycle hiring services.[6] Negotiations with central government have led to the agreement that eight commuter lines across Greater Manchester and North Derbyshire will be progressively transferred to TfGM control of fare and service specification between December 2026 and December 2028 with the introduction of multi-modal fare caps with tram and bus, tap and go ticketing, and 64 rail stations refurbished and branded Bee Network. The remaining 32 stations across Greater Manchester lying on other rail lines will then follow by 2030.[7]

## History

[edit]

The organisation traces its origins to the Transport Act 1968, when the SELNEC (South East Lancashire/North East Cheshire) Passenger Transport Executive was established to co-ordinate public transport in and around Manchester. Between 1974 and 2011, it was known as the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE), until a reform of local government in Greater Manchester granted it more powers and prompted a corporate rebranding.[8] On 1 April 2011, the GMPTE became Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM),[9] a new regional transport body for Greater Manchester[10][11][12] that forms part of the new Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

## Governance

[edit]

See also: Greater Manchester Combined Authority § Bee Network Committee

TfGM inherited the responsibilities of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive established in 1974. At the same time the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) was abolished, with responsibility for oversight of the executive transferred to the combined authority.[13]

The combined authority and the ten Greater Manchester districts have delegated or referred most of their transport governance functions to a joint committee, the Bee Network Committee. Each local authority appoints one of its executive members with responsibility for transport matters to sit alongside the mayor, a member of the GMCA, and up to four other councillors appointed by the mayor. These additional mayoral appointees allow the committee's political make-up to reflect the political make-up of Greater Manchester's councils as a whole.

The Bee Network Committee has four key responsibilities: Decision-making over significant operational matters across the transport network (including the ability to draw down funding for investment), monitoring the performance and financial stability of the network, developing policy to support the local transport plan, and facilitating coordination between the ten local authorities around highways maintenance and infrastructure delivery.[14]

## Services

[edit]

Rail and tram services in Greater Manchester

### Manchester Metrolink

[edit]

Main article: Manchester Metrolink

The Manchester Metrolink light rail/tram system launched in 1992, entirely subsidised by TfGM without a government grant and operated by KeolisAmey.[15] It carried 43.7 million passengers in the 2018/19 financial year.[16] With 99 tram stops, it is the second largest local transport network in the United Kingdom after the London Underground. Further expansion of the network to places like Stockport and Bolton are envisaged.

*      Altrincham – Piccadilly (extends to Etihad Campus Mon–Sat evenings and all day Sunday)
*      Ashton-under-Lyne – Eccles (via MediaCityUK outside Mon–Sat daytime hours)
*      Bury – Piccadilly
*      East Didsbury – Rochdale Town Centre
*      The Trafford Centre – Deansgate-Castlefield
*      Manchester Airport – Victoria

*      Altrincham – Bury (operates Mon–Sat daytime)
*      Etihad Campus – MediaCityUK (operates Mon–Sat daytime)
*      East Didsbury – Shaw and Crompton (operates Mon–Sat daytime)

### Heavy Rail

[edit]

Heavy Rail services are operated by Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Northern, TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales.[17] TfGM subsidise fares on certain local services and fund station refurbishments on an ad hoc basis.

### Buses

[edit]

* Free Bus: launched 2002 as Metroshuttle, now consist of 2 free bus routes around Manchester city centre. New services were provided in Bolton, Oldham and Stockport after success of the service in Manchester. But those services were substantially withdrawn by 2019.[18]
* Bus services operated by Bee Network operators (First Greater Manchester, Go North West, Stagecoach Manchester, Diamond Bus North West and Metroline Manchester) and private operators including Arriva North West, Belle Vue Coaches, D&G Bus, First West Yorkshire, High Peak Buses, and Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire etc..[19]
* Maintenance of bus shelters and stations
* Ring & Ride – An accessible, low-cost minibus service for people who have difficulty in using public transport

### Highways and cycling

[edit]

* Greater Manchester Urban Traffic Control Unit (GMUTC) – responsibility for road management transferred to TfGM in 2009. Entails installation, maintenance and management of traffic signals, limited areas of road safety (2012), incident response and event management via a traffic control centre.
* Cycling – promotion of the Greater Manchester Cycling Strategy and delivery of Cycle Hubs and regional cycle routes

### Fares, ticketing and information

[edit]

* Bee Card
* Subsidised fares on certain services
* Bee Any Bus travelcards
* Public transport maps and timetables
* Website
* Route Explorer application

* Manchester Metrolink

TfGM owns Greater Manchester's light rail/tram system, which includes over 64 miles of track and 99 stops across seven of the ten Greater Manchester boroughs.

* Free bus

TfGM owns the free bus service around Manchester city centre.

* Heavy rail

Heavy rail services are provided by train operating companies (TOCs). TfGM subsidises local heavy rail services and helps to fund station improvements across Greater Manchester.

* Bus services

Bus services in Greater Manchester were deregulated. TfGM owns and maintains bus stations, stops & shelters. It implements the System One multi-operator and multi-modal travelcards, and subsidises some fares, however this is reverted by the new Bee Network, with the network being brought back under local control, with TfGM appointing franchisees to operate the services.

* Road management

TfGM is responsible for managing the Key Route Network of major roads, as well as maintenance of traffic signals.

## Bee Network

[edit]

Main article: Bee Network

See also: Symbols of Manchester § Worker bee

Bee Network buses operated by Stagecoach Manchester at Oldham bus station in April 2024

The Bee Network is an integrated transport network for Greater Manchester, composed of bus, tram, cycling, and walking routes. TfGM's vision is for the network to be operational by 2024, with commuter rail services joining the network by 2030.[20]

Originally devised in 2018 as a network of active travel routes,[21] the vision for the Bee Network was expanded following the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's decision to use the powers given to it under the Bus Services Act 2017 to introduce a bus franchising scheme for the city region.[22] A fleet of buses were branded and repainted yellow for this in 2024.[23] The active travel subset of the Bee Network was then renamed the Bee Active Network.[24]

Greater Manchester is set to invest a further £40.7m in its walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure as it progresses with its delivery of the largest active travel network in the country. The £23.7m has been allocated to 13 schemes in total, including a new active travel corridor along Chapel Street in Salford and a striking cycling and walking ‘helix ramp’ as part of the new Stockport Interchange.[25]

## Corporate identity

[edit]

A TfGM bus stop in 2011 following rebranding A Bee Network bus stop flag in 2025

TfGM uses a corporate identity designed in-house. The black and white "M" logo is adapted from the GMPTE logo and was used on bus stops across Greater Manchester. After the rollout of Bee Network bus franchising, bus stop signs are replaced by a black “Bus Stop” wording against a yellow background, with the Bee Network logo appearing in the corner of the sign, while the route font remains unchanged.

## See also

[edit]

* Greater Manchester portal
* Transport portal

* Timeline of public passenger transport operations in Manchester

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "New Greater Manchester Transport Committee meets for the first time". tfgm.com. Transport for Greater Manchester. 6 August 2019. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
2. ^ "Salford Infrastructure Delivery Plan" (PDF). Salford City Council. February 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
3. ^ "RATP buys Manchester Metrolink operator". Railway Gazette International. London. 2 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
4. ^ Burnham, Andy (13 December 2017). Mayor sets out major transport overhaul (Speech). Urban Transport Group. Leeds. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
5. ^ "Greater Manchester appoints first bus operators for new system". BBC News. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
6. ^ "Details of the first buses under public control in Greater Manchester revealed". Manchester Evening News. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
7. ^ https://news.tfgm.com/press-releases/7f9d4151-b911-4247-97d0-cc5d5a9570a3/mayor-andy-burnham-reveals-plans-for-bee-network-rail-to-boost-passenger-numbers-and-drive-greater-manchester-s-growth
8. ^ All change: Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive becomes Transport for Greater Manchester – with a new logo of course Archived 4 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine Manchester Evening News 1 April 2011
9. ^ "Arrangements for Establishing the Combined Authority" (PDF). Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA). p. 4. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
10. ^ "Draft LTP3 Consultation Proposals". Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA). p. 9. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
11. ^ "City Region Pilot and Governance" (PDF). Manchester City Council. p. 14. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
12. ^ "Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership – A Proposal To Government" (PDF). Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA). p. 18. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
13. ^ "The Greater Manchester Combined Authority Order 2011: Article 6", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 22 March 2011, SI 2011/908 (art. 6), retrieved 8 August 2023
14. ^ "Bee Network Committee – Terms of Reference". Greater Manchester Combined Authority. 31 July 2023. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
15. ^ RATP buys Manchester Metrolink operator Railway Gazette International 2 August 2011
16. ^ Light Rail and Tram Statistics: England 2018/19 Department for Transport (Retrieved 26 July 2020)
17. ^ Operators Transport for Greater Manchester
18. ^ Metroshuttle Archived 2 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine Transport for Greater Manchester
19. ^ Bus Operators Transport for Greater Manchester
20. ^ "Destination: Bee Network". Transport for Greater Manchester. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
21. ^ "Bee Network - Greater Manchester's cycling and walking infrastructure proposal" (PDF). Retrieved 24 April 2022.
22. ^ Fifield, Jack (14 February 2022). "WATCH: What is the Bee Network?". Retrieved 24 April 2022.
23. ^ "Greater Manchester: Bee Network bus rebrand cost more than £500k". BBC. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
24. ^ "MCF Financial Approvals and Active Travel Funding Additions" (PDF). 27 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022. "The fund is being used to deliver the first phase of the Bee Active Network, which is the walking and cycling element of the wider Bee Network"
25. ^ "Greater Manchester to invest a further £40.7m in walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure".

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to SELNEC at Wikimedia Commons
* Media related to Transport for Greater Manchester at Wikimedia Commons
* Official website of Transport for Greater Manchester
* Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority
* Greater Manchester Transportation Unit
* SELNEC plans for urban rapid transport
* Greater Manchester Congestion Charge Proposals
* The SELNEC Preservation Society

* v
* t
* e

Transport in Greater Manchester

* Transport for Greater Manchester
* Bee Network
* Bee Card
* Museum of Transport

Air|

* Barton Aerodrome
* Manchester Airport

Bus|

| Current Operators|

* Arriva North West
* Blackburn Bus Company
* Burnley Bus Company
* D&G Bus
* Diamond North West
* First Greater Manchester
* Go North West
* High Peak Buses
* Metroline Manchester
* Rosso
* Stagecoach Manchester
* Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire
* Warrington's Own Buses

|

Former Operators|

* Bluebird
* Bullocks
* Finglands Coachways
* GM Buses
* Jim Stones Coaches
* JPT
* Magic Bus
* Manchester Community Transport
* Mayne Coaches
* Maytree Travel
* UK North

Routes|

* 17
* 42
* 52
* 53
* ~~58~~
* 135
* 192
* 409
* X41 Red Express
* X43 Witch Way
* ~~X57 Snake~~
* free bus route 1
* free bus route 2
* ~~free bus route 3~~
* V1
* V2
* V4

Road|

* European route E22
* Kingsway
* M6
* M56
* M60
* M61
* M62
* M66
* M67
* M602
* A57(M)
* A627(M)
* Manchester Inner Ring Road

Tram|

* Metrolink
* History of Metrolink
* Timeline of Metrolink
* Greater Manchester Metro Limited
* Firema T-68
* Bombardier M5000

Cycle|

* Cycling in Manchester
* National Cycle Route 6

Rail|

| Stations|

* List of open railway stations
* List of closed railway stations

|

Lines|

* Buxton
* Calder Valley
* Crewe–Manchester
* Glossop
* Hope Valley
* Liverpool–Manchester
* Manchester–Chester
* Manchester–Preston
* Manchester–Southport
* Stafford–Manchester
* Stockport–Stalybridge
* Styal

Current Operators|

* Avanti West Coast
* CrossCountry
* East Midlands Railway
* Northern
* Transport For Wales
* TransPennine Express

Former Operators|

* British Rail (1948–1997)
* Regional Railways (1982–1996)
* Network NorthWest (1989–c.1992)
* First North Western (1997–2004)
* Northern Rail (2004–2016)
* Arriva Rail North (2016–2020)
* TransPennine Express (2016-2023)

TIF bid|

* Congestion charging in Greater Manchester
* Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund
* United City

* Category
* Commons
* See also: Transport in Manchester

* v
* t
* e

Passenger transport executives in the United Kingdom

Current|

| Urban|

* Merseytravel (Liverpool City Region)
* Metro (West Yorkshire)
* Nexus (Tyne and Wear)
* Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (Greater Glasgow)
* Transport for Greater Manchester (Greater Manchester)
* Transport for London (Greater London)
* Transport for West Midlands (West Midlands)
* Travel South Yorkshire (South Yorkshire)
* Transport for Edinburgh (Edinburgh & Lothians)

|

Regional|

* Transport for the North
* West Midlands Rail Executive

Former|

* Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (Greater Manchester)
* West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (West Midlands)
* South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (South Yorkshire)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

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*[e]: Edit this template