Locally run buses 'working well' despite traffic

Bus passenger Leslie Downes says the changed service worked for him

Passengers have said the return of buses to local control in a city region has led to a more reliable service that has "worked well, despite the traffic".

A year has passed since the Mayor Of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham oversaw the deregulation of routes in parts of Bolton Wigan, and Salford.

The scheme has since been expanded and buses painted yellow under the Bee Network brand.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said more than 58 million journeys have been made on the Bee Network since its launch in Bolton, Wigan and parts of Salford and Bury.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has hailed the success of the Bee Network's first year

The Bee Network is the first area outside of London to have a locally regulated bus system since the 1980s.

Passenger Leslie Downes said the service seemed to be "running better" since the change despite problems with traffic in the city

He told BBC Radio Manchester on the bus to Wigan from the Bolton Interchange that the changes were working for him.

"To be honest, I don’t think it matters what colour the bus is so long as it arrives reasonably punctually", he said.

A phased roll out of the new, locally-managed network saw routes in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and Salford added earlier this year.

Sophie Holloway said traffic remained a problem

Sophie Holloway, a regular bus user who travels from Bolton, said the services were "not as frequent as they say".

She said travelling out of Bolton was a "nightmare" due to traffic, a problem that existed before the Bee Network was introduced.

"The people who provide the services are amazing though, they do try their best to keep everything running," she added.

"If it says an hour always give yourself two, and just prepare for traffic".

Student Matthew McAndrew said Bee Network had led to "a lot more" services, adding a tracker app used to follow a bus on route "really helped" plan ahead

Healthcare worker Evie Lynn said the services were "on time now", adding she liked the app too.

"I know what time to go out to get the bus to go to work in town, and I like the yellow branding."

'Pioneering'

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “I am really pleased at the progress we have made, with services in Bolton, Wigan and parts of Salford and Bury now significantly more reliable than before and record numbers of passengers using the Bee Network.

“The age and standard of our buses is better than it was, we have more staff on the network, we’re keeping fares low and have launched a night bus pilot.

“I am certain our pioneering Bee Network will continue to go from strength to strength.”