More night bus routes to be trialled across Greater Manchester

The night bus trial come after parts of the network re-entered local control

Night buses are to be trialled along new routes across a region after parts of the network were taken back under local control.

Greater Manchester transport bosses confirmed a pilot would take place of services in Wigan and Bolton.

Some night buses already run to south Manchester and surrounding areas.

Alex Cropper from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), said the return of locally-regulated buses last year gave "much more scope to explore options".

Bus networks in Wigan and Bolton were among the first, alongside parts of Salford and Bury, to return to local control as part of the rollout of the Bee Network.

Night buses are set to return to Wigan and Bolton later this year

Mr Cropper said it was recognised that transport was "important to workers and employers in the night time economy", adding there was "a strong desire to enhance what is currently available".

He said TfGM had worked with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham on the prpoposals and they would be "brought forward to a future Bee Network Committee."

Sacha Lord, night time economy advisor to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, said on X the return of night buses was "great news, not just for customers, but more importantly for staff."