Improving journeys

Through a joined-up Bee Network we're helping more people get where they need to go with safer, easier, affordable connections by bus, tram, train, or walking, wheeling and cycling.

As part of this, we’re investing in schemes to make travel easier and to help people get from A to B.

The plans are being put in place to speed up bus journeys and reduce delays for all road users including motorists by easing congestion, improve bus stops so they are fully accessible, comfortable, safe and secure and improve journeys by walking, wheeling and cycling by making them as safe as possible.

There are lots of different ways we’re improving journeys, including:

Installing bus lanes and bus only sections of road
Making bus stops better, safer and more accessible with improved shelters, seating, lighting, CCTV and level boarding
Making it easier to walk, wheel or cycle to a bus stop or get from a bus to a train or tram stop with better pedestrian and cyclist crossings and footpaths
Making journeys quicker and more reliable with bus priority at and on the approach to junctions and traffic light priority for late running buses.

Funding for the work has been provided through the government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which saw Greater Manchester awarded £1.07bn to help deliver the Bee Network.

Take a look at how we're improving journeys:

Bury to Rochdale

We're looking at how we can improve journeys between Rochdale Town Centre and Bury Town Centre, via Heywood.

Our plans to improve journeys in Heywood Town Centre

Rochdale-Oldham-Ashton

We have explored options to improve journeys for people catching the bus, walking wheeling or cycling between Rochdale, Oldham and Ashton town centres.

Learn about the Rochdale-Oldham-Ashton scheme

Salford Crescent to MediaCityUK

We are working with Salford Council to look at improving journeys between Salford Crescent railway station and MediaCityUK via Pendleton.

Read about the Salford Crescent to MediaCityUK scheme

Manchester

We're working with Manchester City Council to improve journeys for people around Manchester, including to and from the city centre, with a focus on catching the bus, walking, wheeling and cycling.

Have your say on how we can improve journeys in Manchester

Other schemes

More schemes, aimed at improving journeys, are also being planned.

They include:

Improvements to journeys between Ashton under Lyne to Stockport via Dukinfield, Hyde and Bredbury.

Improvements to journeys across the A6 corridor in Stockport, including Wellington Road North, to:

make the roads safer,
reduce bus journey times,
improve access to bus stops,
provide better crossings and
develop cycle routes parallel and across the A6 to make it easier to walk, wheel and cycle.

Find out more about this scheme and the results of the consultation.

Improvements journeys from Wigan, through Hindley and Hindley Green, to Leigh.

Improvements to journeys from Wigan, through Hindley and Westhoughton, to Bolton.

We're also improving the existing bus network to improve and maintain bus stops, shelters, bus-related signs and road markings. 

We'll be delivering improvement works at a number of traffic signals, junctions and other “pinch point” locations that will give greater priority to buses, particularly where the bus is running late.

Your questions answered

The kind of improvements these projects might see delivered include:

Improved bus stops with better protection from bad weather, real time information displays, comfier seats and easier access to the stop and onto buses for everyone, including disabled users and people with prams or buggies. There will be better lighting and CCTV coverage so people feel safer waiting for the bus as well as improved links to places where you can catch the tram or train.
Changes on the road – to help buses get where they need to go faster, on time and with less delays there could be new bus lanes on roads so buses can avoid traffic jams and get to the front of queues. Buses would be given priority at traffic lights and junctions and the location of stops would be changed so buses don’t have to pull in and out of traffic each time they pick up passengers. There could also be more enforcement of parking regulations to keep roads clear as well as the closing of side roads where that is possible.
Active travel - to help anyone walking, wheeling or cycling there would be new or improved routes and road crossings created to help people get around on foot, by bike, in wheelchairs, with prams or using mobility aids and to better link up neighbourhoods, shops and access to bus stops, trams and trains.

We are working in partnership with a number of different Local Authorities across Greater Manchester to deliver improved journeys. There are schemes in development and work will begin with the Rochdale, Oldham and Ashton route.

The seven schemes are:

Rochdale-Oldham-Ashton: We have explored options to improve journeys for people catching the bus, walking wheeling or cycling between Rochdale, Oldham and Ashton town centres.
Salford Crescent to MediaCityUK: We are working with Salford Council to look at improving journeys between Salford Crescent railway station and MediaCityUK via Pendleton.
Ashton to Stockport: Improvements to journeys between Ashton under Lyne to Stockport via Dukinfield, Hyde and Bredbury.
Wigan to Leigh: Improvements journeys from Wigan, through Hindley and Hindley Green, to Leigh.
Wigan to Bolton: Improvements to journeys from Wigan, through Hindley and Westhoughton, to Bolton.
Bury to Rochdale: Improvements to journeys between Rochdale Town Centre and Bury, via Heywood.
Trafford Corridors: Improving connections between Carrington to Altrincham and Sale West to Sale.

We want more people to be able to use the bus to get around and to improve bus journeys for people already using them. And with 75% of all public transport journeys in Greater Manchester made by bus it’s a really important issue.

But there are a few different reasons people choose not to use the bus at the moment, they include issues:

like services not turning up on time
the speed of journeys
the quality of passenger information
safety concerns – particularly at night
and how comfortable and clean bus stops are for passengers.

The work we are looking to carry out with our partners (including Rochdale, Oldham and Tameside Councils) will help to address these important issues and make it easier and more convenient for people to use the bus and to feel safe and confident when they’re travelling.

As well as the passenger benefits these works will also improve the links for people who already walk, wheel or cycle. It will help to make their journeys safer and more convenient – as well as helping people to start taking trips on foot, by bike or wheeling.

It’s all part of a long-term plan to help create the Bee Network – a joined-up public transport network for Greater Manchester which will link up buses, trams and trains and offer easy connections for people on foot, riding bikes, in wheelchairs, walking with buggies or getting around with mobility aids.

Funding

Funding for the work has been provided through the government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which saw Greater Manchester awarded £1.07bn to help deliver the Bee Network.

Funded by UK government logo