Travel planning for business

Business guidance on travel and commuting in Greater Manchester

As our economy and society reopen and more people return to the transport network it is important it is both safe and supports the changing demands of future travel patterns. Our priority is working with you so your employees and customers can return with confidence and make informed travel decisions.

On this page you will find transport information both on how to reopen your business safely during the government roadmap and advice to encourage long-term sustainable travel change for both your employees and customers.

Government advice is that people should:

Where possible please try to minimise travel within Greater Manchester and to areas outside the region to help stop the spread of new Coronavirus variants.
Travel safely, plan ahead and allow extra time for your journeys.
Continue to work from home if you can.
Social distancing remains in place on public transport, meaning capacity is limited, you must also continue to wear a face covering, unless exempt.
Consider walking or cycling, particularly for short trips.

This advice will be reviewed and updated in line with the roadmap to recovery, which could see all restrictions lifted from 21 June.

To enable social distancing on public transport we need to ensure the limited capacity on public transport at busier times is available for people who have no other options.

See our Coronavirus page for the latest customer guidance on travelling across the network.

Keep Doing Your Bit

As a business you can Keep Doing Your Bit by:

Encouraging your staff and customers to travel at quieter times on weekdays
- Before 7am
- Between 10am and 3pm
- After 6pm
- And before 8pm and after 10pm on Saturday
Encouraging staff and customers to walk or cycle for shorter journeys
Promote safe travel behaviour – Hands, Face, Space, Fresh Air
Share our travel advice on @OfficialTfGM on your social media channels
Sign up to our Business Travel Network for more informative, incentives, advice and guides.

Business fact sheet May 17

What we are doing

TfGM, local authorities and transport operators are working together to support people to continue to travel safely.

Service Levels

All available tram, train and bus services are running. All services are being kept under review in line with demand so may be subject to change. Planning ahead is important.
As many double trams as possible are running across the network with a 10-minute frequency at peak times – full frequency details are at tfgm.com/public-transport/tram/tram-times.
Latest service updates, including bus timetables, and journey planning tools are available on tfgm.com.

Flexible ticketing options for Metrolink including cheaper off-peak

Flexible travel savings help to spread demand and save money for passengers. More information about Metrolink ticketing options is available on the getmethere website.
Clipper provides 10 days’ travel for the price of nine with journeys taken over eight weeks.
The contactless early bird bonus saves money for travel before 7am on weekdays.

Supporting cycling and walking for shorter journeys

Cycling and walking helps to save public transport capacity for those who need it and reduces car journeys to avoid congestion and reduce harmful emissions. It’s also a great way to stay healthy.

Our new cycling and walking website activetravel.tfgm.com offers a wealth of advice including online maps, maintenance advice, tips and video guides.
Employer resources and support are on offer to help make changes to enable employees to commute by bike. Our team can provide advice and support to identify which solutions are the best fit for your business.
Free cycle training is available for individuals at all levels from complete beginners to those wanting to gain more confidence on the road.

Reassurance

Safe travel ‘trambassadors’ out on the Metrolink network, engaging and educating.
Targeted days of action by TravelSafe partners to address hotspots of face covering noncompliance.
‘Keep Doing Your Bit’ Greater Manchester-wide campaign with transport messaging to help reassure and manage demand.

Safety

Enhanced cleaning regimes – including two hourly antiviral cleaning on trams and at bus stations and interchanges.
The in-built ventilation system on all trams is constantly circulating fresh air as well as windows being opened regularly.

Longer-term travel planning for business

It can be difficult to know where to start when looking at travel for your organisation. Approaches differ depending on an organisation’s size, sector and location. You may even be relocating to a new space. We have produced this step by step guide to get you started reviewing your business and staff travel, with information and useful links on where to find support.

If you have any questions or can’t find the advice you need please get in touch at engagement@tfgm.com