All ten boroughs of Greater Manchester are set to receive night bus services under the latest package of improvements to the Bee Network. The plans are expected to expand access to jobs, services and the region’s night-time economy.
The proposals, announced by Mayor Andy Burnham on 18 March, include 36 service changes to be introduced during the 2026/27 financial year, subject to approval. They mark a further phase in the development of the Bee Network, which brought the region’s buses under local control for the first time in decades.
Under the plans, new and extended night routes will operate between Thursday and Saturday, creating a 24-hour network across Greater Manchester. Areas including Oldham, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford will gain night services where none previously existed.
The changes will support around 625,000 people working in sectors with late or overnight hours, as well as those travelling for leisure. Key destinations such as Manchester Airport, Trafford Centre and MediaCity will see improved connections.
The combined impact of the changes is expected to benefit approximately 740,000 residents living within walking or wheeling distance of the updated routes. More than half of those are in areas identified as more deprived, where access to private vehicles is lower.
In addition to night services, the programme includes three new routes linking residential areas with town centres and employment sites. Existing services will also see increased frequency during daytime, evening and weekend periods, alongside timetable adjustments to better match shift patterns in industrial areas.
The changes will add around 2.5 million kilometres to the network. In the year to March 2025, Bee Network buses covered 82 million kilometres, a 7% increase on the previous year.
Passenger numbers have also risen in areas where franchising has been introduced, with a reported increase in bus journeys and improved punctuality compared with pre-franchising levels.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:These changes will benefit people right across Greater Manchester. They have come about as a direct result of your feedback and support for the Bee Network and have been made possible by the decision we took to bring our buses back under local control.
By expanding Bee Network night buses to every borough, and providing more frequent services to key employment locations, we are creating more ways for people to access jobs and opportunities across the region.
This is just the start. As we continue to lead the way on economic growth, so will we continue to lead the way on transforming the Bee Network, setting us up for another decade of good growth so that everyone in Greater Manchester can live a good life.
Fares are set to remain capped at 2 GBP for a single journey and 5 GBP for a day ticket until the end of 2026. Concessionary schemes for young people and free travel for certain groups, including children in temporary accommodation, will continue.
Further reviews of routes are expected as the network develops, including potential new links in areas such as Tameside and north Manchester.
