Boroughs

Greater Manchester set for one of its warmest days of 2026 so far as spring settles in

Get that SPF out, you might actually need it.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th March 2026

Today is set to be one of the warmest days of the year so far for Greater Manchester.

With the days getting longer, the skies bluer, and the sun warmer, there’s no denying that spring is finally starting to settle in across the UK now… or ‘false spring’ at least, let’s not get too carried away with ourselves of course, this is the North West after all and we’ve still got those April showers to contend with first.

But after what was a pretty unsettled start to the week here in Greater Manchester, with both rain and wind pelting us on Monday (16 March), it seems like things are taking a turn today.

The Met Office has forecasted that the region is set for a ‘warm and pleasant spell of spring weather’ for this week, particularly today (Wednesday 18 March) with highs of 16-17°C on average, and in some parts of the country, temperatures could even reach 20°C.

“Wednesday looks likely to be the warmest day of the week for many, with high pressure dominant,” explained Dan Harris, who is the Chief Forecaster at the Met Office.

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“The warmest spots are likely to be in parts of west Wales and western England, where under sunny skies, 18-19ºC, possibly even 20ºC is on the cards. This is due to the additional boost expected from the passage of east to south-easterly winds over areas of higher ground, known as the Foehn effect.”

Dan did add, however, that there’ll be a big difference between the maximum daytime temperature and minimum overnight temperature this week.

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“Thanks to the clear skies during the day, we’ll see some chilly nights after the warmer days with a few places experiencing air frost,” he concluded.

Looking ahead to the rest of the week and onto the weekend, it appears this nice weather is sticking around for a little bit longer here in Greater Manchester, as while there are some cloudy spells expected, daytime temperatures are staying warm for the time of year.

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Thursday looks to be dry and settled with plenty of sunshine, but temperatures will start to cool towards the seasonal average on Friday.

Featured Image – Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)

Boroughs

Every Greater Manchester borough to get 24-7 night bus services as part of Bee Network improvements

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Every borough of Greater Manchester is set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy.

Widespread improvements are coming to bus services across the whole region are coming later this year, as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has today (Thursday 18 March) announced 36 service changes in total – many of which are said to be the ‘most significant’ and ‘wide-ranging’ upgrades the Bee Network has seen since bus franchising was completed early last year.

The announcement comes after the Mayor gave a major update yesterday on plans to deliver a ‘decade of good growth’ in Greater Manchester, backed by at least £500 million of investment from the National Wealth Fund, taking the GM Good Growth Fund to almost £2 billion.

The Bee Network insists this raft of new changes have ‘only been made possible’ by bringing buses back under local control.

As mentioned, the most major improvement is set to be the introduction 24-hour night buses throughout Greater Manchester – with five new night buses launched to bring a 24-hour service to parts of the region that haven’t previously had them, like Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford.

Every Greater Manchester borough is set to get 24-7 night bus services / Credit: TfGM

It’s hoped around 625,400 people in jobs that operate late into the night, as well as those enjoying everything the region’s nightlife has to offer, can get home safely.

Some of the other changes announced include a selection of brand-new bus services, more frequent buses during the day and at the weekends, and overall better connections to key employment and leisure destinations like Manchester Airport, Trafford Centre, MediaCity, Middlebrook Retail Park, Kingsway Business Park, and Logistics North.

“These changes will benefit people right across Greater Manchester,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham.

“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.

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“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.”

Featured Image – TfGM

Boroughs

Bolton’s bid for the Ryder Cup has received a big boost

Danny Jones Danny Jones New Bolton link road could help secure Ryder Cup bid for 2035

Bolton’s much-anticipated bid for the Ryder Cup has received an added boost of positivity and optimism, which could prove key in bringing the competition to the town.

It also starts with an improvement to local infrastructure, which it appears that the borough will benefit from, regardless of whether or not they win the bid.

Talk of Bolton throwing their hat in the ring to hopefully host the Ryder Cup first began rumbling around during the pandemic, before ramping up even further in 2023, and is now gathering a little more speed.

And a lot of it could come down to upgraded travel links in the form of an even longer-rumoured new road connecting the M61-M6 junctions, which would need to be completed in time for the tournament – along with a fresh big golf course, too.

While the plans to transform the land around Hulton Park have been in the pipeline for some time, the case for creating easier routes between Bolton, Wigan and the surrounding area was pitched as far back as the post-WWII period.

As for the Ryder Cup itself, it hasn’t been hosted in England for decades; the last time an associated event was held was in 2002 at Warwickshire, and it goes without saying that it would be a huge win not just for Greater Manchester but the North in general.

In fact, the wider masterplan that makes up part of the bid doesn’t just include the new £70 million link road, but also feeds into GM’s overall Good Growth Fund, which looks set to almost double thanks to more investment in the National Wealth Fund.

Put simply, the sum of around £2bn set aside for grants and funding across the country – including Bolton’s 2035 Ryder Cup bid – could see huge revenues brought in.

Regarding Bolton, were they to clinch from competitors like the London Golf Club in Sevenoaks, over in Kent and Luton Hoo Hotel and Spa in Bedfordshire, it’s estimated that it could generate more than £1.2bn for the local economy.

Besides a new premium golfing venue, the M61-M6 link road and the recently announced Metrolink expansion into Bolton, the regional funding allocation already factors in various bits of future property development, including more housing and subsequent job creation.

Put simply, it could be transformational for Bolton and beyond. However, it still requires them to win the bid on the basis of the GMCA, Bolton Council, developers, and other partners delivering everything promised, not to mention on time for the biennial Ryder Cup slot up for grabs.

Despite initial rejection and still plenty of pushback, Peel Land are promising three things for the land: “Restoration. Sustainability. World-class golf.”

Mayor Andy Burnham has insisted it is an opportunity not only to improve life, leisure and business in the old Lancashire stronghold, but “as well as the new jobs and tourist spend the Ryder Cup would deliver, there’s also a chance to deliver a lasting legacy.”

What do you make of the grand vision thus far, and for Boltonians, is this something you’re fully behind? Speaking of big sporting events, another one is coming up in Manchester city centre this weekend.

Manchester Basketball set to make history at first-ever Super League Cup finals in the city

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Featured Images — Publicity pictures/CGIs (via Peel Land)

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