Andy Burnham has declared 2025 as the year where our region continues on its journey to ‘restore local control’.
With only a day of 2024 left to go, the Greater Manchester Mayor has been reflecting back on the past 12 months, and is now setting some goals and intentions for the new year – which he expects to be a “busy” one full of change and historic milestones, starting with the introduction of Bee Network buses to the southern part of Greater Manchester from 5 January.
“Four decades of deregulation will be over,” Mr Burnham declared. “We will finally be back in charge of our entire bus network.”
The Mayor says that completing this first phase of the transport network “on time and on budget” is a “huge achievement” for the region, and he hopes this means that 2025 can “begin on a much-needed optimistic note”
“It proves things can indeed be fixed, moved forward, and made to work better,” he added.
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Andy Burnham has declared 2025 as Manchester’s year for ‘restoring local control’ / Credit: Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
Looking ahead beyond the first week of the new year, this is where the Mayor is keen to tackle train travel, housing, and education across the region.
Once all the region’s buses are under local control, Mr Burnham will be shifting his transport focus onto phase two of the Bee Network – which involves integrating eight commuter rail lines by 2028 – as he claims “we all know the railways can’t continue in their current chaotic state”.
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When it comes to housing, you may remember that 2024 was the year Andy Burnham declared as the time for Greater Manchester to “get serious about housing”, but its 2025 where some of the most crucial changes are set to take place, especially with the upcoming introduction of the GM Good Landlord Charter in May.
One week today, GM will make the biggest change yet to our buses – completing re-regulation on time and on budget.
This flurry of delivery should set the tone for the rest of 2025.
In a bid to “show a new determination to face up to the housing crisis”, Mr Burnham is urging all politicians to speak explicitly about ‘Council housing’ instead of just saying ‘social housing’, as this is what he feels will help to restore local control to the system once and for all.
Beyond that, the Mayor says local residents should expect to hear much more in the new year about the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate or MBacc – which is Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) plan for an equal alternative to the university route.
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Mr Burnham says Greater Manchester is going into 2025 “with a spring in our step and a can-do spirit” that he hopes becomes “infectious” to the rest of the UK.
“If the local control achieved with our buses starts to bring similar benefits to housing and skills, then perhaps the country can draw a line under these dysfunctional recent times and start to look to the future with more confidence and optimism,” he concluded.
Featured Image – GMCA
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Family of ‘loving’ Harpurhey mum pay touching tribute to her as man is charged with murder
Emily Sergeant
The family of a ‘loving’ Harpurhey mum have paid a heartfelt tribute to her as a man has been charged with murder.
The tribute has been released after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was called to an address on Queens Road, in the Harpurhey area of Manchester, in the early hours of the morning at 4:07am this Monday just gone (7 April).
Sadly, despite the speed with which officers arrived on the scene, a 51-year-old woman was found dead on arrival.
GMP has now confirmed her identity as Clare Burns.
#TRIBUTE | The family of a “loving mother” have released a tribute as man charged with murder.
Clare Burns sadly died in Harpurhey on Monday morning. Leonard Lee Stewart (8.4.70) of Queens Road, Manchester, has been charged with murder.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) April 9, 2025
Paying tribute to Clare following her passing, her family wrote: “Clare was a loving mother, auntie, sister and daughter. She was funny, outgoing and a very independent person. She was also kind, generous and friendly to anyone she met.
“Clare would always light up the room she entered, and she was a brilliant friend to many. We will miss her dearly.”
With a murder investigation subsequently launched, a 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene, following initial enquiries.
The family of a ‘loving’ Harpurhey mum have paid a touching tribute to her as a man is charged with murder / Credit: GMP
Leonard Lee Stewart, from Manchester, has been charged with murder, and the 54-year-old remained in police custody ahead of his next appearance at Manchester City Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday 9 April).
Due to past contact between GMP, and the victim and suspect, it’s been confirmed that the Professional Standards Directorate have made a voluntarily referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) – which is now assessing the case.
Anyone with any information about this case is asked to contact GMP via the case’s major incident portal here, or by calling the incident room on 0161 856 3635.
Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
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New driving test cancellation rules introduced by DVSA to reduce waiting times
Emily Sergeant
Learner drivers will now be required to give longer notice periods when they need to cancel their driving tests in a bid to reduce waiting lists.
Up until this week, anyone who had booked a driving test which they could no longer attend had to change or cancel their appointment within three full working days notice, but now, as of yesterday (8 April), the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) requires learner drivers to give 10 days’ notice.
If learners fail to provide the 10 full working days’ notice, then they will not be able to redeem their test fee back.
According to the DVSA’s new rules, only Monday to Saturday count as working days, while Sundays and public holidays do not.
But why has the change been introduced?
The short notice cancellation period for car driving tests changes today ⚠️
You'll now need to give 10 working days' notice to cancel or change your car driving test without losing your fee.
— Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (@DVSAgovuk) April 8, 2025
Well, according to the DVSA, lots of people who are not ready to take their driving test leave it until right at the last moment to change or cancel it, and although that appointment then becomes available to other learner drivers, many of them tend to go unused, given the fact it’s so close to the test date and they may not feel prepared enough.
So, the DVSA hopes that by asking learner drivers to give more notice, it should give other people more chance to use the appointment, and ultimately reduce driving test waiting times.
New driving test cancellation rules have been introduced by the DVSA to reduce waiting times / Credit: pxfuel
There are, of course, some exceptions to the rule, with some learners still being able to apply for a refund at short notice if they have an illness or injury, have suffered a bereavement, have to take a school or college exam, or have their provisional driving license stolen.
On top of this, the DVSA has confirmed that it will continue to pay out-of-pocket expenses for any car driving tests that it has to cancel with fewer than three full working days’ notice.
Emily Sergeant -
31st December 2024 
