As the Labour Party prepares to reveal its first budget in nearly a decade and a half, early reports are suggesting that the government is planning to scrap the £2 bus fare cap but, fortunately, the policy won’t affect Greater Manchester.
Set to be delivered on Wednesday, 30 October by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the national £2 cap on bus fares – which was only introduced back in January 2023 and continually extended ever since – has been a big money-saving measure for many commuters and those struggling in the cost of living crisis.
Reeves and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have already warned that Labour’s first budget since 2010 will feature a series of spending cuts and tax rises as they look to stabilise Britain’s economy but for millions across the country, this will come as a frustrating update.
According to The Mirror, this could see the worst affected places see fares jump up as much as £10, meaning affordable buses will no longer be a viable travel option. Luckily for us here in Greater Manchester, it has been confirmed the impending changes won’t apply here.
I can confirm that we plan to stick with a £2 cap on single bus fares for the whole of 2025.
Confirming the news on Tuesday, 29 October, Mayor Andy Burnham detailed that the £2 bus fare cap will remain across all 10 boroughs as part of the ever-growing Bee Network and Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) wider plans moving forward.
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Speaking in an official statement shared on the local Combined Authority website, Burnham said: “Our policy aim throughout has been to create a low-fare, high-patronage system similar to the one that has brought higher growth and productivity to London. This will remain the mission of the Bee Network…
“Because of the decisions we have taken, and the progress we have made, GM is in a different position to other areas across England when it comes to bus funding and bus fares. We are beginning to benefit from similar financial advantages as those long enjoyed by London.”
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Meanwhile, the bulk of the country is set to face a number of financial changes when the MP for Leeds West and Pudsey announces the first Labour budget in 14 years in full this week, with the bus fare cap now reportedly set to be increased to at least £3, along with changes to pension tax, the winter fuel allowance and more expected.
In Parliament this week, Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsey Hoyle called out Lewisham-born Reeves for the level of media attention her upcoming budget has received of late:
Fair play to Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle who gave a bollocking to Rachel Reeves for strutting around the world announcing her plan to change the government's fiscal rules before debating it in parliament. pic.twitter.com/IVpC382gx3
As for Burnham, he went on to detail that, “Firstly, the per-kilometre cost of our new contracts are on average one-third cheaper than tenders in the old deregulated system. Secondly, by taking control of the farebox, any profits from rising patronage can be kept and recycled for the benefit of GM residents rather than retained by private operators.
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“Thirdly, control of the system allows us to take further steps to help our residents. For instance, by making annual Bee Bus Passes available through our 14 credit unions via weekly payments, residents can cut the cost of weekly bus travel by around £5.”
Greater Manchester was the first area in the UK to propose the bus fare cap to begin with and set an important precedent for other counties to push for the national policy.
The 54-year-old is also set for an “emergency meeting” with the Rail North Committee on the same day that the government’s budget will be revealed after slamming the “embarrassing” state of the current regional network.
People looking to use the train service this past Sunday, 27 October were advised not to travel in now-deleted social media posts after yet more warnings regarding the possibility of last-minute cancellations.
We have called an emergency Rail North Committee for Wednesday to require a plan to bring an immediate end to this.👇🏻
“Do Not Travel” notices between UK cities are embarrassing.
Transport is critical to growth and right now Northern is damaging local economies across the North. https://t.co/QO8iYOLNkX
Back to the buses, Burnham went on to add: “We hope that the measures we are taking will continue the increase in patronage we have seen since the introduction of the original £2 cap in September 2022 and the launch of the Bee Network in September 2023.
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“The more people use the system, the easier it will be for us to sustain the low-fare structure. This said, it is only by mid-2025 when we have completed Phase 1 of the Bee Network, and we know the level of funding we have, that we’ll be in a position to judge the financial outlook for the new system.”
While they have promised that the £2 cap bus fare will remain for the whole of 2025, the figure will be subject to a mid-year review that could potentially see the decision to up the price in the future.
Put simply, he signed off by assuring that the local authorities remain defiant on the issue and “will keep [the bus fare] as long we can.”
In the grander scheme of things, Greater Manchester is edging ever closer towards an Oyster card-esque set-up as mentioned above, with the first of the key steps in this process set to be rolled out in January next year. Find out more below.
Florence and the Machine at Co-op Live Manchester – tickets, setlist, and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Florence and the Machine have visited Manchester before… but this UK tour marks their Co-op Live debut.
The ‘Dog Days Are Over’ because London-based band Florence and the Machine are returning to the music capital of the North – Manchester.
The band has played in our city many times over the years, including staple venues like Manchester Academy and AO Arena, but now they’re taking to the stage of the 23,500 capacity Co-op Live for the first time in their career this month.
With this current run of shows titled Everybody Scream Tour, you can expect this arena gig to be a spectacle or… ‘Spectrum’ (there’s more puns coming).
So, grab the ‘Girl With One Eye’, ‘Jenny of Oldstones’, and the ‘Queen of Peace’, and get ready to ‘Howl’ out all of Florence and the Machine’s bangers.
Florence and the Machine are coming to Co-op Live, Manchester on 20 February / Credit: Autumn de Wilde (Supplied)
Florence and the Machine UK tour dates
Fri 13 Feb – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
Sat 14 Feb – Sheffield, UK – Utilita Arena
Mon 16 Feb – London, UK – The O2
Tue 17 Feb – London, UK – The O2
Fri 20 Feb – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 24 Aug – Edinburgh, UK – Royal Highland Showgrounds
Fri 28 Aug – Leeds, UK – Bramham Park
Sun 30 Aug – Reading, UK – Richfield Avenue
Tickets
Anyone wanting to see this stellar act in all their glory when they play their latest arena show in Manchester can find some seats left HERE.
There’s even a handful of premium seating options on offer, where you can ‘Shake It Out’ in style feeling like a ‘King’ HERE.
Setlist
Everybody Scream
Witch Dance
Shake It Out
Seven Devils
Big God
Daffodil
Which Witch
Cosmic Love
Spectrum
Never Let Me Go
Music By Men
buckle
King
The Old Religion
Howl
Heaven Is Here
Sympathy Magic
One of the Greats
Dog Days Are Over
Free
And Love
What are the stage times for Florence and the Machine in Manchester?
UK act Florence and the Machine are playing various arena and festival shows this year / Credit: Autumn de Wilde (Supplied)
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning as much as we want to sing until there’s ‘No Light, No Light’, at least we’ll be tucked up in bed before the early hours.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm, with a kick-off time expected to be 7:30pm, and support from self-proclaimed alternative-indie ‘Good Girl’ Paris Paloma.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
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Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Featured Images – Press shots (supplied via Autumn de Wilde)
News
Manchester’s tiny new tiramisu hatch Layr speaks out after receiving influx of ‘hostile’ hate messages
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s tiny new tiramisu hatch has spoken out after receiving a recent influx of ‘hostile’ hate messages and reviews.
Having only opened its doors – or should we say, shutters – at the end of last month (29 January) over in Acoats, Layr is one of Manchester’s newest independent businesses that is selling purely tiramisu, with a menu of three different flavours, each served in individually portioned pots.
Here you can expect classic tiramisu where sponge is soaked in espresso, then layered with vanilla marscapone and cocoa dust.
These freshly-made, alcohol-free and Halal desserts have gone down an absolute treat with residents and visitors to the city alike since opening, but unfortunately, it hasn’t been completely smooth sailing for founder Moona who has admitted over the weekend that they have been receiving a number of ‘hostile’ hate comments and reviews that don’t reflect the service they are providing.
The statement comes after the business teamed up with The Couture Club and influencer Farron Clark for a Valentine’s collaboration over the weekend.
Layr said in its Instagram statement: “As a small independent business, we can’t stay silent when things aren’t right. It’s hard to share, but it has to be said.
“With a heavy heart, we need to address something that’s been happening behind the scenes. Over the past few days, we’ve noticed a pattern that’s been difficult to process. Hostile hate-messages, comments, and reviews. A number of one-star reviews have appeared that don’t feel reflective of real customer experiences… with some of our genuine customer photos have been screenshotted and reposted elsewhere.
Layr has spoken out after receiving an influx of ‘hostile’ hate messages / Credit: The Manc Group
“As a small, new independent business, we take all feedback on board. However instances that appear not to be genuine are disheartening to see.”
They then shared a couple of screenshot images of reviews and comments they were referring to, before adding that: “The industry is already a challenge without these instances. We all need each other’s support and I hope we all succeed in what we set out to achieve.”
The statement concluded: “Let’s spread love… not hate.”
Danny Jones -
29th October 2024 
