Plans for a 24/7 ‘night bus’ trial to start on some popular services in Greater Manchester have now been revealed.
Details of the long-awaited pilot have been revealed alongside the launch of ‘phase two’ of Bee Network public transport franchising in across the region this week – but, at this moment in time, the trial is still subject to “ongoing engagement, funding, and approval”, according to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).
TfGM says the so-called ‘night bus’ pilot is set to launch in phase one bus areas, and is anticipated to include the V1 and 36 services.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and transport bosses at TfGM are keen to introduce 24/7 services to “supporting people working in the night time economy”, as this means customers will never miss the last bus home, whatever time of the day.
Daytime fares and tickets would apply on night services, TfGM has confirmed, so a single trip would be capped at the standard £2 fare.
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"People here will have better, more frequent bus services…"
Hear from @MayorofGM, Andy Burnham who today visited Bury Interchange to mark almost one month to go until the launch of the second phase of the #BeeNetwork in Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and parts of Salford.
Services could also run hourly to “fill the gap in current provision” – which is thought to be between around 1am and 5am – seven days a week, and TfGM says it is currently in the process of working with partners to look at “the right level” of ‘TravelSafe’ support to make sure people feel as comfortable as possible on these services when it comes to their personal safety.
Andy Burnham has confirmed the trial will start “later this year”.
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He added that the aim of the pilot is to “ensure that people working in hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, or any number of other roles can get to and from work safely using public transport”.
“The details are currently being developed, and are subject to further engagement,” Mr Burnham continued, “but it will provide us with a blueprint as to what can be achieved as a part of the Bee Network in support of people in Greater Manchester.”
Plans for 24/7 ‘night bus’ trial on some services in Greater Manchester have been revealed / Credit: TfGM
As mentioned, details of the proposed 24/7 ‘night bus’ pilot have been revealed alongside the unveiling of what ‘phase two’ of the Bee Network means for Greater Manchester.
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In case you’re unfamiliar, the Bee Network launched back in September of last year, and is our region’s “vision” for an integrated ‘London-style’ public transport system that “changes the way people travel” across all 10 boroughs – with the ‘phase one’ rollout bringing bright yellow buses to Bolton, Wigan, and parts of Bury and Salford.
‘Phase one’ consists of 188 bus routes, but ‘phase two’ is set to, quite literally, cover new ground.
When we launch the 2nd stage of the @BeeNetwork on 24/3, we will make improvements to your timetable.
This will include more frequent services and/or earlier and later running on the following routes: 17, 18, 52, 59, 67, 67a, 83, 97, 98, 100, 135, 350, 409, 423, 467, 468.
That’s because, on Sunday 24 March, buses in Oldham, Rochdale, and further parts of Bury, Salford, and north Manchester will come back under public control for the first time in almost 40 years.
The change will mean a total of 324 bus routes – 188 routes in ‘phase one’, and 136 routes in ‘phase two’ – totalling 50% of the bus network in Greater Manchester, will be managed TfGM as part of the Bee Network.
Services in ‘phase two’ will be operated by Stagecoach, First Group and Diamond under a franchising arrangement.
Find out more about the Bee Network on the TfGM website here.
Featured Image – TfGM
News
Lady Gaga announces MASSIVE gig at Co-op Live this year
Thomas Melia
American pop icon Lady Gaga is returning to the UK and is making a special stop in Manchester to celebrate her latest album, MAYHEM.
‘Mother Monster’ is returning to our lovely city for one night only ahead of her ‘The MAYHEM Ball Tour’, which is reaching the UK in October.
Gaga last visited Manchester over a decade ago when she brought ‘artRAVE: The Artpop Ball’ to AO Arena back in 2014.
The past few months have been mega for the 14-time Grammy-winning artist who has seen her Bruno Mars link-up ‘Die With A Smile’ catapult her career to new audiences and even further heights.
This single alone holds the record for the longest-running daily #1 hit on Spotify’s global chart, dethroning ‘Dance Monkey’ by Tones and I, which spent 121 days atop the chart.
Whether you’re showing up and showing out for classics such as ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Bad Romance’, or rocking up to hear new favourites like ‘Rain On Me’ and ‘Garden Of Eden’, this night will be a spectacle, that’s for sure.
This unmatched performer has chosen none other than Co-op Live as the destination for her newest tour, and we’re sure the arena will be packed with 23,500 of Gaga’s devoted ‘Little Monsters’.
Lady Gaga’s newest album, MAYHEM, is an ode to her discography and legacy as an artist with tracks like drawing from almost 20 year career: ‘Disease’, ‘Perfect Celebrity’, ‘Don’t Call Tonight’ and more.
Her latest single, ‘Abracadabra’, is already becoming a modern-day pop phenomenon too, as she evokes her familiar but ever-enigmatic pop star persona – we just wish we could magic ourselves some of those precious tickets.
The US performer took to social media to express her excitement, stating: “This show is designed to be the kind of theatrical and electrifying experience that brings MAYHEM to life exactly how I envision it.”
Gaga’s UK tour run is limited with a three-show residency at The O2 in London confirmed and this one-off Manchester gig announced so far.
With Gaga’s last visit being over 10 years ago, anyone looking to get their hands on any tickets will have to act fast.
She sure knows how to raise a roof, and when you have a single titled ‘Applause’ all about her adoration of playing to live crowds, we have no doubt this will be a night the die-hard fans will never forget.
Lady Gaga is bringing her ‘MAYHEM Ball Tour’ to Co-op Live on 7 October, with pre-sale tickets available from Monday 31 March onwards with general admission tickets going up from Thursday, 3 April at 12pm.
Former Manchester City player Joey Barton found guilty of assaulting his wife
Danny Jones
Ex-footballer Joey Barton has officially been found guilty of assaulting his wife following his two-day trial in the capital this week.
Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and a number of other clubs, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 March, following an incident back in June 2021.
The former midfielder left his wife, 37-year-old Georgia Barton (McNeil), with a bleeding nose and a bruise on her forehead following a drunken row at their home in London.
Barton is said to have grabbed and pushed her to the floor before kicking her in the head. Married in 2019, the two have four children and are thought to still be together.
The 42-year-old was still employed in professional football as the manager of Bristol Rovers at the time, but he was ultimately sacked in October 2023.
His wife called 999 at the time, telling police that he had hit her, but later retracted her statement.
Born in Huyton, Merseyside, the chief magistrate Paul Goldspring recognised that the one-time England has a history of violence.
He was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he won’t serve time unless he commits another offence and has been ordered to pay £2,138.
Since dropping out of mainstream football, in particular, Barton has come under heavy criticism for allegations of racism, sexism and controversial right-wing politics; he even started an ‘anti-woke’ podcast called Common Sense with Joey Barton.
Back in June of last year, he was ordered to pay £35,000 in damages to settle a libel claim with presenter Jeremy Vine after a series of inflammatory comments made online.
The Radio 2 presenter sued Mr Barton earlier this year, after the former footballer wrote a series of posts suggesting Mr Vine had a sexual interest in children.
He also accused of threatening fellow former pro, Eni Aluko, after a torrent of abuse regarding her punditry online – the ex-England international even went so far as to say she no longer felt safe staying in the country.
Emily Sergeant -
20th February 2024 
