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Sam Ridgway -
22nd February 2020
Sam Ridgway -
22nd February 2020 News
18-21 year olds can now travel on Greater Manchester’s buses for half price
Emily Sergeant
18-21 year olds can now apply to travel on Greater Manchester’s bus network for half price, it has been announced.
The Bee Network says it is ‘continuing to lead the way’ when it comes to cutting the cost of public transport, with applications for half price unlimited bus travel for 18-21 year olds now open and around 150,000 young people in Greater Manchester set to benefit.
The new pass will ‘better connect’ young people to work, training, or education opportunities.
With the Greater Manchester economy found to be experiencing faster growth compared to the UK as a whole, and with making travel ‘easier, more affordable, and inclusive’ a critical part of the Bee Network’s success, Mayor Andy Burnham announced the half-price bus travel this week, alongside a raft of other improvements across the region.
Some of the other improvements the Mayor announced include more frequent buses, cheaper travel, and new round-the-clock services.
Young people can now buy a 28-day bus travelcard for just £40, which is half the price of adult fares and the equivalent of just £1.43 per day for unlimited travel on any Bee Network bus in Greater Manchester.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) says the new half-price travel is aimed at helping the thousands of young people once their 16-18 ‘Our Pass’ expires, and will support them as they move into further education or the world of work.
“Young people in Greater Manchester have been calling out for an affordable transport option for when their Our Pass expires and this new pass will give them that,” commented Fran Wilkinson, who is the Director for Customer and Growth at TfGM.
The new 18-21 Bee Bus ticket is here! 🙌
— Bee Network (@BeeNetwork) September 3, 2025
Enjoy 28 day’s of unlimited travel on #BeeNetwork buses for just £40. 🚌
Buy yours now on the Bee Network app with an 18-21 Pass ID.
Find out more: https://t.co/Y0iddbNQOt pic.twitter.com/XpCU4kOZrX
“We know this is such an important time in a young person’s life as they look to go into further education or enter the world of work.
“Now as they explore the many opportunities available to them they will be able to use any Bee Network bus as much as they need to at half the price.”
Fatima Bangoura, who is the Youth Engagement Officer at Youth Leads, added: “The new 18-21 pass opens doors for those who may worry about losing that support once their Our Pass ends, making travel for training, apprenticeships, education and employment far more accessible.”
Read more:
- All Greater Manchester buses are now under local control following ‘historic move’
- Greater Manchester residents urged to ‘switch to the Bee Network’ in 2025
- Plans to expand Greater Manchester’s tram network progress after £6m funding boost
Digital applications for the new 18-21 Pass are now open via the Bee Network app, and you can download the app here.
Featured Image – TfGM
News
Met Office issues yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms has been issued across Greater Manchester for this week, with some disruption expected.
Nothing says the start of the ‘ber months’ quite like a heavy downpour and some thunderstorms, right? September is here and the summer seems to be long gone, as the Met Office has now issued a series of yellow weather warnings across the UK – including a thunderstorms warning for Greater Manchester and much of the north west.
The Met Office‘s website states that an area of ‘heavy showers and thunderstorms’ is expected, and that this may even cause some localised flooding.
“We’re expecting a band of heavy rain and strong winds to move northeast, followed by heavy showers and the risk of thunderstorms,” commented Rebekah Hicks, who is a Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office.
She explained that as showers progress north-eastward, they will become ‘temporarily slow-moving’, which will lead to an increased chance of surface water flooding.
A thunderstorm warning is in force this morning for parts of England and Wales ⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 4, 2025
Stay #WeatherAware and take care as you travel
Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs pic.twitter.com/l9KQJ33C0Z
While the vast majority of places will have ‘non-impactful’ rain, a few places within the North West could see 30-60mm in an hour.
Hail and lightning will also be additional, as will possibly-locally impactful hazards.
Northern residents are being told to expect difficult driving conditions and some road closures, and where any flooding or lightning strikes should occur, there is also a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services.
There’s also a slight chance that power cuts could occur, and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost.
On top of all that, the Met Office says there is a ‘small chance’ that some homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail, or strong winds – although this is expected to be unlikely.
As Friday, southern areas will begin to see more settled conditions, but unfortunately, it’s a different story for the north.
Here in the North West, it will remain wet and windy for much of the day and weekend.
Read more:
- Met Office launches nationwide search for new storm names and wants YOU to pick
- Environment Agency officially declares a drought in north west England
- Chester Zoo’s FREE family festival returns next weekend – with wildlife shows, live music, and more
More information and the latest weather forecasts for Greater Manchester and the North West can be found on the Met Office website here.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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