From the first crack of dawn, as a commuter boards a tram in Greater Manchester and taps out at their destination, they may not realize they are witnessing the quiet birth of something ambitious: a public-transport revolution.
But across the region, the threads of a bold new vision are being drawn—buses, trams, cycle lanes, walking paths, and soon, the very rails themselves, all converging into what is being called the Bee Network. For a city once fragmented by competing operators, it represents a new era of cohesion, optimism, and possibility.
A Promise To Travellers
In a recently published article by Positive News, the Bee Network is celebrated as its most radical step yet: turning a patchwork of services into a unified, user-friendly system. The article outlines four pillars, the fourth being rail integration, which we will dwell on.
The network defines how bus franchising, fare capping, active travel routes, and rail inclusion form the backbone of the plan. But beyond policy lies lived experience: people now expect simplicity, clarity, seamless transfers—and that expectation is forcing a transformation.
For many in Greater Manchester, public transport has long been a source of frustration: multiple operators, confusing fares, broken connections, and patchy integration.
The Bee Network seeks to rewrite that narrative, setting the region on a course toward a single brand, a single app, and—critically—a single mindset: travel as a convenience, not a burden.
Steps Already Taken: Bus Franchising, Fare Capping, Tap In Tap Out
A decisive turning point came in early 2025, when Greater Manchester completed its three tranches of bus franchising. With that, the region brought previously fragmented bus services under local public control. By January 2025, all franchised buses began operating under Bee Network branding, wearing the yellow-and-black livery inspired by the worker bee motif.
One of the most visible improvements: the introduction of contactless tap-in, tap-out fares across buses and trams. On March 22, 2025, The Guardian reported that passengers could now switch between bus and tram seamlessly, without juggling separate tickets.
A daily and weekly fare cap ensures that users won’t overpay when combining multiple journeys. Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt described the system as modern, simple, and affordable, adding that passengers automatically get the best fare without fuss.
That change is more than cosmetic. Since integration, bus punctuality in franchised areas has improved, ridership has risen, and ticket prices have dropped by an average of 15%. These are early gains, but they suggest that when public control, clarity, and accountability align, customers respond.
The Big Leap: Rail Integration As The Pivotal Fourth Point
This is where the Bee Network’s ambition deepens: bringing commuter rail services—long governed by national operators—into the same integrated system of branding, ticketing, and governance. This fourth pillar is the most complex piece of the puzzle.
Greater Manchester aims to fold eight priority rail corridors, with 64 stations, into the Bee Network by 2028. The remaining stations would follow by 2030. The plan includes station upgrades, consistent branding, integrated fares (including tap-in, tap-out), and alignment of customer services via the Bee Network app.
The business case estimates that these changes could attract an additional 1.3 million rail journeys annually on those lines—helping reduce subsidies and reshape ridership patterns. The vision is not just technical, but civic: transforming rail into a tool of inclusion, connectivity, and growth.
Mayor Andy Burnham emphasized that the existing rail setup acts as a brake on growth, and that Greater Manchester deserves a railway that is reliable and fully integrated.
The phased approach begins with routes to Glossop and Stalybridge by December 2026, followed by expansion to Manchester Airport, Wigan, Rochdale, and others. Alongside this, accessibility upgrades such as ramps, lifts, tactile surfaces, and better signage will bring over 60% of stations to step-free status by 2028, compared to 43% today.
The complexity is daunting: rail infrastructure remains national, layered with legacy contracts, signaling systems, and centralized funding structures. Still, the incentive is clear: a unified transport network promises better journeys, greener travel, and renewed public confidence.
Other Pieces Of The Puzzle: Cycling, Rapid Transit, And Challenges
The Bee Network is more than rails and buses. It also includes an active travel arm called Bee Active—walking, wheeling, and cycling routes.
The plan includes 1,800 miles of cycle and walking paths, over 2,400 new pedestrian crossings, and a cycle hire scheme known as Bee Bikes. Manchester was even named the first European Capital of Cycling for 2024, signaling momentum beyond transport alone.
Meanwhile, the Leigh–Salford–Manchester guided bus rapid transit system was folded into the Bee Network in 2023, adding a high-capacity link to complement bus and tram routes.
There are, however, challenges. In September 2025, Metroline bus drivers planned a strike after pay negotiations broke down, showing that even public franchises must navigate labour relations.
The Guardian also reported serious safety incidents, including a double-decker bus colliding with a canal aqueduct in July 2025 and a tram-van crash earlier that year that tragically killed a child. These events remind us that safety, reliability, and trust are as crucial as integration.
One notable success: in 2025, the Altrincham Interchange—combining bus, tram, and rail—officially joined the Bee Network, offering one of the first true multi-modal hubs under the new brand.
Why It Matters And What Lies Ahead
The Bee Network is not just about infrastructure. At its heart is a question: can public transport feel less like a chore and more like an enabler of lives?
The ambition is that a student can catch a bike, ride to a bus, transfer to a tram, and hop on a train—each leg seamless, each switch invisible. The reward is less congestion, cleaner air, equal access, and stronger local economies.
It also represents a political experiment in devolution. Greater Manchester’s success is one of the clearest demonstrations that devolved transport control can yield results: more punctual buses, rising ridership, and simplified fares. In England, where transport powers often sit with central government, Manchester’s journey could become a national template.
Still, much depends on execution. Will the rail integration be stalled by politics or funding? Can safety issues be minimized? Will public trust hold strong? These are questions the next decade must answer.
But even at this early stage, there is cause for optimism. The transformation is visible: fewer fragmented tickets, more predictability, and a coherent identity rising across the region. As Andy Burnham said, Greater Manchester seeks a railway that is reliable, simpler, flexible, and accessible to everyone.
If this vision holds true, the Bee Network may do more than rebrand transport. It could reweave the relationships between people, places, and possibility.
Sources:
BBC
The Guardian
Centre for Cities
